Moms: explain this behavior to me, please!

SeaSoul

wake up from nap...or from starting to fall asleep:

cry, cry, cry (hard)...fall asleep mid-cry. (no obvious reason for the crying like dirty diaper, hunger, etc)

several minutes later:

cry, cry, cry (hard)...fall asleep mid-cry. (no obvious reason for the crying)

repeat.

DavezWife

he's still just balancing himself out... maybe still startles (swaddle to help) or hears more activity...

I always wait a few minutes before running to her, often it's just a few peeps and she's back out again.

Jennifer Bliss-Wohlers

Perhaps gas? Offer a burp, maybe?

June24Bride

I bet you it's reflux or stomach cramps...

mnj1125

My DD does this too.  It could be gas like pp stated or maybe he is just fighting sleep.  Sometimes when every other need is met and DD is still crying, I put her in the swing or bouncer and within 5 mins of crying, she is out like a light....and then what you posted happens.

Does he eventually go to sleep for awhile??

candm

I don't know, but Rowan did that all the time when she was little(r).

crystalgirl

Sometimes when they're tiny, they're just crying in their sleep, not actually waking up.  DS also does protest crying, but I think that comes when they're older.  He realizes I'm putting him down for a nap, lets out a big shriek, then is out like a light.  It's kind of funny. 

ETA:  Oh yeah, when DS used to do the mid-sleep cry, I would joke that he was having birth flashbacks in his dreams.    Heh.

kittylove

Riley does that to but has stopped since we now swadle him to sleep. Also when he cries I SHHHHHHH really loudly in his ear, and get softer as he calms down. It works for us.