Due Date Approaching, DS Turning into Beast

In my opinion, less is more. The more you talk about the baby, more problems you may have. Everyone has to remember that he comes first. Any visitors that want to go see baby immediately should be redirected to him. As long as he comes first his behaviors might just subside.

3 years old is a hard age. For them.
For them.

When I was preggers with my 2nd child, my daughter was about 3 years old. And, while... I was pregnant with my son, I spend a lot of time, bonding with my daughter and chatting with her, about baby brother in my tummy. She'd sing to him, rub my tummy, we'd take photos of her and my tummy etc. And it was a pleasant thing for her. Because, I chatted with her, about it, BEFORE her baby brother was born. I also explained to her, in ways she could understand... what would happen once her baby brother was born. ie: he is a baby, he will cry, Mommy will take care of him and nurse him... JUST like how I did with her. Babies don't know how to do things, and they cry anytime etc. But don't worry. AND I am ALWAYS there for her.... and she can TELL ME her feelings, and she need not feel she has to be OLDER just because she is the "oldest." That I KNOW... she is just a little kid herself. And I WILL NOT EXPECT... her to be "perfect" and she is still, just my little girl. I explained (because kids worry about this) that "her" things does NOT have to be shared... and if she has special things, to just tell me. And she can TELL ME, what things she wants to share, or not, with brother. Its OKAY.
I fully explained to her.... before her brother was born... about how she is herself, and I know that. But Mommy will be busy with baby... but she is important too. I told her I will be nursing baby brother a LOT. And so we made up a special hand signal & wink with each other, and even if I was nursing, she and I could do that with each other, even if she was across the room, and it was OUR way... of bonding and for her to feel close, to me.
And I made SURE... to comfort HER, when she needed it. Because, I made sure, that she KNEW.. that she could tell me how she felt, anytime... and it was okay. I told her that I know, she may have hard days too... and its okay. To just tell me. That Mommy loves her and she is always, my little girl.
I spent a lot of time, PREPPING my daughter, while... I was pregnant with my son. I spent my pregnancy, for my daughter, and prepping her... for her baby brother.

So, when her baby brother was born, and came home... she adjusted FINE. With no hang ups. And she was a champ, at being a sibling and adjusted, so well. She never had any jealousy, toward her baby brother.

He might be responding to YOUR apprehension and frustration. You just think HE started it because you didn't notice your change in behavior first.

It is an adjustment. Just remember that it's a HUGE adjustment for him that he didn't ask for. So, let compassion be on his side.... not your frustration.

Welcome to the torturous threes :-)

Sounds pretty normal to me. My son is just shy of 3 1/2 years older than his sister. Regression in an older sibling(s) is to be expected when a new baby is introduced to the house.

Your son is feeling like his place in the family is being usurped by the baby. He's going to do anything and everything he can think of to make sure he's not forgotten about.

There is a reason they call it the "Terrible Two's" and the "Torturous Three's". The year my kids were three, was the year they were lucky to make it to four.

It DOES get better. My two are now 10 and almost 7. While they do bicker alot, they are also good friends that won't let ANYONE outside out immediate family hurt the other. They will be getting a little sister at the end of May. I'm kind of surprised my almost 7 year old hasn't started reverting/regressing yet.

I never had that problem with my older son when I was pregnant with my younger son. He turned three the week before his brother was born. He did have a tantrum when the baby was a couple of weeks old, but I think that one got it all out of his system.

My younger son did have some issues with tantrums and behaviour that seemed to come out of the blue when he was two. It turned out he had ear infections. Instead of the usual ear infection symptoms he would just get really cranky and unmanageable. Once we got the ear infections under control (antibiotics, then tubes) the behaviour stopped. It doesn't hurt to ask the doctor when you see a change in behaviour like this.

Even if it is cold, bundle him up and send him out into the backyard for 15 minutes every day. It will do a world of good. Kids aren't bothered by the cold the same as adults. They keep warm by playing. If you really can't take him outside, then find an indoor place to go run around, like the Y, a community center or even McDonalds Playland.

my daughter regressed back to bottles n diapers,biting screaming fits,beating up her baby brother..i wont lie it was pure hell-their only 13 months apart.alls i can say is patients and lots of it.my kids are in their 30,s now-unsepertable.i think cabin fever is a huge part of it-lots of folks have been suffering terrible 2,s and their grown..hahaha..i know its cold out but bundle him up and let him run buck wild outside for a while..thats what i did-my son was a jan.baby-daughter may baby-get it under control now-

Normal, I'm afraid. However, you need to nip it in the bud. When he starts tantruming or hitting, put him in his room or in a play pen and walk away. Don't allow him out (even if you have to put the lock on the outside of the door) until he stops the tantrum and screaming. When you let him out, get down to his level (or have him get on the bed if you can't get down in the floor) and talk to him about why he was in trouble. Tell him "Hands are for helping, not hurting" or if he kicks "Feet are for walking, not kicking." Say it over and over and over. This is what daycares do to help their kids learn. Also say "Use your words" before the tantrum starts. Helping him communicate is feelings will not only help now, but after the baby is born.

As far as getting him to do what you ask, try to make things a game. If you have to take him to daycare in the morning and he refuses to dress, take him there in his pj's and they will dress him. If he has a fit in the grocery store, leave the cart and take him to the car and strap him in the carseat and stand OUTSIDE of the car and wait him out. When he stops the crying, open the door and say "Are you done?" He'll most likely be contrite, and then you can take him back in the store. You DO need to be stern with him and tell him that we don't act like this in the store, or he will have to sit in the car. DON'T let him have toys and candies in the store in order to prevent a tantrum. If you do, he will turn into a little monster and up the ante everytime you go somewhere. Make sure he has eaten and rested before taking him on errands. It's too hard for tired and hungry kids to behave when you're out and about.

Here's a tip for when the baby comes home. Get out his baby pictures after you and the baby come home from the hospital, and show them to him. Talk about how little he was, just like baby brother/sister. Talk about what a big boy he is and how nice it is to be a big boy - all the things he can do and eat, that the baby can't. Tell him that the new baby loves him very much - that he thinks big brother hung the moon. Another thing to do is to buy your son a fun gift, something you know that he wants, and wrap it up to give to him at the hospital when he comes to visit you and the baby for the first time. Tell him that the gift is from the baby. We bought a ball run for our older son. He had seen it in the store and was fascinated by it. It went over big. What I'm talking about with the gift and the pictures is to help with jealousy.

You can be patient, loving and understanding about bad behavior and the addition of a baby in the family. What you can't be is a pushover. You have to acknowledge to yourself that this is an issue, but you can't allow him to have bad behavior. ALWAYS supervise him with the baby - you cannot trust a toddler with a baby, just like you can't with an animal in the home. YOU are responsible for the baby, and that means 1005 supervision.

Whatever you do, don't lose your cool and yell at your toddler about the baby. He will associate it with the baby and will not like having a sibling. You don't want that - you'll just have MORE trouble.

Good luck!

It's probably not about the baby coming, unless you are talking about it all the time (I've found that the more you talk about big changes, like a new baby, or school, or a big move, the more anxious it makes kids so less is more.)
He's getting older. He's changing, and what worked when he was two will not work now, just like what works when he is four will not work when he is fourteen. You need to grow and adjust your methods and expectations right along with him.
Go to the library and check out some books on child development. NOT parenting or discipline books, DEVELOPMENT. The kind of books preschool teachers use to guide them and their programs. Once you understand where your son is at developmentally you will be able to deal with him so much more effectively.
And yes I'm sure the cold is adding to his (and your) cabin fever and therefore short fuse! Since you can't get outside to play at least get together with other friends/family with young kids as much as you can, so he has lots of social interaction. And if you can sign up for any indoor activities like kindergym or preschool art or whatever do that too. Even if you're not outside you all NEED to get out of the house and be around other people a little!

Pretty normal. Just carve out LOTS of time for him. Any you can spare both before and after the baby. Just be sure and make sure he knows "what a big responsibility it is to be a big brother and that you SO appreciate his help..."

He's almost 4. My dad has always said a 4 year old is a 2 year old with a mouth. I don't know that this has anything to do with a baby coming, as much as it does this may be a "normal" stage for him.