DC1 has become very attached to her dolly, is this a good sign?!

[Ivortheengine8]

DD is 22 months and dc2 is due in October. My mum bought her a doll and pram a while ago and she has grown really attached to it. We take her for walks to the park, she feeds it and tells me to 'shhhhh' when dolly is sleeping.
She gets a bit upset when dolly can't come with us....
dd walks most places now and has always been very active, much prefers being outdoors,going for walks etc as opposed to playing with toys in the house etc. She does however also have the most almighty tantrums in the street on a fairly regular basis.
Today we took Dolly in her pram shopping and bless her she brought half the shopping back in her pram.

Just wondering if this could be a positive sign that she will help me with the baby when it comes?!! (wishful thinking)

....oh and when she does have a tantrum and dolly is involved dolly gets thrown out of the pram and onto the floor with quite a bit of force :(

she will probs try and change her dolly and every thing i.e babys bath time will also become dollys bath time. when baby goes in car dolly will have to go in car. she mite treat the dolly as u will treat ur baby.
mayb give her a few nappys and let her do it a learn so she knows that she can do it and help do it with the baby. we just brought my cus a dolly and she see it as her best mate. u mite go thou more baby wipes nappys and clothes lol x

We did the baby doll thing with DD1 and she is being helpful now the baby's here, to a certain extent, and on her terms! She is 3.

One tip would be to ask visitors for your baby to bring a present for DD's doll too. Or buy something on their behalf and wrap it - just something small.

Thats good, thanks both! Good idea mummy about the nappies etc...will try it! :)
Mrs Blooming that too is a good idea. Always on her terms!!

Also let her open presents for the baby as she is a "big girl" and the baby is too little!

We have never stopped the older children from touching the baby unless it is sleeping but we have always encouraged them to touch its feet/legs, especially the toddler rather than poke it around the face. They always seem to have reacted better to being told to stroke the babies feet only instead of being told no don't touch the baby.

I've no useful advice but your DD has made me