Is it normal for toddlers to freak out a bit in the last few weeks of pregnancy?

[CharCharGabor]

I'm almost 35 weeks pregnant and DD is 2.5. In the last week or so she's become really clingy and whingy with a big upsurge in tantrums. The last 2 nights she hasn't slept a wink either. Obviously I'm giving her loads of cuddles and reassurance but I'm exhausted myself and get impatient which makes it worse Is it probably due to pregnancy do you think? I feel so awful, that I'm making her feel so insecure

She's also started biting when she's frustrated, luckily only inanimate objects so far. Today at toddler group she bit a chair so hard that I couldn't get her off it

bump

Yup. DD was abominable when I was in the last few weeks! I think it was half that and half my apprehension/exhaustion etc making me less tolerant. I've seen loads of friends go through the same thing with their toddlers too when pregnant. (Oh and she is 2 1/2, that kind of behaviour is pretty standard anyway, you have no reason to feel awful)

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy

My DD is 1.10 and I am 41 weeks today.

She's definitely been having her moments recently. She's started kicking me when I change her nappy and thinks it's hilarious when I tell her off. Being kicked in the tummy isn't really what I'm in the mood for at the moment, as you can imagine

I agree with Idont that some of what's going on is my apprehension and tiredness (and increasing impatience ) - the days when I have had important consultant appointments, and my abandoned ELCS, were definitely the worst.

Oh that's a relief, thankyou She's a fairly standard 2 year old normally anyway but she's soooo much worse recently. Good to know it's normal though.

xpost, thanks skidoodle too. DD was kicking me in the back in a rage last night which I agree wasn't the best thing in the world! AM trying to be understanding and gentle with her but it's so hard!

I think it's completely normal that small children who can't yet express or analyse their feelings rationally (not that some adults ever manage that) erupt in late pregnancy, especially when it's the PFB finally being dethroned. DD1 was appalling in my final few weeks, made worse because we had moved when I was 34 weeks pregnant and she literally didn't know where she was. She gave me a massive kick in the stomach one day that was so bad I thought it would start of the contractions. DD2 hung in there though, has been pretty unshockable since birth, and DD1 calmed down totally once she saw her little sis.

dd1 did the kicking thing too - and the not sleeping. I spent many nights sleeping on the floor of her bedroom with her holding my hand.

Her favourite game was to refuse to climb up the stairs (we live in a first floor flat) just so that I woudl carry her - infuriating!

Dd2 arrived and I was in hospital for 4 nights so dh dealt with dd1. By the time dd2 was 7days old dd1 had morphed back into her lovely self and was delighted with her new baby sister.

But she still needed a lot of reassurance.

9 months on and she is just a typical toddler!

like Idontfeellikedancing says, tbh I think 2.5yos freak out sometimes regardless of pregnancy

dd(2.6) certainly has been recently (am 39wks) but has suddenly vastly improved over the last few days.

unpredictable to a fault

Yes, definitely. DD had the worst tantrum of her life about 3 days before ds was born. She was 3.3 at the time, and we thought we'd escaped the terrible twos but she was really volatile that time just before ds was born.

I think it's because she was picking up on dh's and I's stress - altho' we thought we were being relaxed, it is a stressful time just before birth, all that waiting round for the big event, not knowing when it's going to happen.

Also dd had been a champion sleeper but had a really unsettled time round about ds's birth.

best of luck - hope it improves for you.

Thanks guys Have had a hormonal whinge this afternoon and feel a bit better now. Hopefully she'll settle down over the next few weeks if I give her a bit of tlc.

My friend's ds was like this during most of her pregnancy. He was fine once the baby was born- relieved that it was only a baby, I seem to remember!