Does my baby have insecure attachment or is this normal?

[flyingbeet]

My baby is 6 months old. I noticed a couple weeks ago that she had started to cry when I left the room sometimes and wanted to be held. But I could give her a toy that would distract her and get some chores done. Sometimes I would let her cry for a minute or two when I know she isn't hungry or sleepy because I need to get things done for example prepare her bath and I would keep talking to her to let her know I haven't left her. I'm also trying to help her self settle at night. We could sleep and she stays attached to my breast all night which was giving me back pain so I've started to try and pat her to sleep instead. She does cry and fuss a lot but does eventually go to sleep next to me.

The last two days her separation anxiety has been really bad. She cries if I put her down even if I'm in front of her. Usually my husband is able to hold her and she's happy but now she just wants me. I feel as if I've made her more clingy by not responding to her needs ASAP. Have I created an insecure attachment?

It’s more than likely that she wants you because you smell of breast milk. Have you started weaning her? If so, get dad to feed her so she associates him with food too.

No, this is not insecure attachment op. You have done nothing wrong. Insecure attachment is not measured by how clingy babies are, or whether they get separation anxiety. Your baby is very young still, and there is nothing about what you've written that sounds worrying in any way. Most babies will experience separation anxiety at some point, if not earlier, then later, as a toddler or young child. It is usually personality that will determine how clingy a baby will be. I have cause to know a lot about attachment theory, through my line of work. But also, as a mother of four, I can tell you that despite my children being parented in the same way as babies, one was much more clingy and anxious in the early months than the others. All very different characters.

You're doing fine! Trust your instincts and don't worry.

OP insecure attachment is developed by children who do not have enough attention. It's not caused by a couple of minutes alone whilst you run a bath, it's caused by months in a Romanian orphanage (or somewhere equally as neglectful) with minimal human interaction for months.

Your baby is crying because you smell like her favourite food, she's just starting to realise that the two of you are in actual fact not attached and probably because her teeth / gums hurt.

No, she's crying because she wants you back and when she gets you back she's soothed showing she is securely attached! It's a normal leap just before they start crawling to keep them safe and stop them
Crawling too far away. You're not doing anything wrong and baby loves you lots! X

Look at the Strange Situation experiment.

She is being very normal for her age