Toddler behaviour / sleep regression while pregnant

[squirrelnutkins1]

Hi
I'm 33 weeks pregnant with my second. My toddler is normally an absolute dream. She's 2 years 9 months. She's always slept like a champ and is overall a nice little girl.

Over the last week or so her behaviour has drastically changed and she's refusing to sleep. She wants to be in with us which is something we've never done (personal choice and zero judgement for anyone who does). She's in with us for the second night as she has been screaming like mad.

There doesn't seem to be any physical cause to it. Is this a reaction to the baby coming?

Any thoughts would be appreciated please! X

Often second babies seem to arrive at a huge time of development for the first. So on top of that they are aware of the energy changing although can't comprehend what it means for them and how their while secure little world is about to shift even further. Changes in appetite, sleep and compliance/behaviour are the most common from what I read while pregnant with my second. Mine wasn't old enough but yours will understand some of the basic books about a new baby coming. Personally I'd let her stay with you whilst doing some work on her feelings in the day for the next few weeks. The HV told me it takes up to six months for the average 18m-3 year old to adjust.

I have a 26m old and we’re going through the same. MAJOR separation anxiety from me and sleep regression, too - we’ve gone from just being able to put her down and leave the room to having to sit with her for an hour + until she goes to sleep, then she has nights (luckily, not every night), where she’s up for anywhere between 2-4hrs or wakes up for the day at silly o’clock 😖 A lot of my friends with similar aged children are going through similar so I do think it’s a developmental phase but probably heightened with the impending arrival. There are tiny signs it’s improving a little bit so hoping it’s better by the time baby arrives in nine or so weeks 🤞🏼 sending solidarity, it’s so so difficult. Hope it passes soon. X

I’d assume is a normal phase with a bit of extra umph because things are changing.

Hopefully things will settle down before the baby arrives

Thanks for the input. Altho it's tough to hear I think we're just going to have to suck it up 🙈 it's so hard when you're heavily pregnant and haven't got much energy and then getting even less sleep!
I was recommended a book which should arrive today so I'll see if we can do some work with that and I'm trying to just shower with love (but I'm so tired I'm easily cross which I hate ☹️)

Can’t you send your partner in to comfort her at night? So that you can get more sleep. You can still maintain the boundary of her not sleeping with you if you want.

Yeah he does help and I'd have said the exact same thing as you before I was in this situation but she was honestly screaming and banging the door down at 2am. I feel bad for the neighbours!
Will see what tonight brings!