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Working Moms
vszapp
member
Toddler separation anxiety and work travel
vszapp
member
in Working Moms
I recently went back to work after being home with DD (now 16 months old) for 8 months due to a layoff. She has had a somewhat tough time with my being gone during the week, though she loves our nanny and is comfortable with her. I'm not sure whether it is b/c of the work or just a developmental stage, but she won't even hang out with DH while I'm in the house and she clings to me incessantly. I try to give her as much love and attention as possible while I'm home. She is sleeping horribly, waking up crying "mommy, mommy, mommy...". The only saving grace is that once I'm out of the house, she does seem to do OK, and even waves bye bye to me and doesn't cry when I leave. She does ask for me a lot while I'm gone, though.
I am scheduled to go on a work trip for 3 days in a few weeks (my first time away from her overnight), and I am so worried that she is going to implode. She screams when DH tries to get her in the morning when she wakes up (but she used to love it), and is just generally going through a tough time. I want so badly for her to feel confortable and to hang on the wonderful bond we built while I was home. She was such a confident, happy girl until recently, and I am just crushed to think that I may be having a negative effect on her development.
Any ideas or advice? I suppose I could come up with an excuse to cancel the trip, but another will come up one of these days...
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Re: Toddler separation anxiety and work travel
If she's fine when you are gone for the day, then things will be fine if you go on your trip.
My youngest is going through a mommy-phase, my oldest went through the same thing. The best cure was me getting out of the house and letting DH and baby bond.
I think it is just the age that she's at, its normal to go through separation anxiety. My son is also 16months, and recently has been going through a major "Daddy phase". He only wants DH all the time. The minute he walks in the door at night, he clings to him and screams if DH puts him down. DH was working late recently a couple days in a row getting home after DS was in bed (and he also leaves in the morning before the kids are awake). DS was just really crabby and clingy for like 3 days when DH wasn't home. It was tough on me, but we made it through. And now he finally seems to be getting over only wanting Daddy. I know its rough, but if you have to travel, then you just have to trust DH and the nanny to help your DD get through it. Good Luck!
Agreed. DS is a serious mommy-holic, but if I clear out he's fine with other people. The more you play into this the worse it will get.