Hi Sandy & Marcie. My daughter is now 2 months old. I went back to work when my daughter was 7 weeks old and now I feel like my daughter resents me for doing so. Everyday when I pick her up from the babysitters she won’t look at me. I try to talk to her and get her to smile but she turns her head away from me and sometimes she even cries. I am the only person she will do this to. I sometimes feel like my daughter dosen’t like me. Could this be possible?”
No one can say for sure what goes on in a baby’s mind, of course, but it sounds like your daughter is tired and may also have trouble with transitions (as most babies and toddlers do). Just like a lot of adults coming home from the office like to have a little quiet time to enjoy a drink and unwind before talking about their day, babies will balk at too much stimulation after a day at “the office” in the afternoon. Eye contact is stimulating for babies, it actually makes their heart rates speed up, as do changes of temperature and environment, so our suggestion is to make the transition from the babysitter’s as quick, quiet and uneventful as possible. Also remember babies are on a different schedule than adults- while 6 p.m. is early evening to you, it’s almost bedtime for her.
So before you make the move to take her from the sitter and put her in her cat seat or carrier, gather her things, ask the babysitter the questions you need to ask and so on, so your baby becomes gently aware that you’re there and you’re ready to make the actual transition quickly. Then pick her up, hug her and take her home in a quiet car or with soft music playing (or with earphones for you if she’s crying!), and don’t try to get her to interact. Feed her, wipe her down, brush her teeth then put her to bed nice and early, at 6-7 p.m. Then then wake up early so you can spend quality time with her in the morning before work, when you’re both rested.
