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Parenting

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Separation anxiety in 15 month old

2 replies

AnotherStory23 · 14/11/2024 14:55

My son has just turned 15 months old. He is a very affectionate and sensitive boy, and still loves breastfeeding. I went back to work when he was 1, and he started a childminder the month after. His settling in has taken a good while, and he's had a very difficult week this week according to the childminder, seeming very up and down, hard to settle, and wanting to be held all the time. She's lovely and very professional but she's says he's concerned that his weeks are still up and down a few months in. He has really taken to walking in the last month, but it does seem to have affected his sleep, as well as his sense of autonomy. My husband gets up with him in the morning, to let me have a bit more sleep (his sleep is still pretty erratic) and he says he is very clingy with him and doesn't want him to leave the room. His naps have also been a lot shorter the last couple of weeks. I'm wondering if this is separation anxiety, and if so, what I can do to ease it. I don't really notice him being anxious about separation but I think that's because I am super attentive to him when I'm with him! I'm wondering if I need to be practicing leaving him alone (obviously for a minute or so) more deliberately and often to get him used to not being with me? Any advice welcome.

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Theotherside2 · 02/03/2026 13:18

Hi @AnotherStory23 I’m sorry you didn’t get any replies on your post at the time. Your description of your little one as an affectionate, sensitive, breastfeeder who took quite a while to settle at childcare sounds very similar to my own situation!

I’d be so grateful if you could share an update of how he’s doing now? Did he ever settle at the CM, did this phase pass?

Sending all good wishes 😊

AnotherStory23 · 28/04/2026 13:13

@Theotherside2 I'm so sorry I didn't see this before! The good news is is that he did! We actually didn't end up staying with the childminder, as she said he wasn't settling, but we ended up at a big loud bustling nursery that he loves! He's been there for over a year now and it's helped him so much. I think my instinct that a quieter space (there was only one other child there) was not quite right. He needed a different kind of environment with different pace. He is now almost 3, and though still has moments of cling, is much much more confident - I did only stop breastfeeding him in October (can't really believe I did it for that long) but I think that has also helped him in general. How are you getting on? I hope your little one is okay - I know this stuff can be so stressful, but things do change, I assure you!

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