https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 29 May 2026 18:53:57 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1901049 Tue, 14 Oct 2014 18:18:09 +0000 Vegmama 1901049@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@teawithpaloma: That is such amazing news!! We went through the same thing, and found that re-direction (stroller, eating, etc.) was the only way to get through it. I work in the basement, and I still have to text when I'm coming up to pee. If she sees me, she'll go a bit crazy, but otherwise, she's happy now. So happy to hear things are looking up! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1899233 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:15:56 +0000 lamariniere 1899233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@teawithpaloma: oh yay! Great news! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1899131 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 11:15:09 +0000 teawithpaloma 1899131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Raindrop: @daniellemybelle: @lamariniere: Ladies! We did the transition in the stroller outside today and the babysitter just texted me a picture of my daughter playing and laughing! I may be exiled to a Starbucks but my daughter isn't crying! Woohoo! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1894599 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 08:03:38 +0000 teawithpaloma 1894599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Thank you! I was going to try the stroller approach next week. I think if she's knows there is even a chance of me coming back she will cry. I will also try to put in a lovely - I think I have one that she is attached to enough. </p> <p>@daniellemybelle: I may try asking my sitter to come by for an hour or two Saturday and Sunday so she has five consistent days with her, that's a great idea I wouldn't have thought of. Thanks for the support and commiseration! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1894539 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 07:13:27 +0000 lamariniere 1894539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also yes, I agree with @daniellemybelle: about the lovey. I keep two in the stroller, a small teddy and an AA issie lovey. I'm not sure how attached she is to them, but at least they are always with her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1894535 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 07:12:03 +0000 lamariniere 1894535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a similar childcare setup, I work at home and have 2 babysitters who come every morning (one works 3 days, the other 2). I started working when DD was 4.5 months. The first few weeks did not go well, I thought that by me being there, it would be easier for DD to adapt. It didn't really work that way though and she would just scream and panic. After the first week, I had the babysitter take her out in the stroller, the first few times she just went out for 1-1.5 hours. This ended up working well for us after the first two attempts. Now, my DD is 10 months and goes out every morning 3-4 hours with the babysitter and there is usually no problem. I think out of sight out of mind could work if you give it another chance. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1894456 Wed, 08 Oct 2014 22:32:28 +0000 daniellemybelle 1894456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh, this is so rough. We went through separation anxiety when we started daycare two days per week so I sympathize though it is different.</p> <p>Honestly, I think it is just a phase, and trying different things may be confusing her. Can you just leave the house? I would do a cheerful and quick hand-off at the door when she arrives - she walks in, you walk out. You can talk about instructions, etc. over the phone or leave notes. And when you come home, I would make it quick too. That way she learns when the sitter is there, that's what's happening. Even if she is hysterical, I would really recommend just doing this consistently, even if it's for shorter periods at first.</p> <p>The only thing that worked for us was time. We started going 3 days per week temporarily to accelerate the adjustment process and it worked. Can your sitter come more often for a short period of time? </p> <p>Also, does your LO have a lovey? She is a little young still but my LO has a lovey that she nurses with, sleeps with and took to school with her. She is majorly attached to it now &amp; it serves as a big comfort to her when she is anxious. (Not that it helped her initial separation anxiety, but I think having it now helps her at dropoff and in other situations.)</p> <p>Hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1894117 Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:29:36 +0000 teawithpaloma 1894117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Raindrop: She does great with daddy but will even cry sometimes when we're with daddy and I leave the room. She obsessed with me!! :wink: </p> <p>Husband works long hours but I could conceivably get all my stuff done at night and naps if I tried really hard. It's nice to hear that the phase does end (even if it comes back). </p> <p>It started when she was teething the bottom two which are now popped. Nothing on the top that I can see for now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1894111 Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:20:57 +0000 Raindrop 1894111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does your LO only want mommy? Is it possible to get your husband to help?</p> <p>It's definitely a phase. It lasted about 3 months for us and then went away and came back at about 2 for 3 months again.</p> <p>Also it's possible LO is teething? :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/separation-anxiety-with-babysitter-that-comes-13-hours-a-week#post-1894098 Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:11:49 +0000 teawithpaloma 1894098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DD has had the same sitter for 10-15 hours a week since she was 3.5 months old. The babysitter comes to the house at first I would nurse her and then we switched to bottles so I could get more work done. She comes Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday. At 5.5 months old my DD would scream and stop breathing when I left the room after the sitter got here. She would cry and scream until it was time for her next nap. This has continued for over a month now and I'm losing my mind. The only way I can get work done is to take the laptop into my DD's room with the babysitter so DD can see me and occasionally touch me. If she's hysterical with the babysitter and I pick her up she immediately turns smiley at me and the babysitter.</p> <p>Things we've tried:<br /> *Hanging out for 1 hour before I left the room - fail<br /> *Having the babysitter and I hand out with her until her next nap and the babysitter retrieving her - 1/2 success and 1/2 fail<br /> *Sneaking out of all of the rooms of the house - fail<br /> *Having the sitter take her for a walk - we tried this once and it was a massive fail</p> <p>I know separation anxiety is PERFECTLY normal at this age but there must be other mamas who have in-home help for non-majority of the time that have some suggestions or words of wisdom. I am at my wit's end and sad to be paying $ for help that isn't helping. </p> <p>Help!</p> <p>P.S. FWIW, I don't think it's an issue with the babysitter at all and getting a new one isn't a highly desirable option </p>