Separation Anxiety

Little R is generally a good-tempered baby, who rarely cries. Most of the time she looks like this:


She is also a very independent baby, who prefers to spend most of her free time doing her own thing (ie, ignoring me). Usually when we are at home, she will wander around the apartment on her own, reading books, playing with her toys, pulling things off the shelves, exploring and experimenting. She will come over to check in with me every five or ten minutes for a brief greeting, but then it's back to work.

However, this independence is illusory. I left her on Saturday (to go do some shopping), and she immediately turned into a fussy, moody, clingy little person, who spent large portions of time crying, and was only semi-happy when she was actively being engaged (ie, played with). She was miserable for most of the time, and didn't cheer up until I got back.

On Sunday I wanted to sleep in. So after I fed her in the morning, I handed her over to her father and went back to bed. Little R immediately scampered to the bedroom door, and started pounding on it, screaming and shrieking and crying as her father attempted to comfort and distract her. After fifteen minutes, I gave up and opened the door. There she stood, sniffling, with tear-covered cheeks. I had to hold her tight for the next ten minutes before she was ready to let go of me. Then she toddled off to destroy stuff and ignore me, as if nothing had happened.

I know that this is just a developmental stage, but sometimes it's difficult because it makes it hard to leave her (since I know she is going to suffer the whole time). It's also difficult because I can't sleep in or use the bathroom by myself!