5 month old very clingy to me

[gretchensmum]

My husband and I went away this past weekend to a wedding and my parents took care of my 5 month old daughter (we took our 2 year old with us).  I am breastfeeding, so while I was away, my mom gave her the milk that I had been expressing  over the past couple weeks, anyway she was a cranky little thing for most of the weekend, and usually she is so easy going,very mellow.  since we've gotten back, she has been very clingy to me, I mean literally my husband/ or my mother /or my father will be holding her and she'll be in a fit and then they pass her to me and she instantly calms down. my question is, do you think she is worried that I'm going to leave her again?  do we have to build that trust up again?  I'm a stay at home mom, so its not a problem because 99% of the time, she's with me, I just think that its beginning to hurt my husband;s and my mother's feelings..any advice is greatly appreciated...i thought separation anxiety didn't occur until later on down the road but could this be a sign of things to come?

[Petunia]

since we've gotten back, she has been very clingy to me, I mean literally my husband/ or my mother /or my father will be holding her and she'll be in a fit and then they pass her to me and she instantly calms down.

This is totally normal and does not mean that you have traumatized her in any way.  If you simply respond with confident love and affection she'll eventually learn that mom leaving is no big deal.

I just think that its beginning to hurt my husband;s and my mother's feelings..

I'm sorry to hear this.  It is totally normal for any child to only have eyes for mom.  They should know that your daughter is not thumbing her nose at them, she just wants her mommy.  Their desire should be to respect the needs of your daughter.  She's a bit insecure and needs your reassurance so they should be happy to hand her to you knowing that she will then feel secure.

i thought separation anxiety didn't occur until later on down the road but could this be a sign of things to come?

My son showed separation anxiety at 4 months old.  I'm told that is the sign of a child with a secure, healthy relationship with mom (and probably a bit of a shy personality).  My son did not have separation anxiety later on at the 'normal time'.  I attribute this to my respecting his desires at 4-6 months.  He doesn't mind others now, as long as they don't force themselves on him.  He knows that I will be there for him if he gets overwhelmed or insecure.  I'm not going to force him to interact with others.  I've heard of other people's infants of this age also showing separation anxiety.

When it comes to handing him off to others when I have to be gone, I've always done it in a matter of fact way.  I have always been sure to give him time to adjust to the new place we are in while I was available to help him feel secure.  I would be sure tell him that I was leaving (I did not just disappear on him), give him a kiss and hug, and then leave even if he cried.  He's learned that mommy comes back and that it's time for him to have fun while I'm gone.