16mo in a RAGE after naps

[ShushBaby]

My little girl (16mo) has 1 nap a day or sometimes two, depending on when she wakes and what we're up to. She goes down, usually without a fuss, in her cot. She's always been a cat napper and never sleeps for more than 90 mins at a time in the day. Sometimes much less.

For a while now she's been waking up and SCREAMING for a good ten mins or more after her nap. Whether I go in and pick her up, leave her in her cot and stay with her, leave her alone, take her to her toys- it makes no difference. It's like she is seeing red, which is weird because she's usually very jolly and laid back.

I can only assume she's still tired- today she woke up after 40 mins and was especially bad. Now she is wandering about saying 'snooze' every now and again but I know she would be incensed if I put her back to bed.

I did a mumsnet search about this and now feel quite angsty because the general concensus is that toddlers of this age usually have 2 hour naps in the afternoon ! So now I'm even more convinced that the screeching is down to still being tired. But maybe I'm wrong. And how the hell do you extend a toddler's nap?!

Sorry this is rather rambling. Any tips/anyone been in the same boat?

ps She sleeps through 7pm-6am/6.30am at night

i always feel groggy after a nap in the day , I always assumed that it wasthe same with some kids.

DS1 used to do this, we used to make sure we had a digestive biscuit to give him as soon as he woke. A whole one though, if it had so much as a crumb fallen off his rage would increase

Wow such a relief to know that it isn't only my little one that turns into a raging beast after a nap! Thanks all!

:o It makes these stages in parenting soooooooo much more manageable, doesn't it? :)

Ds was always like this and also gave up daytime naps early (about 12 months)- that was fun...not!

As someone said, and has become my life mantra with all things child related- this too will pass. Though it's difficult to believe it at the time :)

My dd does this, has a nap and then screams her head off on waking. She always has done right from newborn. She is 3.7 now and sometimes falls asleep on a long car journey. I always have food at the ready, although sometimes she is flailing around and screaming so much after her nap, I can't get it into her quickly enough! You have my sympathy op!