Millie Mackintosh has revealed she enlisted the help of a child specialist to manage her four-year-old daughter Aurelia's separation anxiety during her divorce from Hugo Taylor. The 36-year-old former Made in Chelsea star opened up about the challenges at home, admitting she had held back from speaking publicly until she was through the worst of it.
In a candid social media video, Millie explained that Aurelia's anxiety began after her nursery closed last Christmas, leaving her at home for half a term. When a new nursery was found, Aurelia refused to go, leading to 'scary' tantrums involving crying, kicking, screaming, and even running away from her buggy. Millie said: 'It was really, really hard.'
The situation reached a crisis point last month when Millie stopped sending Aurelia to nursery for a week, which only made things worse. She then sought professional advice from a child specialist, who recommended a consistent approach: repeating calming phrases such as 'You're safe. I love you. You're going to nursery, and you can do this' without bribing or engaging further.
Millie described the method as gruelling but effective. She had to carry Aurelia to nursery 'kicking and screaming' for four days. On the fifth day, Aurelia woke up wanting to go, which Millie called 'the biggest relief.' Millie shares Aurelia and six-year-old Sienna with Hugo, whom she married in 2018. The couple announced their separation in February.
