Waking hysterical from every day sleep, I'm out of ideas...

[SareBear]

DS is 2.5yrs and has always been a good day sleeper. Previously he has needed at least 2 hours, sometimes even 3 or 4, and as long as he'd had enough sleep he'd wake up pretty happy.

For the last three weeks, maybe even close to four, he has been waking up hysterical from every day sleep. Sometimes I can get him back to sleep but usually he just eventually snaps out of it, sometimes though it can take half an hour and it's breaking my heart. He is such a happy, easy going little guy so I really hate to see him so incredibly upset. It has happened in the early hours of the evening a couple of times, just a few though.

I thought it might be nightmares or night (during the day) terrors because sometimes he goes really stiff and kicks around, not wanting me or dh. Other times though he's just completely unreasonable, crying and asking for things, but then not wanting whatever he'd asked for and it will make him worse.

Once it's over he's completely fine, he's not bothered by it and I'm a mess! It's almost like he's not quite awake while it's happening, then once he really wakes up, all of a sudden everything is fine.

I know his teeth are hurting him at the moment, so I've tried Nurofen before a sleep and that hasn't helped at all.
I've tried putting him to sleep in our bed and in the pram, and the same thing happens.
I've tried sleeping with him and that didn't help either. At night if he wakes up I can sit with him for a minute and he happily goes back to sleep. Or I'll put him in our bed and he'll settle straight away.
He did give up the dummy a little while back, so not sure whether that would have helped him snap out of it quicker, but he's been so good without it I don't want to take a step backwards.

If anyone has any ideas that you think might help, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks so much!

[Beach Mama]

DS who is 3 does this too and has for months- he sleeps from 12:30-1:30 until around 4 - if it is after 4 we have to wake him and that is usually when he is grumpy Makes it really hard because we can't let him sleep longer than that or his night sleep is stuffed up but it really upsets him. I wake him so gently, just stroking his leg, hair etc. and sometimes I just open the door and make more noise than usual but he will still crack it because he wants to sleep more! Sorry I am no help - I just give him loads of cuddles til he gets over it plus I distract him from it all if he is really bad by putting an episode of Thomas on for him. Good luck and I hope they grow out of it quickly.

[~Hestia~]

My Moo did this for ages, never did work out what the cause was but one day he just woke up happy and has been fine since I would just try and cuddle him if he'd let me or do whatever worked on the day so put on a DVD etc.

Sorry I'm not more helpful, I know how hard it is listening to them cry every day though

[diva det]

awww hugs hun
it could be terrors or perhaps he is waking wanting to go to the toilet? is that a possibility?
is there a fan or something like that in the room that wasnt on pereviously that could be scaring him?
all you can do i guess is what you are doing/
hugs

[nothing2lose]

Is he overheating now the weather is warmer?? Overheating can cause nightmares.

[SareBear]

Thanks so much for all of your speedy replies.

Tanstar, I hope your DS grows out of quickly too. I've tried a dvd too but hasn't worked so far, and I thought Peppa Pig could fix anything!

CheezelMonster I'm so glad Mr Moo grew out of it, it gives me hope that DS will do the same eventually.

Det, that is a possibility. He is in undies during the day but I still put a nappy on him for sleeps just in case. It's definitely worth looking into, I'll see what happens when I mention it next time, probably tomorrow!

nothing2lose that's a really good thought, I'm pretty sure he's not hot but I'll keep an eye on him to make sure.

Thanks again, good to know I'm not alone!