toddler anxious months ^before^ new baby arrives - help!

[MamaLaMoo]

My DD 2yrs 4 mo is having bad dreams and disturbed sleep, talking about how she feels "nervous about the baby" (her words) and asking to be picked up all the time by me and DH. She has started reverting to drinking out of her baby "sucky cups" rather than beakers. Yesterday she asked to breastfeed, not done that for a while! This morning she said she had been having dreams about the baby and we had a good long talk about it. She says she is nervous about me too (in case I come to harm?, because I am getting a big bump?).

I was fully prepared for these sigs of anxiety and regression once the baby arrived but I am only 20 weeks! I have noticed she wants holding more after we have been talking about the baby, or something like a scan or doctor visit related to the baby.

We have done all the usual things about involving her, talking about how her little sister will love her and what fun it will be, how we will do all the things we do now just with a baby along too and how much we love her.

She is very aware for her age and that I think is part of the problem, she is anticipating things changing and getting anxious. How can I help this?

I think this is completely normal, try not to worry, they all go through it. I think when you get to the stage that your bump is showing, everyone starts to talk to you about it, so she knows massive change is coming but doesnt know how it will be. I would just carry on reassuring her, maybe dont have massive long winded chats which I used to do until I discovered it just made my anxious son worse... I would just breezily say it'll be busier with the baby but you'll still have time for special cuddles /whatever with her. I liked 'New baby at your house' book, American so a bit annoying but real photos of real babies which I think is helpful.