6 month old stranger anxiety and night time clinginess

[Greenfrog2427]

My baby has just turned 6 months and seemingly overnight has gone from happily smiling at strangers to being absolutely terrified of them!

I know this is normal but I wasn’t expecting it to kick in so suddenly! Obviously babies get lots of attention off well meaning strangers and this is fine when baby smiles back etc but now as soon as someone smiles at her or has the audacity to actually talk to her (😂) she absolutely loses it and bawls her eyes out. It’s really embarrassing and i find myself apologising and assuring people she does this with all new people as I can see they are mortified!

She has also stopped wanting to sleep in her cot next to my bed and wants to be held all the time. We’ve now had a few nights co sleeping because it’s the only way she will settle (she needs to reach out and touch my face to fall asleep) but it’s really not a habit I want to keep up as I worry about safety due to having a 7 year old (who co slept as a baby!) who still often comes into bed with me in the night🥴

Someone please remind me how long this clingy and terrified of lovely strangers phase lasts again please😭🫠🙏

I’d also appreciate tips on how to avoid falling into the co sleeping trap again (I absolutely adore co sleeping and if I knew my son would stay in his bed I would happily do it again with my daughter but it’s too risky)

thanks :)

It’s completely normal? And I wouldn’t expect it to end. Shes a little baby, of course she wants you. Being embarrassed by it won’t help, maybe strangers need to learn Whats developmental normal. Being clingy is also totally normal, dont try and discourage jt, it’ll make it worse. Mine is ‘clingy’ at 2 years but thats because she is a tiny child! She needs protection and support. And will likely intensify if she is starting childcare
I’d just do the cosleeping if it works, it’ll get you way more sleep. You could get a floor bed in her own room and join her there instead, it’s safer.