Help - 10 week old baby who won't be left alone!!

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My 10-week old baby whinges and cries everytime he is left alone in a room (unless he is asleep!) - even if it is only for a couple of minutes whilst I put the washing in etc. Is this normal?? How can I break this habit and get him to play on his gym/swing happily for a bit?

I know it seems early to worry about this but obviously he needs to be happy without constant attention for when he starts nursery in January and I don't want to make it any worse at the minute.

Any advice would be welcome!

Honestly - I would just take him with you. He's 10 weeks old, he's not going to be able to understand 'mummy is coming back'. I know it's extremely annoying, but do you have a sling you could put him in? Some babies just need to be physically close, it's a perfectly normal survival response if you think about it - imagine mummy gorillas sitting around saying "ds cries if I leave him" "yes that is because a lion will come and eat him". It's a bit like that, without the lions!

Gosh yes this is normal, this is what babies are like

That's why mummies don't have a poo without an audience

They certainly need to be in the room with someone for the first year AT LEAST

Don't worry about nursery - he won't be alone in a room at all!

I think it's normal tbh, my 2 were like it at that age. I'd take him too. I used to just cart ds around the house with me in his bouncy chair so I was always close by and within sight. He is still ever so tiny and January is a long way off, the change between now and then will be enormous. I think there is too much stuff about 'spoiling' babies and creating bad habits with them - you really can't spoil a baby as young as 10 weeks, after all, he spent 3 times longer than that inside you. The whole 'outside world' thing is still really new and scary I should think. If you give him what he needs now you are more likely to make him into a happy secure baby because he knows you're there for him.

Sounds like normal behaviour for such a tiny baby. Don't worry too much about the distant future, just meet his needs as they are now - which is to be with you all the time.

My two also like this. Actually were like this until about 18mths? My daughter still likes to come to the toliet with me (at 5.5 !! though now request privacy when with AF ). But DS (2) will play now by himself while I do chores. And sometimes he comes and does the chores too. He particularly likes mopping and window cleaning. I just accepted a messier house while they were young. More fun to play anyway

My ds is like this and he is 18 months old ... you cant leave him for a minute!

Just to add to the chorus of yes that's how it is! He will be a completely different person by January - actually, he'll be a different person by next week!

Thanks for all your reassurance that we are not producing a 'spoilt' demanding baby!! As 1st time parents, we are fumbling our way through this

I think we were worried as Ds was in hospital for an operation for a week a couple of weeks ago and either me or DH was with him at all times and we wondered if we had starting a pattern as he does seem to be worse since he came home.

Enjoy your little baby. Cliche warning: they grow up so fast. My DS is now 6 and he won't let me kiss him goodbye in front of the school anymore.