19m.o dd clingy, hardly eating, crying a lot, lethargic..what's going on? Worried sick..

[mammainlove]

DD is usually a bit clingy, but not this much. It started a couple of weeks ago, if I get up to go out the room she cries, there's no way I can cook or do any house work without carrying her (which is really hard as I'm 5mths pregnant), she wakes up through the night in a panic wanting to hug/lie on top of me. Its easier as we co-sleep, although I was hoping to get her in her own bed in time for when dc2 comes along, doesnt look like there's any chance in that.. She is hardly eating anything, she is lethargic and sometimes has rapid breathing. Even when we are hugging, she still says 'mummy, huggy!!' Like she can't get close enough. The doctor examined her yesterday and gave her the all clear.

It's making me very emotional sometimes, like today, crying a lot, feel depressed, guilty, helpless. This doesnt help I know! My friends have just come to take dd out in the sun, thankfully.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Is it a phase? What's going on, what can I do for the best?

ds is nearly 19 months and has been really clingy for a few weeks and yes does that weird nightime climbing on top thing. He will poke me in the eye to get me to roll over.

I am putting it down to growth spurt, sleep regression, separation anxiety and anything else I can think of.

Are you bf her? I wondered if this has made ds so keen on me?

I've heard there is seperation anxiety around this age? it passes but is quite common I think... Is it worth trying her own cot from now? you don't want your toddler co-sleeping I imagine when baby comes along... Might be worth a few nights of sitting by the cot soothing/rubbing her back to get her off to sleep in 'her own bed' (routines/new things don't take long to 'take' with little un, they're more adapatable than us!!)

Thank u. I stopped bfing a month ago. She seems to forgot about it, but I have wondered if this has had any other effect, like not getting enough nutrition. Im going to wait and see if she gets over this, if it's a phase before I try her with own bed (not sure about putting her in cot after all her life without 'bars') I think (might be wrong) it'll be too much for her to handle now.

They get first molars around this time, could she be teething

Possibly, hasn't shown any signs tho, I.e. pulling ears, dribbling etc.

Bump

My DS went through a major clingy phase around this age, to the point where if we went into a room with people he didn't know, or if people he didn't know came to our house he would cling round me or DPs neck til he was practically strangling us, bury his head in our shoulders and would cry if we tried to get him to turn around. Similarly at night if he woke up he NEEDED to be cuddled by one of us, stopped getting himself back off to sleep. I was quite worried about it at the time but it was just a phase, he's 23mths now and has been fine for a couple of months, his usual social self.

Think there can be a bout of pretty strong separation anxiety at this age so I wouldn't worry too much. As for the lethargic, not eating thing it could well be teething. We always know a tooth is on the way if DS is off his food as he's normally a bunter , she may be lethargic just because she's not eating well at the moment. This may be contraversial but when DS is like that we forget about nutrition (to an extent) and just give him what we know he will eat (bland foods usually when he's like that) just to give him energy, even if its a piece of toast for dinner. He always comes out the other side eating normal meals again. You could always try giving her vitamin drops for a wee while if you think she's under par but not eating properly - WellKid ones are good cos they also have a small amount of iron in them.

Thank you xx