[StrawberryFields]

This isn't a complaint, just something I am genuinely curious about. When my 19 month old ds begins waking, whether it is in the morning for the day, waking from a nap, or a nightwaking where he needs to go back to sleep, he immediately launches into tears. Why? Does anyone know? Is there something about waking that is horrible, scary, confusing or painful that would cause him to cry out every time?

I wonder because when I wake during the night I just roll over and go back to sleep. A big example is tonight: I laid ds down on our bed for the night at 7 PM. At 7:30 I heard him roll over (baby monitor) and start crying. I went in there and he is sitting up, eyes closed, crying out. I laid him back down, laid next to him and rubbed his back until he stopped crying and fell back to sleep. He never opened his eyes once.

This happens all the time, every day, every night. I know that no one else is in my toddler's head, but do your toddlers do this too? Does anyone have any theories as to why it happens and what causes the crying? Maybe I will never know but I'd like to have some ideas in my head that make some sense. I hate that he is always going through these traumatic bouts of crying and if I can't stop them I'd at least like to understand them.

 

[mommystinch]

My dd doesn't take naps anymore, but when she did, she always woke up crying, screaming, talking nonsense for 30+ minutes. It drove me crazy and was so frustrating because she really needed the naps (still does), but at the end of the nap, we'd be misserable!

I never did figure it out. She still does it at night sometimes. But, I wanted to let you know that your son isn't the only one.

 

[winnie]

My 16 month old does this. When he was younger, he used to wake up in the morning by just rolling around a bit, slowly opening his eyes and then smiling at me. Gone are those days! Now he screams and fusses, rubs his eyes, for a good 10 minutes before he is his normal self.

For DS, I assume he cries when he wakes up because he hasn't had enough sleep. Other than that, I'm not sure!

I know that sometimes I want to cry when DS wakes me (for the 7th or 8th time) in the night.

 

[rado]

3 yr old dd does this too. i'm glad someone's asking about this. I've wondered for a long time and worried, too, about why she wakes so upset. Is it stress? Inadequate sleep? Night terrors? I'd love to hear more thoughts on this or ideas about how to help waking be more peaceful.

 

[Kailey's mom]

Kailey does this every time she wakes up except in the morning. It's almost like a pain cry, scream...I'm subbing to this thread

My grandmother's theory (may be a wifes tale) : She's too overtired when I put her to sleep and when babies are put to sleep like that their brains are trying to shut down quickly (or something like that) muscles didn't have time to relax, so they get the sensation of falling. Dunno if it's true, but grandma's know best LMAO

 

[GracesMama]

I've wondered about this too. DD is 22 months old and does the same thing. It wasn't always like this. She used to wake up in the morning smiling and happy. I can't remember exactly when things changed...maybe around one year.

 

[PinkiePie]

I don't know why they do that but my 5 yo son is a terrible waker upper! He cries every time he wakes up and has since he was an infant. My little girl wakes up, hops out of bed and is ready to go with a smile on her face. My dh wakes up the same way while I am crabby for awhile after I wake up. Perhaps it's just temperment and nothing really traumatic?

 

[pixilixi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GracesMama I've wondered about this too. DD is 22 months old and does the same thing. It wasn't always like this. She used to wake up in the morning smiling and happy. I can't remember exactly when things changed...maybe around one year.

Same thing for my ds, who is now 15 months old. Sometimes it seems to be because he's still tired, other times, I don't know. It's so nice to have a smiling and cheery baby on waking...