This is just not like him - could it be jealousy...?

[mandbaby]

I have to sons, aged 4.5 and 2yrs 9 months. I am 15 weeks pregnant with DC3 and told my sons a couple of weeks ago. They both seemed very excited - especially my eldest.

However, my youngest has not been himself the last few days. He's not eating particularly well and he's getting hardly any sleep. On Friday night he woke me every 90 minutes crying his eyes out. He would go back to sleep easily enough - just with a quick kiss or stroke of the head. However, on Sunday night he was awake constantly between 9.30pm and 3.30pm when I eventually had to cuddle him in my arms to get him to sleep (and so I could sleep myself!) Every time we went to him he would calm down and stop crying, but 5 mins after leaving his room he would start crying again. Every time we asked what was wrong he would just say he "didn't know". When I tried to explain the importance of sleep he would just ask "why?". Last night we had a similar night with him crying and not seeming to know why. Yesterday he looked dreadful all day - but he must have been exhausted after only having had about 5 hours sleep the night before instead of his usual 12.

He's also started to cry hysterically when I drop him off at nursery (he goes 3 mornings a week while I'm at work). He's never had a problem with nursery up until about 2 weeks ago.

He's normally the life and soul of the party - always smiling and being cheeky - a typical energertic little boy, but the last few days he's just become so clingy, upset and withdrawn. He has no temperature, and he hasn't been sick.

We've asked him about the new baby, and he seems ok about it. But could it be bothering him but he just doesn't know it, or how to express it? He is a very articulate little boy - his speech is fantastic and he doesn't normally have a problem telling us how he feels, but something this last few days just doesn't feel "right". I'm so worried as it just isn't like him. 4 nights on the trot without sleep has really taken its toll on me - what with being pregnant, I feel absolutely exhausted.

[hotcrosshunny]

He sounds like he might be unwell? Maybe a bit under the weather?

[mandbaby]

I did wonder the same, but other than yesterday (when he was clearly exhausted after crying for half the night and only getting 5 hours sleep) he's been fine in the day - running around, playing with his brother, etc. But whenever he knows I'm around, he suddenly goes all quiet and withdrawn, coming to me for cuddles and getting upset when I leave. I had to pop to the doctors the other afternoon and DH said he didn't stop screaming the whole time I was gone (about 20 minutes).

He doesn't have any "symptoms". But I can imagine that he feels a bit under the weather if he's not sleeping and eating properly. He outright refuses breakfast and picks at his meals, but doesn't stop asking for snacks in between meal times (which I don't give to him - I just remind him that it's nearly lunchtime, etc, and that he can eat then.)

[hotcrosshunny]

Maybe he's distracted in the day and when he sees you he is reminded?

I would back off on the new baby talk. It is a Kong way away for him and kids don't get that so it may become quite worrying for him as well.

[TheBakeryQueen]

Has something happened at nursery?

Could he be having nightmares?