feeling anxious

[Sleepysally]

Hi,

My 9mo is struggling with being left with anybody who isn't me or her dad. I have just left her at MIL and I could hear her screaming just after I shut the door to leave.

I'm going back to work in December so I'm leaving her there for a few hours at a time as she will be going there when I go back to work.

Is is normal to feel anxious to the point of feel my heart pounding when I hear her scream when I have just left? I didn't know what to do but thought it best to just leave as I'd already said good bye to her etc.

I don't know why I'm posting other than to get it off my chest and occupy my self while she's there.

Any body got similar experiences that you could share and how long did it take for your LO to settle in with other people?

TIA

[JayDot500]

I have a 9 month old who I've been trying to prep for my return to work. He doesn't warm to strangers quickly, or even people who see him fairly often. It'd mostly been me, my DH and him most days.

He too will be going to my MIL while I work (start in January). For the past 2 months I've been going there once a week and staying there with him while his Grandma looks after him. I was there so he'd have no reason to protest. I thought it would be good for him to get used to her and her house. Something came up last week and I had to leave him with her. I felt he wasn't ready yet but he didn't cry for me! I was so happy, especially as I didn't feel ready to leave him.

Of course, babies always want their parents and crying/separation anxiety is absolutely normal. Your baby will get used to grandma the more she sees her/ is cared for by her. Does your baby see her often outside of babysitting time? Is baby used to her house? Is there much overlap where she is with you both? These are just some suggestions, but I reiterate that she will soon be used to her grandmother and the crying will stop

[Sleepysally]

Thanks for your replies.

She is used to the house as we've taken her there one evening a week since she was about 6 weeks to visit grandparents and her aunt and uncle who still live there too. I think in some ways this has hindered a little as it can be full on for her with allot of people wanting to hold her/ play with her etc and she can get overwhelmed with it all. So now whenever we walk through the door her instinct is to cling on to me as tight as she can.

I've just been to pick her up and she was playing when I got there, looked up, smiled at me and carried on playing so in all a successful trip apart from a few tears at the start.

It's so tough isn't it this parenting lark - I always thought I'd relish the time away to go back to work and be 'myself' but now I'm not so sure.


I think a glass of vino is in order tonight!