Help with my emotional nearly 3 year old

[Bangonthedoor]

DD1 is nearly 3 and DD2 is just 7 weeks.

DD1 has been so emotional these last couple of weeks, will it still be a new baby thing? The unsettlement?

She cries a lot and can't tell me why or just says she's tired. Quite often she says her tummy is sore which is also accompanied with tears. She's not constipated and her bowel movements appear ok so I don't think that could be causing the tummy pain.

My heart is breaking because I feel like I can't be there for her while juggling my baby. She woke me up crying last night, I went in and she was saying that Daddy left her behind. Assuming this was a dream as I comforted her and she went back to sleep.

I try and get her to help lots with baby which she loves doing. And we quite often go out to nice places seeing friends having play dates etc. she also has 2 mornings a week at nursery.

Does anyone have any advice? I hate seeing her so upset all the time

I think this is a new baby thing and it should pass. Congratulations on the new baby

This could be my original post! I have DS1 (33 months) & DS2 (7 weeks). DS1 asked adores his brother & is very gentle with him, chats & sings, happily helps etc, but since a few weeks before my due date he has gone from sleeping well most nights to waking up most nights.

He has also begun to really crave approval. We are on safe grounds when he is behaving well & we give him loafs of praise & positive reinforcement. The problem arises when, due to tiredness (see sleep troubles above) or just general toddler silliness we have to interve & it causes his behaviour to escalate into hitting, spitting, scratching us whimsy getting more & more overwrought. Even relatively mild rebukes cause him to get upset.

We try to phrase things positively "hold my hand" instead of "don't run off", but get the same response.

I am hoping that it is new baby insecurity, but not sure how long it will last & how to manage it in the meantime.

So no answer, but lots of sympathy.

Thanks both. Maximum, it's hard isn't it. Especially when we've been so used to being there for our first ones 100% of the time.