Separation anxiety - how to deal with it?

[surgicalwidow]

My almost 11 month old dd has developed awful separation anxiety in the last few weeks. She has gone from being a relaxed happy child to a worried, clingy little thing and I am struggling to know how best to deal with it. She is in nursery 3 days a week and home with me 4 days; we left her with her grandparents last weekend when we were at a wedding but this was unusual. She was great with the GPs but when we got home on Sunday evening she would not be put down; she went to bed ok but then woke around 2am, and when I tried to put her back in her cot after a cuddle and a drink of water she screamed the house down! She eventually dropped off in bed with me after I turfed DH out to the spare room.

I don't mind cosleeping for a while but not long term; I will obviously give her more attention and cuddles to give her extra security, but would love to hear others' experiences regarding how long this phase lasts! (Please don't say forever!)

You'll need to give her the extra security for as long as she needs it - it could be a few weeks. Did it start when she started nursery?

No, she has been absolutely fine up in nursery - v appropriate, easily distracted when I leave in the morning and happy to see me in the evenings. Glad to hear it may only last a few weeks!

Ds (now 14 months) had exactly the same thing at exactly the same age though in my case it did coincide with my return to work. He would wake in the night crying inconsolably and the only thing that would calm him (and we exhausted all other options) was bringing him in bed with us. I was really worried it would become a habit but after maybe 4 weeks it gradually improved til he was sleeping in his cot til 5 ish then coming in our bed. we had a set back when I went away for the night with friends but now he has slept through every night for the last few weeks.

My advice would be as previously said to give him the comfort he needs by letting him sleep with you. it won't last long even though it feels like it at the time! I would also advise you not to spend a night away from him if you can avoid it; just because I did and it sent us back to square one.
Other advice I was given includes-playing lots of peekaboo and hide and seek so he knows you will come back, waving and saying goodbye rather than sneaking out and continuing to talk to them when you go into another room. Good luck!