DD waking up in a extremely bad mood after day sleeps

Hi,

DD is 22 months and for the last month day sleeps have been a massive struggle. She scream the house down when I put her down, but most days she finally goes to sleep for a good 1.5 to 2 hours. However, there has not been one single day in the last 2 weeks that she hasn't woken up crying for up to 40 mins. No matter what I do I can't console her. She pushes me away, then she wants cuddles, then she screams some more.

I will add that she doesn't sleep at all some days either.

What can I do? I am tempted just to cut out sleeps and put up with her being cranky in the evenings

DD#2 and 3 did the smae thing.... can't help you sorry, but just know it can be normal ((hugs))

DS used to do this all the time, and occasionally still does. I don't really have any suggestions for you though, sorry. He did improve dramatically when we removed things from his diet that he is intolerant to, but it was probably alot to do with just getting older too. I think since he turned two it's been less of a problem.

She's pretty young to cut out the day sleep altogether, but she's your DD, and you will know best if she's ready. Although I would be hesistant to stop the day sleeps if it's only because of this problem, IYKWIM........it might make things worse in other ways! But if you think she's really getting ready to just not need it anymore, then it could be the way to go.

Good luck hun, I can't imagine how hard it is to deal with two others as well :hug:

Yup DS was exactly the same. It was horrible.

So we cut out the day sleeps, and now he is fine - he always wakes up happy in the morning, he usually gets about 11 hours straight, which was more than he was getting after his 1.5 hours in the arvo, and then going to bed at 9-9.30 at night and waking up at 5.00am.

when she wakes up does she have cuddles right away? I find Olivia needs a good 10 mins of cuddles otherwise she is very whiny..

Jacob used to do the same thing but nothing would make him happy. We found out he was sleeping longer then he needed so woke him after 2 hours, while he was grumpy initially he settled faster..

Nic - She does get cuddles as soon as she wakes. Some times she pushes me/dh away and wants to get down, but then she throws herself on the floor and screams. Of course I try to help but this makes her worse. I swear my neighbours must think we've got a mad house here.

Janie - I think she is too young too, but atm she isn't any better for having the sleep.

Mel - DD's night time is getting worse too. She isn't going down without a protest and she is jumping in her cot until 9pm some nights, then she is waking 2 and 3 times per night.

ah you sound like you have the same problem we had with Jacob.. have no advice.. but it does end lol

Hey hon...

DD#3 - 24 months is a bit like this too. After her 1.5 hr arvo sleep, i go into her room, open the blinds, pull back the curtains, say 'afternoon baby' then walk out of the room. Give her 5-10mins to wake up properly. The days me or DH go into her and take her outta the cot, without her fullying waking up first - boy oh boy do we pay for it. Tantrum city here !!! Ive found this process of giving her time to wake works.....

That sounds like a plan MBear. I'll give anything ago atm..Between DD2 and her moods/tantrums and DD3 feeding contantly and not sleeping I am going insane ( I am not joking)!!!

DS was in a big bed by that time, so unfortunately we couldn't give him time to wake up - he just woke up grumpy (must take after DH's side of the family..lol)

And he wouldn't go down until around that time at night, so we just made sure to keep him entertained enough during the day that he didn't need the sleep, and now he is used to it and never has one (unless we go driving - like we did today - then he fell asleep and woke up in a shiat of a mood :rolleyes:)

DD1 did this at the same age and I found it best to leave her until she called for me or got out of bed herself. She needed time to wake up by herself and adjust herself to being awake before interacting with other people. If we went in too soon she would have a meltdown. She did grow out of it though.

Can you try to distract her straight away? Have an activity planned like going outside for a play, tell her before she goes to sleep that that is what is going to happen.

Sorry if it's a silly suggestion. I rely on distraction so much with DS.

HTH
Spring

I think it's a great idea Spring :). I too rely alot on distraction. I have been known to shove a piece of choc in DS's mouth when he is screaming after waking up :redface:, just to break the cycle. Oh well, it works!

Mel - We tried switching DD to a big bed but I just don't have to right amount of arms atm to keep putting her back to bed lol. We'll wait a couple of months and try again:wall:

Spring- Thanks for the tip but distraction hasn't worked with this little miss, although it worked for DD1. The only thing that works is to put on her favourite dvd which I have resorted to using against my preference.

I have gone through all the whys and have come to the conculsion that we are going through a huge developmental stage with her. She is really hard work (it seems most tasks require a tantrum)and I need to spend heaps more time with her and calmly teach her how to communicate without chucking a tanty.

BTW - I had a look in her mouth and I think a moler is coming too

Thanks v much

Oh Bek, those Molars are evil things. We have DS's last 4 all coming though at once. He is acting so out of character, the amount of times I got hit and headbutted yesterday is embarrassing. I'd put it down to that and just ride it out.