I’m in serious need of advice! My 12 month old is what I call a barnacle baby. She is constantly attached to me and gets extremely upset if she’s not at least sitting in my lap. If I try and put her down she wails until I let her come back and if I try to walk away for even long enough to go to the bathroom she screams like I’ve hit her or something! I’m overwhelmed! I’m so touched out from her needing to be on me all day everyday. It’s so bad that if she wakes up at night and I’m not right next to her she won’t sleep for the rest of the night because I might leave again!! Does anyone else have this problem? If you have, how did you deal with it to allow at least a little separation? I’m not willing to CIO.
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It is not helpful to tell a parent at their wits end to enjoy it while it lasts. You can’t enjoy it when you’re in the middle of it. My advice is to leave her with someone a couple of times a week even if it’s only for an hour or two. They may be miserable the whole time but most likely they will adjust. Even if they don’t adjust, mom deserves a break!
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Simple…don’t leave her! You are her security, and some need it more than others! Apparently she has some anxiety, and you are her calm, don’t take it away from her! I’m not a therapist, just speaking as a mother!
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Mine was like this - at the same age ( and me heavily pregnant with number two) the Karitane nurse intervened and whisked her away one morning a week for a playgroup. The first time she came in, told my daughter what was happening, picked her up and buckled her into the car seat and left. I could hear her all rhe way down the street ! She was returned 2 hours later tired out, ready for lunch and a nap. By the 3rd week she had stopped crying when the nurse appeared, the fourth week she put her arms out to be picked up. By then she had also stopped clinging to my leg and screaming her head off every time I walked outside. Great progress after that - and she is now a very well adjusted and successful, confident adult. Hope this story helps. Some babies need help to adjust to a world outside of just Mum and Dad.
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My daughter was like this. She had to be on me all the time and if I put her down for a nap she’d wake up within 10 minutes.
Try laying her down with a robe or a tshirt you’ve worn. It smells like you and they know our smell! I didn’t think it would work but it did help her go longer stretches without me. Also some vibration or white noise made a difference for my girl. I got pretty good at doing things while wearing her too. Good luck mama! I’ve been there and I know how exhausting it can be at times. You’re in the thick of it but I promise this won’t last forever 
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My son was just like this, even when I had to leave he would be so mad and scream. They said it was separation anxiety disorder. Eventually he got over it but he was getting older. It was just him and I the whole time. I was a single mom. He always slept with me. I did everything I could, nothing worked. He’s 10 now.
My daughter was super clingy. The best way I found to drop her off at daycare or a sitter was to be sneaky. I’d wait for her to become distracted at daycare and sneak out and at the sitter we’d turn on her favorite movie and sneak out when she got really into it.
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Can we please stop giving the advice of “enjoy it while it last”. When its everyday 24/7 ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO ENJOY. Mom’s have enough guilt- don’t be that guy that adds to it. I recommend a sitter or daycare where maybe theirs a LO around their age even if it’s for an hour or two…a playgroup. Your feelings are valid, moms need to take care of themselves and when there isn’t a time frame for a break because of a clingy little one its hard…its super hard.
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My daughter does this when she’s sick. I’d have her ears, nose, throat, teeth ect looked at, she may just be uncomfortable.
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Enjoy it while it last!!! In the blink of an eye she will want nothing to do woth you
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I promise she will grow out of it. Until then there’s not much you can do. You can try putting her with toys nd leaving her to play for like two minutes. Say you’ll be down in a minute. Once she stops freaking it over that try three minutes. Outdoor play could help too, mixing up the environment can help sometimes
Maybe make her a lovey out of a shirt of yours. Something with your scent. That she can carry around and have constantly. So you can have some you time.
Let her wail. Your playing right into her hands
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Turn up some music to drown out the noise
Give her things to keep her occupied. Maybe craft stuff puzzles or colouring
Itll pass you just gotta follow through. It will take some time so make sure you have good music to dance to
Don’t worry mama before you know it she will be a teenager and you’ll be the most cringe embarrassing thing ever …
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Leaving her with a sitter (Grandma, friend, any trusted sitter) is a great idea, like peak a boo it teaches them that you are coming back. Hard at first but worth it. If you can afford a house keeper for a couple hours once or twice a month that also helps to alleviate some of the stress of not being able to do anything because babe is attached at the hip. And a bike stroller/trailer was my favorite. Most Littles love going for a ride and it gives you a tiny bit of physical freedom while getting some exercise which is so good for your mental health. And the fresh air is great for everyone!
This is what happens when moms carry babies around all day in those ridiculous baby wearing slings!