Sudden random sleep problems in 2 yr old

[hatcam]

Please help - 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant, toddler has always slept pretty well. Suddenly (yesterday) she has become absolutely distraught when I leave the bedroom at night. We have a good routine, she has bath, milk, stories and music to soothe her. It's always worked really well. Am v. worried that she's picked up on something that someone's said about mummy and daddy going away to have the baby or similar....is this likely? We've explained what will happen when the new baby comes along and up until now she's seemed cool about the whole thing.

She is now screaming inconsolably (until making herself sick) unless I am in the room holding her.

What shall I do? (Please don't say stay in the room holding her as that's not actually a solution - especially when I'm so very very pregnant!!).

Thanks for any advice.

bump

any words of wisdom am at wit's end (think pregnancy hormones not helping!)

Is anything else going on that may make her clingy? Like new staff at nursery or other changes in house life that might leave her feeling unsure?

don't think so, she goes to nursery just 2 sessions a week and very happy to tootle off. Not especially clingy in the day, just slightly more than normal. Just bedtime that seems to be the problem. Never experienced this before with her, it seems so out of character so just really don't understand how to help her. Am also terrified now about bringing the new baby into the household, am full of hormonal guilt anyway but now feel that somehow I'm totally ruining her little world!

could she be teething?

sorry, mine is 17 months and just getting a stage like you describe, and she was a perfectly good sleeper before. AND it HAS to be me, can't be DH. Big pain in the bum (I'm currently 28wks pregnant). You haven't weaned recently have you (she self weaned a couple of months ago and she has been more clingy since)

Poor you too, every sympathy!. Not a weaning issue, think possibly teeth an issue (those last big horrible teeth?). Lord knows. Have no idea what goes on in their heads but they get really definite ideas about things.

My husband's been around a lot more in the evenings, which is a big routine change for her - am thinking she just knows that there's something going on but not sure what! This does coincide with a visit from my very well meaning in-laws yesterday and I can't help but wonder if they said something to her about the new baby that she's totally misinterpreted.

Hope you're feeling ok at 28 weeks, getting into the homeward stretch!

feeling ok, loving the ante natal yoga while DD at nursery, keeps me calm but do have to try not to fall asleep!

Have you got some of those big sister books to read - maybe if you can reassure her about what is going to happen that could ease your mind too. (I've started reading them to DD already though not sure she understands). Is she usually clingy after in-law visit? Mine is!

Will watch this thread with interest to see if there are any tips (am currently considering recording me singing onto a tape to save me the hassle at bedtime).

Good luck with the birth - how exciting! If it is teeth I'm sure she'll settle in a couple of days if not... erm.. that is my biggest fear too with such a small gap. It'll be great when they are both over three

Was very excited about the new baby coming (as inevitably it can't be long now)....but now I am TOTALLY terrified!!

Hopeful for some good tips on here too, think what it comes down to is just like everything else it'll be a passing phase, but knowing that never seems to help when you're in the eye of the storm if you see what I mean.

Hmmmm. In laws usually make for clingy child, they are very well meaning but drive me insane with their totally random behaviour. Usual in-law stuff - isn't mummy mean for making you eat that lovely healthy nutritious food, why don't you try skip it and eat the white chocolate I've brought with me....oooh no, you don't want to go to sleep do you, you want to stay up and play with granny....la la la la

We went on holiday with them recently and they wanted to play with DD whenever it suited them, but didn't offer to change a nappy in a week and didn't get up once before 9.30am.

Rant over.