Stranger anxiety at 3 months??

[Saffy]

My DD is a few days off 3 months old and it feels like just overnight has developed stranger anxiety. I was at a friends house yesterday and when held by my friend or her oldest daughter, DD would begin crying within a minute. Lat weekend we were at another friends house and she was fine with being held by others. I wouldn't even care except I think she did itlast night with her daddy too!

DH gets up early ( 0530) and goes to work early so he can come home at 4.30 and spend time with her, but the last 2 nights he has been stuck at work and only gotton home at 6.30pm. DD has a quiet BF with me in the bedroom at 7 then into bed at 7.30, so it only left him 1/2 hr to see her, as well as scoff dinner. Last night when he got home he said 'she's looking at me as if she has never seen me before' and then each time he picked her up she started crying- I didn't say anything, just pretended she was tired, but I noticed she stopped when i took her. This is a problem,cos DH'd dad is critically ill in the UK and next Saturday he is flying back there for 2 weeks to spend time with his dad. He already doesn't want to leave DD and was paranoid she would 'forget' him, so this is going to devastate him, oh dear.

Is it possible to have stranger anxiety at this age?

How can I get her to not be afraid of her father?? At least it is the weekend and he will be around all day for 2 days. HOw do people with FIFO husbands deal with the 2 week seperations?

[BellyBelly]

There is a wonder week early on where separation anxiety kicks in. I'll see if I can double check it for you.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, either way, a baby's survival is tied into you. Completely normal thing

[Artechim]

From about 3 weeks old my DS got upset if anyone but me held him. DH could get maybe 5 minutes but then DS would be crying for me. It was hard going. I think he was around 15 months old before DH could take him away for an hour or so. DS remained cautious around strangers for his toddlerhood - not so much talking but did not like to be held/touched by strangers (including grandparents).

He did outgrow it eventually and is now happy to hug the gparents and tolerates random hugs from other people. He has an anxious personality. I think he was pretty extreme though, lesser degrees of separation anxiety are completely normal.

[Pholi]

A new mum of a 7 month old, I can say that it's not worth stressing about behaviours that last a couple of days, because usually they'll disappear as quickly as they came. You might find that by next week bub is back to 'normal' again, or even has a totally different 'normal.'

[nickle730]

I think it was about 3 months that each of my babies would start to cry when held by anyone but me, including when DH held them. Very upsetting for DH, but they all got over it fairly quickly. My DD2 is almost 2.5 and she still doesn't like to be held by strangers - can't say I blame her!!

[onthefly]

She just knows she wants mum and that's it. It comes and goes in intensity over the first 3 or so years, manifesting itself in slightly different ways, depending on the child. It's really normal and will pass with time.

[Saffy]

thanks everyone! I'm not stressed as I have no intention of leaving her with anyone, but just worried for DH as I know he will be upset!

[onthefly]

Sometimes she won't want dad, and only mum will do. But there will also be times, certainly when she's a bit older if not before, when only dad will do. Probably it won't be long and she'll be happy for daddy to hold her again.