Baby Separation Anxiety - Alternative Methods To Deal

Baby Separation Anxiety is seen in babies of 6 or 7 months. However, most of the babies suffer from this condition between 12 to 18 months. Babies of working parents are mainly affected by this condition.

The birth of a sibling or change in routing at either nursery or home can also cause this disorder in babies. The disorder affects every baby to a certain extent, but some babies are affected more severely. It is said that the babies experience long-term memory or also called as cognitive growth. Hence, the thought that you are leaving makes your baby sad.

Babies suffering from separation anxiety cry, express clinginess, shyness and remain silent instead of talking, playing or babbling. They are also reluctant to interact even with familiar persons or faces. This anxiety is sure to treat and you can manage it efficiently in many ways. However, first, it is important that you understand that for a baby, his/her parents are unique and precious, and hence their absence propels the babies to undergo separation nervousness.

Some Alternative Ways to Minimize Baby Separation Anxiety:

• Take your baby along with you, whenever or wherever possible, when your baby feels anxious.
  
• If there is a compulsion, wherein you have to leave your baby for some work, the best option is to leave your baby with close relatives with whom he/she is familiar with, such as grandmother, aunt or father.
  
• Though the baby might protest, but will gradually adjust itself, if the faces you leave your baby with are familiar.
  
• In cases, where you need to leave your baby in a crèche or with unknown people, the baby will require space and time to get familiar with them, while you are still around, so it is better to take your baby at such places well before the time you leave.

Train your Baby

Train the baby against baby separation anxiety, so that your baby gets comfortable before you leave him/her:

Make sure that your new babysitter visits your place and plays with the baby frequently before you actually leave the house. This will help your baby to become familiar with the babysitter’s face and that too in your presence. For instance, ask your babysitter to come 30 minutes before you leave, so that he/she gels well with your baby. Hence, whenever you leave your baby at a toddler nursery, health club, or church, use the same approach.

• It is always better to hug and kiss your baby and tell goodbye before you leave.
  
• Never slip out of the back door, as your baby will get upset thinking that you have vanished suddenly.
  
• Your baby tends to feel the way you feel therefore express affection and keenness for the caregiver. Never shout or yell to show that you are upset, as your baby might also follow the same.
  
• Finally, to deal with baby separation anxiety, do not come back once you have left the house or the crèche, as it will become difficult to calm your baby then.

More information about Anxiety Treatment | Back to Separation Anxiety Disorder.