baby waking up 'humiliated'

[MamaPan]

hi all - my DS is not a good day sleeper. Lately when we do manage to get him to sleep in the day (on me, in his bouncer or v v occasionally in his cot - max of 45 mins at a time if not on me, more if on me) when he wakes up it is as though he is humiliated that he slept - he wakes up and cries and cries... he is usually a v happy little boy, doesnt cry a lot...
any ideas what is going on? is this normal? a developmental stage? nightmares? he is 16 weeks old...thanks for any advice

[Liz]

I think sometimes if they haven't had enough sleep, they just cry coz they simply don't want to be awake yet. I know that's the case with my toddler! Sometimes I regret putting him down for a sleep coz we wakes so ratty.

Could something be waking him up? wind? perhaps he's just hungry?

My DS wasn't a good day sleeper either.. sometimes his sleeps only lasted 20 minutes! We often had him sleeping on me, or in his pram. I found the pram really good actually for quickly running over and rocking him back to sleep if he woke too early.

Sorry, probably haven't helped much.. but I totally understand how you feel. Just keep doing what works.. if he can get a good sleep on you, then perhaps take the opportunity to put your feet up and watch a movie or something. His sleeping will change again soon I'm sure.

[Lulu]

I think the sleep cycle for babies is 45 mins. As they grow older they learn roll over and go back to sleep and the cycle extends.

Poor bubba not ready to wake up yet iykwim? He's not humiliated - just ripped off!

[Tracey]

Ditto to Lulu!
Baby sleep cycles are 45mins & also Maddy used to wake when not ready & would be hysterical!!!!!!!!!!! tired but cant resettle, it goes on into toddlerdom too!

[~Trish~]

Yep, I was going to say the same thing about the sleep cycles. After 45 minutes they sometimes can't resettle themselves back to sleep and get very cranky and upset. I work hard to resettle my youngest DS when this happens by putting his dummy back in, patting him, etc... They do eventually learn to resettle themselves.

[Nelle]

Well, the girls have covered the sleep cycles idea.

Are there things for your son to look at? A mobile, sound & light show, pictures...perhaps the crying comes because they're awake and bored - whereas if he has something to watch, he might do that until he drops off again. I know my son even now will play for a bit in his cot, and then go back to sleep.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

That's DS to a tee- he hates going to sleep and hates waking up. You do get used to comforting them within 10 seconds! It does get better, so I am told.

[Artechim]

Hey pregpan. W is the same, he has aways been a poor day sleeper. He gets very cranky if he wakes up sooner than he needs to. Lately I have had some luck extending his day sleeps beyond one sleep cycle. I have been feeding him to sleep laying on the spare bed, then when he starts waking after one sleep cycle I pat him and if that doesn't work I feed him and he will go back to sleep. After about a week of doing this he has started to need the longer sleep, he is currently on the bed next to me and has been asleep for 1.5 hours. It doesn't work if I put him in the cot though, not sure what to do as he gets more active.