Post lunchtime nap meltdowns

[missyelliott]

Hello

Does anyone else struggle with this? My toddler is almost 22 months now and she seems to have a massive post lunch nap meltdown after she wakes. It is usually prompted by the moment I try to get her out of her sleeping bag. She goes mental!

It is getting rather tideous as it can add a good 30 mins to the time it takes to get ready to go out in the afternoons.

Any advice is welcome. I was hoping it was a phase but it's been going on a while now.

Thanks

Catherine

[EmilyPie]

Low blood sugar maybe? You could try whacking one of those fruit pouches down her as soon as she opens her eyes.

[hellosailor]

are you waking he up or is she waking up naturally? My 3 year old did this when she was 2 if I woke her rather then let her wake up on her own, but it was tricky cos I couldn't risk her kipping for too long! In the end I used to bring a small snack up to her room so there was something to divert her attention which often used to avoid the massive meltdown. But even then she wound't want her grobag off for about 30 mins after her nap so eventually I accepted that I wasn't going to be able to just get her up and get out with her in minutes like when she was younger but had to factor in a half an hour period of adjustment before thinking about leaving the house.

[AnyaJoeli]

Mine is the same and he's nearly 3, it's definitely much worse if I've woken him, but even if he wakes on his own he seems to need at least half an hour of quiet time to recalibrate, won't allow me to open the curtains or take him out of bed, or talk... and there's no way I can ever whip him straight out of the house without him having a huge paddy. Having said that, if he wakes and there are visitors in the house who weren't there when he went to sleep, such as his cousins and auntie he's usually much happier to spring into action immediately, so the grump is obviously personal to me, ha ha. But for the past few months I have definitely avoided making fixed plans for the afternoon as I just know that I won't get him out of the house on time as he can sometimes have a meltdown that lasts over half an hour. I'm not too worried about it but I'll be quite glad when he's no longer napping during the day (although i'll miss his nap!) as it means we'll have a bit more free time to do stuff.

[tomo]

Totally echo what the others have said. My 2 year old's a big old grump when I wake him up. I'm restricting his nap otherwise he takes much longer to fall asleep at bedtime. Snack and some telly usual helps and if there's someone interesting around, like the grand folk then he snaps out of it sharpish. I rarely make afternoon plans on this basis and if we get out it's a bonus. But sometimes we're lucky if we make it out to the garden which is fine too!

The grobag control is infuriating, we have the same thing in the morning and with having his nappy changed too! In fact it's a constant series of bribes threats and negotiations to get him to do anything!

[Pickle]

My 2.5 year old is often grumpy at that time too. I have older children and a school run to do, so can't indulge her too much as we need to leave the house, so tend to get her up and give her a biscuit, which usually cheers her up.

[Belle]

We have this to, my 2.8yrold doesn't have a set nap anymore but sometimes nods off in the buggy (esp on school run, gah!) and he is a little fury when he wakes up. Sometimes it's short-lived, other times takes an hour to stop. I find it makes no difference if I wake him or he wakes up naturally. Second the snack thing and just letting them come to, also recently I've had some success tickling (!) to cheer him up.

[missyelliott]

Thanks for your replies ladies. Sounds like a common, annoying, problem. I do give her a snack as soon as she wakes but it is usually once we are downstairs. I will try greeting her with one instead and see if that works.

In terms of waking her it doesn't make too much difference whether she wakes naturally or I wake her, as soon as I touch the gro bag or her that's it - cue meltdown!

We are the same Anya, if Grandma or a friend is over then no problem! Maybe it's a mum thing. They call for us and when we turn up they meltdown. mmm

x

[oimissus]

I always gave Miss Oi a cup of milk and read a few stories before getting her properly 'up'. She could still be a bit grumpy, mind you!

[verds]

Mine's nearly two and a half and she's furious when she wakes up from her nap. She did nap 1-3, but I found I was waking her from such a deep sleep that it all kicked off.

I now put her down a bit earlier - 12.30 - and then get her up at 2, and she's more willing to wake up then. Not sure why, but it might be worth a try!