My 15 Mos Old Always Wakes from Her Nap Hysterical

My 16 month old does the same, although I think he's starting to outgrow it a little. He has done it for several months now and I feel so bad. I just guess it is a form of separation anxiety. He usually stops when I go in and get him though...maybe a few minutes after but no longer than that. Unless maybe she could be gettting molars too so it is dragging it out a little?

My son does this anytime he is overtired. It makes it too hard for his body/mind to take a good nap and he will wake up hysterical and impossible to calm down or soothe. I know exactly what you mean.

How much sleep is she getting at night? She needs about 11 hours. And are you getting her down for a nap early enough? I would consider moving her nap time earlier and making sure she is going down by 7 at night.

My son who was 8 now used to do this when he was that age. I always thought it was bc he needed more sleep and woke up feeling awful. I never could really figure out a way to have it not happen and he eventually outgrew it. I remember I had to strap him to me and carry him around for a couple hours afterwards...I'd cook dinner with him on me....or whatever I had to do. It was the only thing that would make him less hysterical. I think if you have the sitter carry her constantly/wear her in a side/back carrier for larger toddlers that will make your daughter feel better. Your daughter will bond to her sitter and things will be fine...don't worry!

Isn't it sad? My son did this for years. He has exhibited some sensory sensitivity but nothing abnormal. He did not cry at such a long length but he always cried when he woke up until I nursed him. If you don't nurse, then the other ladies' suggestions about snacks/caloric drinks may also work. And then after some soothing, if it has gone on for a while, try taking her into a new environment that could distract her -- maybe go outside and start pointing out flowers. You probably already do this but remind her every time before putting her down that when she wakes up, to call your name and you'll be right there. That you're right down the hall. Eventually we taught my son to use a hand bell that he got up to get and summoned me with! That seemed to distract him enough and he liked the sound. I would not worry about the sitter, just tell her about it.

My son actually sounded a lot like Linda P's son, I had no idea it could be a symptom of sensory thing. Makes a lot of sense now, but he has appeared to have outgrown it (now) at 2.5 yrs. In fact, I noticed he stopped throwing his tantrum/screamfest (as I called it) when we switched him to his toddler bed and he can wake and get up and out on his own. I don't know if it was a coincidence or just the timing of when he out grew it.

I have found now that periodically he will still wake upset and grumpy (not the full out tantrum he had previously tho) and if I put him back to bed and just left him alone he would often come out in totally different mood.

I believe I had a post about this here previously too, you might want to check out the answers I received and see if you find anything that works for your little guy.

Good Luck I know how frustrating it is!

This is not uncommon. It's a stage. Some babies/toddlers have difficulty making the transition from sleep to awake. Does it make a difference if you wake her up instead of letting her wake up on her own?

This is the age for separation anxiety. She's learning that you are not a part of her and you can disappear. She's not learned yet that you always reappear.

I think she'll be more upset if you're not there when she wakes up. Perhaps give her a special stuffed animal or even a picture of you to hold when she wakes up. Do explain to her that you'll be gone when she wakes up and you'll be back later.

Is there a way for you to give her a trial of you not being there when she wakes up? Someone else go to her and then in a few minutes you walk in. Lengthen the time you're gone before returning so that she gets used to you not being there and experiences your return in gradual increments.

Hopefully she will know the sitter before you'll actually be gone. If she can develop a close relationship with the sitter first it will be helpful. Could you and your baby spend time with the sitter several different days before you go back to work?

She is waking, intermittently... BUT has not had... a full, nap. And is still groggy/"sleepy" at this time. Not FULLY awake.
Thus, when you go in there it then actually wakes her. And the cycle of sleep phases.

Per my kids, they also did this.BUT when they had not had a FULL nap. It was just an intermittent waking. Thus they wake, not in a nice mood. Or they are startled awake, before they have had a full, sound, nap.
BUT, if I (per my son), let him be... he would then fall back asleep.
His was not an emergency screaming fit, type of waking. But a jostle in their sleep cycle and rhythm.
I knew, his sounds.
But if I had gone in, and "interfered" or began talking to him or "waking" him, then he would wake, very, not well. And crying.

BUT your child is also 1 years old... AND this is ALSO a time, developmentally, in which they may have "night terrors" during sleep. This is not only at night. And you cannot control this. Read about it online.
My kids began having that from about 1 years old. For my kids, their night-terrors was at naps and/or night time. And at this age.

You should and must, ALSO tell the Sitter, about your child... and her nap routines... what you prefer... and, that she is going through night-terrors, etc. A good seasoned Sitter, will understand. And know, about developmental aspects.
AND if you want your child to nap at certain times, and in a certain routine, you must tell your Sitter this. So that, the sitter does not, undermine the routines you have for your child.
Remember, you are the parent.

Next, remember all kids cry and/or go through developmental stages and phases and separation-anxiety. And no Sitter, will expect your child to be 100% perfect, non-crying, everyday all day.
That is not, rational.

Blood sugar issues would be my guess...try greeting her with a glass of juice. :)

I TOTALLY understand what that's like!! My first child was like that when he woke up from his naps too (and was the only one of my 4 that did that). He outgrew it at around 2 or 2 1/2, but I didn't understand why the heck he reacted that way was until he was 11, and we found out he had some sensory processing issues. When I was reading about it, I saw that difficulty transitioning from sleep to awake was a symptom.

Here's the website I was using- (btw- this one thing doesn't mean there's a problem, but if you notice other symtoms on the checklist, an evaluation by an occupational therapist might be a good idea. Pretty much everyone has some of the symptoms on this list- it's only when there are either a lot of them, or the symptoms are bad enough to cause some sort of problem.

(scroll down to Self-Regulation)
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-proces...

Ugh! Wish I knew then because it totally boggled my mind. I didn't know anyone else who had a child who did that. He would have a fit for anywhere between 20 min to about 45. He would throw himself on the floor crying, stand up, and then throw himself down again- over and over again. And he also only did this after naps, but not in the morning when he woke up.

I did discover that he didn't have that reaction when his nap happened to be in the car- not that that helped much since I couldn't exactly drive him around for a couple of hours a day, but it helped to know that if we were traveling on a weekend, that he would at least wake up normally then.

At any rate, she will outgrow it- wish I had some advice, but I don't remember what I did back then- just found through trial and error, as you are doing, what seemed to make it better and what to avoid.

HIH !!
Hang in there! :)

My daughter did this too around that age. It lasted maybe a month or two then she outgrew it. I thought maybe it was bad dreams or 'nap terrors' but I never did figure it out. It was a rough stage! But she did outgrow it thank goodness. Good luck.

My daughter used to do that but she napped longer. For her I finally figured out she was just low blood suger/hungry/cranky/angry. Always gave her snack and juice right when she woke up and it helped a lot! Hard to say what it could be for yours but hope it gets better soon!

Is this a new thing or how long has it been going on?

Maybe she's sleeping too long? Not enough? Too late in the day?

Is she sick or been recently?
Maybe she has an ear infection, or is teething.

Poor thing :(