Your little one needs to learn that as parents, you are always there even if she can’t see or feel you. This is the next step in building a secure, confident child. Babies pick up on our feelings and anxieties very quickly, and we have to work to transmit confidence to them by ourselves acting as if there is no problem.
The more we acknowledge their feelings of insecurity, the more we could amplify them.
Try to remember the following:
- Don’t “over rescue” – let baby be with others and reassure them (grandparents, siblings, husband, friends) that a little initial crying is ok.
- Remind people that slow, gentle movements are reassuring and that they have to transmit confidence.
- Don’t avoid new faces - your baby will benefit from being around people other than you and your partner.
- Let your baby play in a safe area out of sight of yourself for short periods of time.
- Don’t be embarrassed if your baby cries in someone else’s arms. There may however be times where you do need to take them back and calm them. If you do, try and keep this to a minimum and make the intervals longer and longer as you both get braver.