Pregnant with toddler - how are you coping?

[NumberTwoDue]

Because I'm not, basically.... DD is 21 months and in full flung tantrum, no-no-no-ing, throwing, naughty, shouty mode. We've also had a brief period of abysmal sleep (which thankfully I think we're through now) and I'm just feeling so tired and weepy and like I'm being a really rubbish mum for her. She's normally so well behaved and fun, but this past month or so has been a bit soul destroying and I'm finding it worse as I get more pregnant and hormonal (am 31 weeks). Normally I can pick my battles, keep calm and control the situation, but at the moment I'm flying from terribly upset to furious without warning. It's so knackering, being pregnant. Why didn't I remember that?!

Any survival tips greatly appreciated... Me too stories would be good too. Just feel so inept while everyone else around me seems to be coping with their kids beautifully.

Thank god it's not just me! I'm 10 weeks and have dd 2.3, also work full time. I have been feeling so sick and exhausted, in fact I'm off to bed. It's not helped that DH has been away with work for 10 days but he's back tomorrow I don't have any family that can help, my mum died just before I had dd, think if she was here I'd be getting lots of and , always feel a bit jealous of friends whose mums move in to help out, unfair of me I know!

EST0106 - not unfair at all, that must be really difficult. Sorry that you lost your mum

I'm 21 weeks with 2yo DS. I feel like a whale already and am suffering a bit with SPD so am also feeling the Shit Mum Guilt! CBeebies is on a lot in our house.. DS is actually pretty good, bless him, he just has seemingly boundless energy. I do not.

The shit mum guilt is awful. I keep palming DS off every day because I just feel so sick and I feel like our relationship will suffer.

I snapped at DD yesterday and shut myself in the kitchen in tears. All because she committed the terrible, terrible crime of pulling my hair

Sigh, 38 weeks tomorrow so not too many more weeks hopefully!

Don't feel guilty about taking all the help you can get, whether its from GP's or CBeebies! For the last 3 weeks of my pregnancy my parents took DS every day - they tool him out, spoilt him rotten and generally did all the fun stuff with him that I was too huge and miserable to do. He loved it and they built up a great bond.
It's only for a short time, and you're giving your DC a sibling and friend for life. Do whatever you need to do to get through it - pregnancy is hard!
Newborn + toddler is 100% easier. Just feeling normal again, being able to move around, go for walks, chase DS around the garden etc and not wanting to cry every time I need to go upstairs... Hang on in there ladies!

Thanks MsFiremanSam, what a lovely post

not welling up at all, nooo, not me

In a word: badly! But relieved to read that others are just as grumpy and tired as me. 34 weeks with a 2.6 toddler. I find the days when I'm at work much easier! Feeling guilty that we don't do much except going to the park and playing in the garden, and my parents and DH get all the fun activities. I had bad SPD last time so I'm over cautious about ending up in the same state which is limiting running around too much. When does the guilt end?! Plus DD is def starting to act up in anticipation of the baby arriving, only towards me, of course with others and at nursery she's good as gold!

Penelope-if I was holding dd for too long he was getting a bit funny but that was only for around two days.. And after throwing a car at her head! Now he's an angel with her, holds her bottle gives her (too many!) big kisses etc its lovely to see! Although he's always been a mummy's boy and now he's all for his daddy!