My son is 2 years old, he is a really loving boy and his speech is fantastic but still he is just a toddler and can become quite a handful sometimes. I actively try to be a calm parent who is understanding and doesn’t shout etc.
Today however I am a bit short tempered which I think is because i’m pregnant suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum and pelvic girdle pain. My son is up every 2 hours through the night and I never get a full nights sleep other than once a month when my mum will have him.
This morning I was exhausted as my son was up at 11.30pm, 1am, 3am and then he woke up at 4.30am to start his day. Around 8.30am he was so tired, rubbing his eyes, screaming at nothing and just irritable. He had eaten, had a wash and all of that so I figured let’s go lay down. I brought him into our bed (dad is at work) and told him I am going to tell him a story. He was so upset saying “no mummy I want to go downstairs” but he often fights sleep so I kept laying him back down gently reassuring him. He was NOT impressed and got really upset but I was struggling to even move due to the sickness so i had a bucket which i’m spitting in to. Also the pelvic pain is hard to deal with when chasing a toddler so I really wanted him to lay down. He did not want to do it and eventually he got so mad that he just started hitting me repeatedly in the face, grabbing my lips, pinching and scratching. I told him no, moved him calmly and said hitting hurts. He obviously continued since he didn’t want to be in bed and he had told me that already a lot of times. I know I should have got us up but I was desperate and eventually I raised my voice shouting “no” which made his burst into tears. I felt bad so I said sorry and tried to comfort him but he continued to hit me so I held his arm and said you cannot hit me it’s naughty. He was so upset by that and I eventually got us up to come downstairs. I think I was a bit cold the two minutes after we got up and I didn’t really say anything because I felt so built up inside.
I feel terrible that one I shouted and secondly I said he was being naughty.
We came to the living room and I apologized to him explaining he cannot hit however I could have dealt with it differently. He again obviously does not understand all of that due to his age but I just felt terrible. I gave him lots of cuddles but he didn’t seem to care and just wanted to play. I put the TV on which I also always feel guilty doing as he hardly had any screen time prior to this pregnancy but sometimes it’s sort of how I cope. So now we are sat watching Postman Pat having a cuddle but I worry how will I cope with a baby AND toddler?!
I suppose i’m just posting this to see if there are any other pregnant mums out there dealing with 2 year olds and how are you coping? Am I alone with this or are other women feeling a breaking point some days?