18 month old wakes up and cries :(

[tiki_mama]

My DD is a good sleeper. She does 11 hours straight most nights, and with the introduction of WI/WO a few months ago bedtime is a much better place. Trouble is when she wakes she immediately screams for Mummy! It's pretty much from the moment she opens her eyes from what I can tell  She does it in the morning and after naps. She just will not stay in her cot!

We've tried going in after a few minutes and reading to her while she's in her cot, we increased the time each day, but it just wasn't getting any better. We've removed her blackout curtain so her room is not pitch black, and have placed books and water at the side of her cot so she could  entertain herself for a while, but she ignores them! It's not like she hates her cot, as I say she sleeps so well.

Any suggestions? She currently has 3 incisors just through and the other is on the way by the look of it, she also has some bad sores on her bum as a result of toxic teething poos   

[RachelC]

Sorry, I feel your pain.  {{{hugs}}}

I can count on one hand the number of times my 21 month old has woken happy and chatting instead of crying.   

[mumofoscar]

Same here. My ds has never woken up and NOT cried the moment his eyes open, I have done lots of play time in his cot during A time, and he loves playing in there but it hasnt changed anything. I have put in down to his temprement being a touch grumpy. Boy is he grumpy when he wakes up, no mater how long he has slept. It takes about half an hour for him to "snap" out of it, and during this time he just wants to be cuddled.  Dont have any answers, but would love to know if anyones los outgrew this.

[mari]

When you do actually get her from her cot is she happy then?

How does she wake for naps?

[tiki_mama]

In the morning she is happy once you lift her from the cot, after naps (she pretty much always wakes up grumpy from them too) she sometimes continues to cry for several minutes 

[mari]

Does she fall asleep in her cot, by herself with nobody in the room?

[tiki_mama]

Yes. Started on EASY when she was born, and have pretty much used BW methods with her since then  She used to cry herself to sleep too, but we started WI/WO and then gradual withdrawal (plus some other changes to her bedtime routine, including cutting out her bath) and it worked like a charm. I'd say 98% of the time she goes to sleep without even a whimper. It's amazing!

Now if we could just help her wake up happy! 

[mari]

Alex wakes quite happily in the morning and from naps unless she has woken and is still tired, or there is something bothering her like teeth or a cold.
Hopefully, when the teeth are through she will be better, but have a good look at the routine and ensure that she is having enough sleep during the daytime.  You could try to encouage a few books in reach of her cot, perhaps she might like to be able to reach them and she will stay a little longer. 
I like Alex to stay just long enough for me to have a shower and she usually does (if she doesn't see me first!!)