Wait, is it her or ME?

"It is called separation anxiety" Nurse D explained.  I took a step back as anxiety is a BIG word to use on a child. It came as a surprise to me as someone who reads a lot on parenting, that was the first time I heard of such a term. I guess the reading wasn't enough. But that very moment, I realised how important it is to give this scenario a name.

Whenever I tell my family and friends how my baby cries even when we are only 3ft apart, I often brush it off as "attachment" or "clinginess"! And of course, they weigh in their thoughts as well. Some conclude this is pretty common in breastfed babies or those without older siblings or other kids around, and that's probably the reason behind her fear of being away from me.

Discussing this with nurse D opens up lots of room for improvement. Therefore, it is crucial to talk to the right person.
It is essential to give a NAME to a problem to find the solution.
 "How do we fix this?" I asked.

We carved a plan together. Nurse D introduced me to free parenting programmes available near my vicinity. Parenting is not easy, and that's why having a reliable support system is essential. I was surprised to find so many resources that Toronto Public Health is providing to new parents.

"Trust your partner" she stressed on. "Your partner is a competent human being. Just because he can't put the diaper properly,does not mean he's not qualified to take care of her. Get some time for yourself. Go out there. Get a cup of coffee and unwind."

We paused and looked at each other. Both of us concluded that, yes, my baby is dealing with separation anxiety, but it seems like my baby is just responding to my side of "SEPARATION ANXIETY".

How much we know about separation anxiety in adults. A month ago, I never heard of the term "separation anxiety". So, I have to get myself fixed first. I am the one who is not able to let go of this attachment. How do I do this?

I love her so much that it hurts to be away from her.