Separation Anxiety - How to Get Away!

Alligator tears stream down his face as he fails his arms out trying to get a hold of me.
"Mmmaaaaammmmaa!!" He shouts at the top of his lungs in an extremely pathetic voice.
What am I doing? Oh, just trying to get a few minutes away from him to throw some groceries in a cart and make dinner.
Separation anxiety has definitely set in.
What is separation anxiety?
Well, your baby is growing up and is beginning to realize what is familiar and what is strange or unfamiliar. Meaning - you better leave the bathroom door open or hear about it for the next 20 minutes. Any parent that has experienced the gut retching cry of separation anxiety knows exactly what I am talking about.
OK, so you never get a break from your little one and your about ready to pull your hair out and go running out of the house. What are some coping strategies to get you through yet another stage of baby development? First, take a breath. A big, deep breath and count forwards or backwards or somewhere in between, but make sure to take your time. Try to build in time to your day that is just your time. Remember, it's okay if your child cries with someone else. . .it's not your fault and you should not feel guilty about having time to yourself. Here are some other suggestions to facilitate you and your child at home:
1. Make sure that your child is feed, well-rested and has a clean diaper. Anxiety seems to be worse when children are sick or have other needs.
2. If dropping off with a babysitter, grandparent or daycare, spend a few minutes playing with both the caregiver and your child to acclimate your child to the new surroundings.
3. When your child leaves the room on his/her own, don't follow closely behind let them explore by themselves.
4. Say goodbye to your child before leaving with a caregiver, but don't make a big deal out of it. Say you will return soon. Some children like having a picture of their parents when they are absent.
5. Once you leave, DO NOT come back. If you leave, GO!
This one was difficult for me, because I always seemed to have left something back in the house. Many times I just left without my list or even purse to get out of the house. I often felt like I was in an action-adventure flick. In my head all I heard was "GO, GO, GO!' as I scrambled out of the house.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that separation anxiety is the first major emotional developmental milestone. AAP also says that separation anxiety is part of a secure relationship with mom and/or dad. It is not a disorder and does not need to be treated. It's just part of growing up!

Separation anxiety is definitely a deterrent for throwing on your boogie shoes and taking a much needed break from your little one. However, separation anxiety is a temporary stage in the development of your child.
The AAP states that separation anxiety peaks around 10-18 months of age.
However, from experience separation anxiety seems to wax and wan in the first couple years of life (well, that's as far as we are right now).
Like most things in child development, time will cure all!

Sources:
American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org/publiced/BK0_SeparationAnxiety.htm
Baby Center: http://www.babycenter.com/0_separation-anxiety_145.bc?articleId=145&page=1
Life! :)