How Mothers Can Cope With Separation Anxiety

Young mothers, like their young children face separation anxiety; they experience this anxiety when they have to leave their kids with other caretakers when they go out for a rare outing. This is all the more the case with stay-at-home mums who worry about the safety, feeding, sleeping and other aspects of the child.

Ways to help mothers cope with separation anxiety:

• It is natural to be anxious; separation anxiety is just the other side of the attachment and your bond with the baby brings about this discomfort. Believe that it is natural to have some nerves as a part of parenting; it only helps make more wise and good decisions.

• An important part of separation is attachment; it is actually healthy for the baby to be taken care by multiple caregivers. As humans evolved, we parented in communities; allowing the kids to be trust and be cared for by other people cultivates the feeling of community and makes them feel the world is a safe place to live in.

• It is significant to understand each caregiver has one’s own way of dealing with the child; though parents think they know their child the best. However it is also true that kids are very adaptive and know how to adjust to various other people; you will find that other caregivers like dads, grandparents and babysitters will invent their own tricks to deal with the baby.

• Mothers need to realize that it is as important to take care of themselves as the child; it is not for fun alone, but for their mental, physical and emotional health. It may be right to concentrate on the baby alone in the first few months; then it is time you bring your life back to equation by planning a lunch out with a friend, a date night, or an exercise class to get fit again.

• Guilt is a common emotion that most parents, especially mothers feel when they plan activities for themselves; it is futile to do so as you would be neglecting other areas of your life like your own independence, working on your relationship with your partner, engaging in a career or some hobbies. You should acknowledge your guilt, but never make it the overall emotional hideout of your life. 

• Lastly separation anxiety will dissipate with time; believe that attachment is not about being near the child always. As time goes you will become more confident that things are going fine when you are away. Also your baby will also bond with you as he/she becomes more confident that you will eventually come back to them; studies have shown that kids in quality daycare are also as securely attached.

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