Separation anxiety?

[Sterla]

What age is separation anxiety meant to hit, or peak?

We've had a pretty good run with DS. He's never been overly clingy and have never had much of a problem with him crying when I leave the room... until just recently.
In the past week he has started crying when I go to leave the room when we're at other people's houses. These are people that DS knows quite well, and I haven't had a problem leaving the room there in the past.

I'm wondering if me leaving him at the child care at the gym may have triggered this? I left him two times for about 1.5 hours each time last week. He got a little upset both times, but nothing too serious according to the child care worker. Before this he had never been left with anyone he doesn't know.
Or was this going to start happening at some point anyway?

Oh, and when do LOs tend to grow out of separation anxiety?

TIA

[Beautitude]

DS has been going through this a bit lately too. I thought we had missed the whole seperation anxiety thing as he was NEVER a clingy baby but it hit around the same time as for your ds. They say it can hit around the time they start walking. DS is very independant so we dont have screaming when we leave the room or anything but he does get whingy if i go out or something. He also wants to be carried around alot lately which he never wanted before. I dont think its a creche thing at all, in fact i think it would prop be a good thing for him to get used to being looked after and cared for by other people.

[Arimeh]

I think its the age babe - unless he's scared of me now

Both DS and DD1 started going through it quite bad when they were about 14 months - and you've seen DD1, she's obviously out of that phase now (helllooooo miss me or something whilst I'm exercising kelti!!! grrr)

I don't think it has anything to do with them going to the carer - although she's not the best, but it was for such a limited amount of time, and like you said to me, he was happy enough afterwards. If it was such an issue for him, it would have taken him ages to recover from

Just ride it out mate!

[Sterla]

Thanks girls .

I'm glad to hear that it's probably just the age. I felt like I'd 'broken' DS or something. It's hard seeing my usually happy boy so miserable all of a sudden. It happened again today at MG - as soon as he saw the unfamiliar house and unfamiliar people he was clinging to me and would not let me put him down for ages... but then he suddenly got over it and was happy wandering around without me nearby. Strange little people they are.
Also, thinking about it, DS has recently become an even bigger mummy's boy than usual recently. He keeps pushing DH away and diving at me for cuddles. It's nice for me, but DH feels pretty bad - poor DH.

[Beautitude]

Also, thinking about it, DS has recently become an even bigger mummy's boy than usual recently. He keeps pushing DH away and diving at me for cuddles. It's nice for me, but DH feels pretty bad - poor DH.

Snap, DS is exactly the same at the moment. I can see that dh is getting quite upset about it lately too. Going through a major mummy phase at the moment.

[Sterla]

Well, at least I can let DH know he's not alone! I'll just have to remind him that in a few years mummy will be old news and DS will just want to follow DH around all day.

[Arimeh]

He's definitely not alone - DH can talk to him about it, he was sooo hurt when DS started to favour being with me, and DH couldn't do ANYTHING for him, DS would just scream and scream and scream and want me. Yeah it was nice at first, but then I got sick and was pregnant and just didn't have the strength to hold him all the time - and I wanted a break.

DS is still a bit of a mummy's boy - but DD1 is currently a daddy's girl - and DD2 goes with whoever.. ROFL.. so its all even in this house.

Tell your DH (in my nice straightforward manner) to not take it personally because your DS isn't doing it to hurt him, he just wants mumma at the moment thats all.

[Sterla]

I honestly thought separation anxiety started much, much younger than this. Had no problems up until now. I suppose they're all different though .

Thanks Mel and Isobel