WTF is wrong w/ my daughter all of a sudden

daynie

Juliana just turned three this week, but she has been completely potty trained for at least the last 6-8months.  Well today she has an accident on the living room floor.  I don't freak out b/c I understand that accidents happen. 
Two hours later she comes into my room babbling on about a diaper I tell her that she's a big girl and she doesn't wear diapers anymore.  10mins later she comes back in to my room trying to put on a diaper that she found in her closet.  Again, I give her the big girl speech.  She throws a tantrum- but thats nothing new so I didn't think anything of it. 
I go back into the living room and there she is squatting on the floor again.  WTF?? 
I take her to the bathroom and put her on the toilet and all she keeps saying is that she wants a diaper. 
Why is my kid suddenly wanting to be back in diapers?

Sweetie_Darling

Does she know you're pregnant? Or have you had that discussion yet about another baby on the way? Maybe she's subconciously freaking out about not being the "baby" anymore or something.

Meg 'n' Eric

I was going to say the same thing.

BabyBlank

Have you told her that she is going to be a big sister? It might be stressing her out to think that her role of "baby" is about to be given to someone else (not to get psychoanalytical on you or anything!)...

daynie

Yeah, she knows... I was just hoping that thats not what it is.  I'm sure it also doesn't help that I've been so sick and not so attentive to her.  I really just hope that this isn't going to last. 

MosersGirl

I was going to ask the same thing.  :-)

BabyBlank

If that is the case, just reassure her and tell her that she will always be your "baby" even when she is a big girl.

Megan.10.06

My 3 yo neice went through this when she found out her mom was pregnant - and I hate to be the bearer or bad news, but she's still having accidents - she's 5. 

Maybe give your daughter a 'job' to help with the baby - help her understand that she's still in the family, she's not being replaced, her role is just changing.  Do you have a place for baby stuff - maybe a room?  When she finds a diaper, maybe have her put that in the room for the baby.  Perhaps try that if she "doesn't use the potty, who is going to show her little sibling how to?"  Maybe have her "donate" some of her younger toys to the baby room, and then take her out and let her pick out a few  older toys to replace them.  That can help show her the transition.

a word of unsolicited advice - practice 'alone play' now.  My SIL always said how much attention she gave to Alyson because she wouldn't be able to give it to her anymore, and she totally shot herself in the foot with it.  Not only will she not play by herself now, but she throws a FIT when anyone wants to pay attention to her sister and not her now.  She now associates the lack of constant attention with her sister, since it stopped when she was born.  So now she uses the fits to get negative attention, instead of just less attention.  Her sister is now 17 months old, and she's just NOW getting better about it.

Good luck!

jjmoore

this happened to my best friends daughter at about the same age and she was expecting her second baby too so she blamed it on that but it turned out after taking her to the docotor that she actually had a bladder infection, so that is something to keep in the back of your mind. WE all thought she was acting out in response to the baby and we were all wrong!