when do they get less clingy?

[poppydog10]

It is my second day back at work after maternity leave and my daughter is 9 months old.

She hates being dropped at nursery. I put her down on the floor this morning and she crawled back over to me and tried to hold on to my leg crying as I went to leave. Apparently she doesn't hardly eat or drink anything during the day and only had a half an hour nap in the morning. She has been going there for a morning a week since november.

What I'm wondering is if other people's babies were like this at the start, how long did they take to start enjoying it? Did anyone's babies settle in straight away?

I just feel that maybe nursery isn't the place for her.

It does get better. Your experience sounds exactly like mine - my DD was 9 months old when I returned to work. She's now coming up for a year.

She was super-clingy for the first few weeks, but it's much better now. She still cries when I leave her, but as soon as I'm out the door it stops. The childminder now takes photos during the day to prove to me she's having a good time!

I do feel for you as it is horrible. I felt absolutely dreadful but give yourself (and her) time to get used to it.

A psychologist friend of mine mentioned the other day that 9 months is the peak of separation anxiety - I have no idea whether this is true as I refuse to read any parenting books, but seems to chime.

Hang in there, it will get better.

Maybe you could increase her visits? One morning a week is not a lot for her to get used to going at that age.

My daughter (now 16.5 months) started at 6 months (long before any seperation problems I admit) and was fine from the start other than being a bit funny about taking her milk (solids she was fine with).

She loves it so much now however that I have even had tears sometimes at weekends when she can't go and has to stay home with boring old mum and dad. She attends full time for financial reasons so it is a big part of her life.

I think some of it might be personality though - my daughter has always been very independent and adaptable, but some of her nursery friends went through very clingy phases. I have to say though sometimes when I drop her off I see other babies crying, but they do stop almost as soon as their parents have gone.

Hang in there I'm sure it will get better.

thanks for the reassurance. meant to say that she does go full time now, she just did a morning when i was still on maternity leave.

Hi

My 6 month old started nursery a week back and I leave him just for a couple hours a day. Its been a week and he still cries almost throughout the duration! Unlike other babies mine doesnt stop crying after I've left. He wont take milk or water or sleep, and cries as soon as I put him down, and stretches his arms out at me and looks at me so pleadingly it breaks my heart! He's just 6 months. Is this normal at this age, and is there hope it will get better?

I'm really worried and guilty, any advice on when I can expect it to get better will be so appreciated!