Is this common toddler behaviour before the baby arrives?

[Shanti]

Our little girl who is 23 mths has, just in the last week I'd say, started to cling to me a little more in public when around people she either doesn't know, or around those she hasn't seen for a while. She's never really done this before and always been so outgoing and social around anyone but just the last week, I've noticed a change in her.
I mentioned this to a friend yesterday when we were out at the playcentre together and she said her little girl did the same thing before her 2nd was born. And today, my friend who I saw said her little guy did the same thing too while she was pregnant (same age as my DD).

Yesterday at a playcentre we arrived and I said "look there is L and her Mummy M, let's say hello" and when my friend said hi to her she clung like a monkey and looked the opposite direction!! but she was also smiling...it was her almost being shy! My little girl is NOT shy!!! and she wouldn't let me go to the toilet on my own, she had to come with. Quite often I can leave her with a close friend and know she'll be fine. She won't let me out of her site!! LOL
So is this because I'm pregnant and she's sensing what is about to happen? She understands there is a baby in my tummy and she pats it, kisses it, rubs it all the time and says "baby in there" etc.... and I tell her when the bub kicks me etc, I include her in it so much...

Today, we got to my friends house, I had been carrying her from the car and put her down as we got to my friends door and she opened the door for us and DD normally goes to walk in if we are at someone's house but instead, she turned around and put her head between my legs....it was cute

Is this just one of those 'phases' of toddlerhood that I just ride out? Is there anything I can do for her to help her along? It's not bothering me at all, I love the attention it's just out of her normal character.

TIA

[UntoldAngel]

My nephew was exactly the same, and his little sister was born last week. He suddenly would want to 'see my mummy' when normally he would pay no attention to her...
Enjoy it if you can though

[M D]

My DD just turned 3 in December and was never a mummy's girl. For our three weeks we were on holidays she wouldn't do anythign unless it was me. Normally she would prefer her Dad over me and her GRandfather was there also and she wouldn't even have a bar of him - no one else gets a look in normally.

I hope it is a phase but I would love some ways to deal with it...

[~Kim~]

yeah, they're hard to figure out aren't they?
I can't remember Darcy doing it. In fact from memory she got more confident in those last few weeks (that might have been though because I was on bedrest and there were lots of people around to help).
Nate is going through a similar thing ATM.

[Catherine]

This is very common behaviour for when a toddler is expecting a new sibling. They do sense that 'something' is changing, perhaps it is unconsious on the mother's behalf, I suspect you start to go a bit inwards in preparation for the birth.

I guess all you can do is give reassuring cuddles and sit together, maybe read a book together (one about sibling babies maybe?). If you partner or someone else close can give some extra attention to your toddler, that may help too.

[Heaven]

It might be to do with the baby. DD has been a bit different recently and I've been wondering the same thing. But she's been doing things like wanting me to hold her like a baby and hold onto her sippy cup while she has a drink of water, lol. Even though I've never fed her like this. She is BF and has never had a bottle so not sure where she got this idea from. She has been talking about the baby all the time and wanting to see my belly and talk to it and tell me what she's going to do with the baby. And I have to read 'There's a house inside my Mummy' about 100 times a day.

So I definitely think that the closer it gets it must be on their little minds a lot more!!

[Arimeh]

I think its pretty common - happened with DS, DD1 and now DD2 is doing it too.

[Shanti]

It might be to do with the baby. DD has been a bit different recently and I've been wondering the same thing. But she's been doing things like wanting me to hold her like a baby and hold onto her sippy cup while she has a drink of water, lol. Even though I've never fed her like this. She is BF and has never had a bottle so not sure where she got this idea from. She has been talking about the baby all the time and wanting to see my belly and talk to it and tell me what she's going to do with the baby. And I have to read 'There's a house inside my Mummy' about 100 times a day.

So I definitely think that the closer it gets it must be on their little minds a lot more!!

Heaven, DD has been asking me to do that too! When she has her milk in a bottle or sippy cup she wants me to hold it for her and says "Mummy hold me like a baby?" so I do she's done that for quite a few weeks now actually....even when she was still BF.

Thanks, everyone, glad to hear it's very common!!

I have a book for her that we read together called "The New Baby" and she loves it. And another one by Pamela Allen about new babies coming home.

I figured it was to do with me being pregnant and i'm talking about the baby alot so she's thinking about it alot now too.....

[Sterla]

I haven't noticed it with DS yet, but if he does I'll know it's not uncommon .

I just got "There's a house inside my Mummy" from the library today, and DS loves it!

[Shanti]

I haven't noticed it with DS yet, but if he does I'll know it's not uncommon .

I just got "There's a house inside my Mummy" from the library today, and DS loves it!

I have ordered that one!!

[Jakabella]

Yep Bella is doing it now to and she is most definatly NOT shy at all - infact we call her Miss Independant! I figured it was due to baby coming or a phase so good to know it is!