A wake-up grouch?!

[love being a Mom]

Does anyone else have either any experience with this - or maybe some strategies that will help?

DD (28mos) has a nap almost daily - and she needs it - asks for it even. She nurses down, and then wakes up 45min- 2 hours later. Problem is, is that she wakes up grouchy I would say 75% of the time. And it lasts for anywhere from 30min to hours later (like I can't WAIT for bedtime...).

I try to snuggle in with her, when she wakes up (always yelling for "mommmmmyyyy") which helps, but if I happen to have DD#2 in my arms (6mos), I will then try a group cuddle (not as successful), reading a story, or in desperation throw on a Sesame st DVD that she received recently.

It just seems that either she is a) not getting enough sleep, or b) is genetically grouchy on waking up from naps

She's always taken a while to 'wake-up' which I think is totally normal for some ppl. But I'd say for the past couple months we are bordering on ridiculous... Is this a phase? Just her? TIA for any help mamas!

[porcelina]

Just thought I'd mention what a friend of mine did when they went through this stage. Upon wake-up, they would go outside for a popsicle. Grouchiness automatically subsided. They have some fruit-based ones that aren't too sugary.

[BlissyMama7]

Yes!

I too have a wakeup grouch although it doesn't happen every single time. When he wakes up like this he doesn't want to do a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. He doesn't want to read or play blocks or do much of anything. A yummy fruity treat does usually help immediately though. He lovesssss to eat and especially fruits so on most occasions that will help get him oout of drowsy land. Sometimes a last resort is to let him watch some tv because that usually takes him out of himself and he gets into the music, colors and sounds.

But I think it is totally normal.

[kevinsgirl]

My 20 mo is like that too. I usually just have to snuggle him out of it until he gets interested in doing something else.

If he won't stop screaming, I put him down and let him scream for 30 sec-1 min at my feet and then say, "Are you ready to be quiet now?" and he nods emphatically and stops screaming. Sometimes I have to repeat it way too many times IMHO, but eventually he'll snuggle quietly until he's ready to be his normal self.

It's rough right now, I know! All the best to you!

[crunchy_mommy]

I'd try the fruit idea... DS is only 14mos but he has almost always woken up grouchy, so I try to BF the minute he wakes up (we call it his "morning milk" or "wakeup milk" ) and that seems to help him. If I don't for whatever reason, he's all grumpy, and we remember that we forgot to give him his "wakeup milk". I would imagine any snack would help some, and getting fresh air too (I swear going outside is a cure-all)!

[Everrgreen]

My 14 month old wakes up grumpy. He needs to nurse and cuddle before he's ready to wake up.

[marispel]

My DS (20 mo) wakes up grouchy - only if he hasn't had enough sleep. We just try to distract with a book or coloring.

[corrieoseal]

DD (22 months) wakes up grumpy from naps only (not upon morning wake-up where she's usually fairly chipper.) Offering her a favorite fruit (like mangoes) or some Annie's bunny fruit snacks helps a lot for some reason. But, yes, I have also noticed a correlation between too little sleep or too much (once in a great while, she naps for 3 hours) sleep at nap time and wake-up crankiness where it took minutes to hours to recover.

[wondertwins]

DD wakes up this way once in a while, she's almost done with naps, so it's really seldom now and I can totally empathize because out of the few times a year I nap, I wake up disgruntled half of them. To me it feels like I've slept too hard, regardless of how long I've napped, and it can take a long time to shake the feeling. I am drawn to sweet foods, and eating definitely helps, but doesn't necessarily stop the sensation. It feels like I've been drugged or weighted down, and I can see how going outside, especially if it's sunny would lift the spirits. When DD wakes up disoriented and upset, I give her dried fruit and soy milk or juice and offer an activity that she loves, like going to the park or a bath. It takes a while for the food to kick in, so I have been known to let her watch a favorite DVD while she wakes up.
HTH

[tangledblue]

How long does it take before the first "Mommeee!" and when you go get her? I have realized that if I'm too quick to get her, she'll sometimes be grumpy because she really just wanted to resettle. The "mama!" is almost unconscious and then she quiets down within a minute or two and goes right back to sleep. Don't know if you are doing this or not, but what happens if you give her 5 minutes?

[lmbjer]

Around that same age my DS took a three hour nap everyday and could easily sleep from 7 at night until 8 or 9 in the morning. It felt really weird laying him down at 7, and it took a few days to get him used to going to sleep that early, but the change in the morning was immediate.

Only recently have we been successful in him being able to stay up until 8 or 8:30.

Have you tried laying her down earlier?