Separation and Stranger Anxiety?

Has anyone else's child experienced separation anxiety or stranger anxiety?

I have a feeling that Master Paul is battling both of these right now b/c he's been ULTRA clingy to me and Daddy all week....to the point where he wouldn't nap yesterday unless I held him ( for two hours!) AND he refused to go to Grandma the other night when she got home from work. We live w/Grandma and Grandpa still, so they are both a part of his everyday life...I was completely SHOCKED to see him do this.

We have an appointment next week at the pediatrician and you can bet that I will be bending her ear of these things. But, I just thought I'd ask the Moms if anyone else has any tips or tricks for getting past this very tricky stage! Thanks!

Claud
My sister is going through this with her son, who just a few weeks younger than Paul (born June 21st). He has been extremely clingy to her, cries if she is out of his sight, and the same with the grandparents. They see my parents almost every day and lately my sister hasnt even been able to leave her son there for a half hour without him crying hysterical. We noticed that with her oldest daughter, she had gone back to work ,and her daughter adapted to being around everyone. was happy in anyones arms. Her younger daughter, my sis got laid off when she was a few months old, and she recently turned 2, and she has ALWAYS been very clingy, to this day. IT seems like an inevitable stage. I hope John Anthony doesnt go through it that bad. I let anyone hold him when we see our family and friends at parties. I think its stressful for both mom and baby when they are soooo needy and clingy
I hope they outgrow it soon ! these cute little mama's boys !!



Edited to add, we wonder sometimes, I KNOW that an infant KNOWS his MOMMY no matter what, but we've noticed that if my sister is not in the room, her soon will dive into my arms as if I were his mommy, and when I hold him, he is content and snuggles up to me (the way he reacts ONLY to his mommy). could he possibly think that I'm his mom for that brief second that shes not there and he has nothing to compare me to ?? I wonder that...sure we look alike, but mommy is mommy !

It's very common!! If I go out & leave Patrick for a while. When I come back he is all over me. One thing I make sure is I ALWAYS say good-bye to him. In my eyes NEVER sneek out that is cruel!! I've actually discussed w/ John things I can do during the week to get out of the house for a while so Patrick gets used to the idea. I'm w/ him 24 hours a day!
As for not going to the Grandparents that I think can happen. I hope they don't take it personal. He probably just wasn't in the humor. They go through all sorts weird little things like that.

I have never left the house w/o kissing and squeezing my baby, so I would never entertain the thought of 'sneaking' out on him....yet. I will try everything in my power never to resort to that tactic, but I know that some children can get attached to a particular parent to extremes.

But, this is not the type of separation anxiety that I'm talking about. So far, Paul has not gone hysterical when I leave the house or leave the room. He's just been bursting into tears for seemingly no reason, crying when we put him down for a nap or for the night, waking in the middle of the night and wanting to be held for 1-2 hours before he'll fall back to sleep (yes, we are exhausted)...and he's also turned his cold shoulder to his grandparents (but, not for long...just for a 20 minutes or so, eventually going back to reaching for them and such).

We are thinking it could be more teething, a growth spurt, or maybe he's not feeling well (although, no fever). I'm curious to see what his doctor has to say. Thanks for everyone's input.