Separation & stranger awareness

What’s happening

Getting clingy or wary of strangers is a sign your baby now understands they're their own person, separate from you, and can tell familiar people from unfamiliar ones — a real cognitive step, not a step backward. It's also a common, if frustrating, explanation for a sudden run of rough nights.

How to support it

• Keep goodbyes short, warm, and consistent — the same little ritual every time, rather than sneaking out.
• Play peekaboo and simple hiding games — they're direct practice for 'you always come back.'
• A consistent drop-off routine (at daycare, with a sitter) helps more than trying to distract and slip away.
• Give a transitional object — a small blanket or toy that smells like home — for longer separations.