My best friend isn't able to be alone for long periods of time due to lasting abandonment issues from being adopted. She can normally manage 4/5 hours as long as she has plans to meet up later with people, sometimes with frequent calls to just chat. Since she's become pregnant however she can barely manage 2hours alone without becoming absolutely insane. Did you have more anxiety about being home alone after you got pregnant? Did anything help?

No, mostly I wanted to be alone. People just out and out cheesed me off. They would say such stupid things, or just be plain rude-being pregnant does not give them the right to butt into my business! So I liked being alone.

The best thing you can do is make the separation short and sweet. The less time you linger around, the better it is in the end. The more time you stay there hanging around, the more the child gets attached thinking you wont leave, and will always end up crying more.

Even being a sitter for some of my friends kids, they do the separation with me. It almost breaks my heart to know they are that attached to me, but it has to be worse for a parent that is getting ready to leave for work, going to support their family and have to deal with it. Best of luck to all in getting through this phase.

All of the above is right. I know with my youngest, when he was a tot, he started to freak out anytime I had to leave. Then again I was a SAHM until he was about 8, but he would still throw fits like you wouldn't believe! Make the separation short, and don't look back, I know its hard to do, but its the best advice anyone could give. You know your child is in a safe place, weather a crib a playpen or a babysitters hands, just remember that when you have to turn away!

I think we got off on kid separation anxiety here. But you mean your grown/pregnant friend has difficulty being alone, right?

If she talks openly about it, and realizes it's something she needs to work on. How about telling her now that she's pregnant, she is NOT alone. She has a built in companion for now. Hopefully after the baby comes she will be way too busy and exausted to focus so much on herself. And again of course she won't be alone.

I see a potential for danger here too though hopefully she won't wrap this child up in this problem. Never letting them leave her (when they are older), to experience their own 'world'.

I have not had to deal with the issue just yet, but I know it will be harder for the baby than for me. I grew up in a single parent house hold, and I got used to it but I also had siblings to help out. My child doesn't have that (yet hehe).