Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Original poster

DS wakes from nap and is vile/cranky... any suggestions

25 replies

Nip · 27/09/2007 13:52

My DS has one nap in the day, usually about an hour and a half. However when he wakes up he is extremely unhappy. He will cry, and be really cranky.

When he wakes up in the morning he is fine, often super happy. He goes to nursery in the week and they say that he's pretty vile when he wakes up and will want hugs etc for about 20 mins.

Is anyone elses DC like this? We try everything to keep him happy but it really gets us no where and its horrible to see.

(not sure vile is the right word but i cant think of another appropriate one!)

OP posts:
Original poster
Nip · 27/09/2007 14:07

really... it cant JUST be me!.. can it!

OP posts:
LadyOfWaffle · 27/09/2007 14:08

Is he woken up from his nap, or does he wake naturally?

Original poster
Nip · 27/09/2007 14:10

he wakes naturally.

OP posts:
bozza · 27/09/2007 14:10

My DD is like this but at 3 1/2 I assume the nap will go before the grumpiness does. She only has naps 2 or 3 x a week at most as it is. Sorry no help, but I do have to allow time for her to get over it before the school run.

Niecie · 27/09/2007 14:12

Maybe he isn't getting a long enough nap. Do you go straight into him or does he have time to resettle himself and go back to sleep?

My DSs were ratty if they hadn't slept for long enough but if I could get them back to sleep they were OK when they finally woke up.

LadyOfWaffle · 27/09/2007 14:12

DS is sometimes like this, I just do whatever it takes - milk, water, something to eat, cuddle, his tiger.

princessmel · 27/09/2007 14:12

Ds was like this when I had to wake him to do school pick ups. It was awful as he'd be crying and I'd have to wrestle him into car.

Dd is like this sometimes even if she's woken herself up naturally. And other times she's fine.

When she's cranky, I ask her if she wants to get out of the cot and if she doesn't , she says 'stay in' meaning in her gro bag and I just leave her and do some upstairs jobs like putting washing away etc.
I talk to her as I'm doing them and then after a while she'll have unzipped herself and is ready to come out.

This only works if we dont need to rush out.

HTH

Pennies · 27/09/2007 14:13

My DD is like this and I found the only way to avoid it is to go into her the moment she wakes up (or wake her up myself) all ready and armed with a snack / some milk. Works every time.

Blandmum · 27/09/2007 14:14

I don't know, but if you find an answer could you let me know. I'm just the same. poor dh!

LilRedWG · 27/09/2007 14:16

My Mum stopped me having my afternoon nap when I was two for this very reason Nip. Even now, 32 years later I am evil, on waking, if I fall asleep in the afternoon.

Sorry - no help to you I know.

LilRedWG · 27/09/2007 14:16

Snap MB!

Original poster
Nip · 27/09/2007 14:17

Usually when he wakes he will start crying straight away. Very grumpy and upset crying too. I dont rush to get him (in the off chance he isnt ready) but i look in and he's usually stood up with his arms up, wanting to be picked up.

Perhaps i will try asking him if he wants to come out or if he wants to lie down, and see what happens.

ladyofWaffle - i;ve tried to food & drink but he just shoves it away and screams a bit louder. We even tried chocolate (bad i know) but he just holds it in his hand (usually until its melted and all over me and the rest of the house!).

He is usually such a happy boy and hardly gets upset, but he really lets is all out after nap time!

OP posts:
bozza · 27/09/2007 14:17

LOL at mb - no hope for your children then. I also do my best to make the waking process slow. I often put DD's ironing away in her wardrobe while she lays and watches.

WriggleJiggle · 27/09/2007 14:18

dd gets like this. I either leave her for a couple of minutes when she wakes up or I potter around in her room chatting to her whilst she 'comes to'. Then after a minute of two she is ready and want to get out and play.

Oh, the other thing that works really well is to enter her room singing a silly song / walking in a silly way etc then I just pick her up and carry on in the same manner for a few minutes whilst carrying her around the house. Makes me feel a bit stupid, but its worth it otherwise the whinging can go on for 1/2 hour or so.

Original poster
Nip · 27/09/2007 14:18

hhmmmm - i'm a misery after an afternoon nap too.. perhaps i should think about trying to keep him up. He is never that knackered when we put him down, but he just goes off. He goes to bed at 8, so perhaps if he didnt have a nap, he'd be happy going to bed a bit earlier. (he is 17mo by the way)

OP posts:
LilRedWG · 27/09/2007 14:20

Give it a try Nip - you've nothing to lose and you may gain an extra hour to yourself of an evening

princessmel · 27/09/2007 14:21

If he dropped his nap you could have him in bed by 6.30pm.

But I am a big nap fan. I keep them going for a slong as possible!!

How about playing peekaboo behind the door to make him laugh?

mrschop · 27/09/2007 17:38

I put my DS to sleep in his buggy then just before wake up time I take him for a walk, usually he's so pleased to be out and about, with lots to look at, he forgets to be grumpy. Esp if I promise to call in on the duckpond or park.

suss · 27/09/2007 21:48

too early to drop nap. My ds got grumpy when waking from nap, sometimes food would help, but eventually I would just let him wander around the house moaning or roll on the carpet with his comfort blanket before he was ready to come round. Mind you he is 2.8 and giving up his nap, which is a relief as I hate the moaning, whining , screaming that sometimes happens!

TheArmadillo · 27/09/2007 21:52

Give them some slow burning food (oats, cereals etc) before the nap often helps. IF they are cranky from low blood sugar, they might not be in a mood to eat.

I wish ds still had flipping naps

TheArmadillo · 27/09/2007 21:53

giving up naps at 2.8

mutter, mutter, 1yo mutter mutter

funnypeculiar · 27/09/2007 21:56

Nip - think yourself lucky -
ds - was miserable after every nap, is still miserable every blooody morning (now 3.5)
dd - used to be fine, now vile after every nap (regardless of legth of sleep),& most mornings

Shoving milk in their mouths helps mine...

inglis · 27/09/2007 22:02

My son is like this too. Really sceams.

A bottle (even though nearly two and a half) of milk helps him calm down sometimes.

inglis · 27/09/2007 22:03

he screams - not sceams

sputnik · 27/09/2007 22:05

My DD is like this after naps, she is 3. Ever since she was a baby she has always woken up crying (these days calling "mumeeeeee").
I find tickling her or other random silliness helps.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page