Toddler always cries on waking

[searadish]

My 20mo has always cried when he wakes from naps or at night/in the morning if he's in his cot/buggy/car seat, since he was an infant. None of this waking up and burbling or chatting to himself, he wails as he's waking, even with his eyes closed. The only times he wakes without crying is if he's sleeping on me/next to me.

Has anyone else's DC done this? I feel sad he wakes up so sad and I don't know what I can do about it.

Mine is younger than yours (12 months) but he hads always done this too. No idea why, but tbh I'm not a morning person either.

I've read it's if they haven't completed a sleep cycle. Apparently you should try to soothe them back to sleep to finish it. I don't have a great deal of luck re-settling my 2yo though I have to say!

Mine done this. Always has. No idea why, I just go in and give him a cuddle. I like to tell myself it's because he wants to see me

I thought this was normal!

I read that they wake up with low sugar but aren't aware of this so don't know how to fix it. I always make sure I have something like a banana on hand at a wakeup and it works about 70% of the time.

Following with interest as no cute gentle babbling here just distressed cries. 15m but with a gross motor delay so he can’t push himself up (tummy sleeper) so I figured he just cries in frustration

My recently turned four year old always did this, but has now largely stopped, as MsChatterbox says I often found that a quick snack or breakfast as appropriate helped.

Mine does this - snacks help

Interesting thanks all! I will try the snacks at nap and morning wakes. Although I'm not sure that is why he cries when he wakes at 9pm/1am/3am? Good to hear it's pretty normal

My eldest did this, my youngest never has - I think it's just a personality thing, not liking the feeling of waking up!

Both of mine did/do this. Not sure when the older one grew out of it. 2 year old still going strong. Same with "putting in the cot drowsy but awake". They would have screamed for hours without a cuddle to sleep!

Our nearly 4 year old does this sometimes, usually if he's not had a good night's sleep. It's fucking irritating lol .

To be fair, sometimes when I wake up, I feel like crying 😂

My nearly 2 year old does this. Sometimes his eyes aren’t even yet open and he starts. I normally distract him with something to eat/drink!

Eldest dd always did this, youngest never did. Think it’s a personality thing. She’s 17 now and still likes lots of attention

Both of my boys did it too. Both grew out of it by about 3years old and always wake with smiles now

Mine used to do this during naps - had to boob him back to sleep so he could complete the nap

DS18months ha always done this. I hate waking up too so I guess he gets it from me

@DonnaDarko I sometimes want to cry too!

So reassuring how common this is.

We have had brief periods of "putting down drowsy but awake" but now back to leaning over cot and rubbing his back for ages. Hopefully he'll grow out of that too!