Goodbyes are tough!
It can be distressing to watch your baby wailing and reaching for you as you say goodbye and head out the door, which is why baby separation anxiety is such a challenging stage for parents. While separation anxiety typically flares up around 8 months, it can come sooner or later depending on the baby’s personality. What is universal is that it can appear with no warning and can absolutely break a mom’s heart. Knowing that, here are five tips for dealing with baby separation anxiety:
- Introduce the concept of a sitter early, even if it’s a grandparent or a friend offering to help so you can run quick errands. This will establish a pattern that mom leaves and comes back.
- Keep baby in familiar settings as much as possible so they’re comfortable in their surroundings. This may mean having the sitter watch them at your house. If that isn’t an option, try visiting the sitter’s location multiple times so they get familiar with the toys, high chair, etc. in this new space.
- As tough as it may be, make your goodbyes short and sweet. Don’t do long and drawn-out goodbyes. Responding to this behavior only encourages them to repeat it for future farewells.
- Stay positive! Baby should only see smiles and nonchalance on your face. Save the tears for when you get to the car. This will help assure baby that it isn’t that big a deal when you leave.
- Make your homecoming feel special to close the door on the separation process. Give her a big hug, and take some time out to read a favorite book or sing songs.
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