As you’re washing your newborn, a sudden thought crosses your mind: What if they slip under the water? Later, you’re pushing their stroller down the sidewalk and unintentionally imagine letting go. You panic.
Terrifying, intrusive thoughts like these almost never mean you want to harm your baby, explains Dr. Eynav Accortt, director of the Cedars-Sinai Reproductive Psychology Program. In fact, these thoughts were evolutionally developed to help parents be careful and keep their child safe. And they’re overwhelmingly common, affecting about seven in 10 new parents.
It’s natural to worry during pregnancy and early motherhood. While bringing a new life into the world has many highs, the massive physical, mental, hormonal and lifestyle shifts—and responsibility to protect your child—can take a hefty toll on exhausted parents, causing the “baby blues.” Baby blues, however, is transient and goes away without any intervention within two weeks post-delivery. If these feelings last longer than two weeks, the fear becomes debilitating, jeopardizing quality of life, parental bonding and development—and we’re no longer talking about the baby blues.
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the main pregnancy and childbirth complication, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, and likely underdiagnosed. About one in five birthing people develops a mental health condition around pregnancy.
They exist on a spectrum, Dr. Accortt says, and are nothing to be ashamed of.
When fears take over
Pregnant women usually worry about the health of the developing fetus, their partner and themselves, as well as childbirth and changing body image. Anxiety can jump in the first trimester as they adjust to pregnancy.
After birth, parents are on high alert in early months when infants are most vulnerable, especially if they had health complications. You might also feel guilt about how well you are parenting or if you aren’t happy all the time.
“Motherhood is really, really hard,” Dr. Accortt stresses.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists notes that maternal anxiety usually spikes right after delivery and up to six weeks postpartum but can emerge at any time until a baby’s first birthday, including breastfeeding transitions or the return of your periods.
Pay attention to how stress is affecting you, such as if you are eating and sleeping enough. Excessive, persistent worry could be a sign of a perinatal anxiety disorder, especially if it interferes with your life. Are you staying home or avoiding triggers, such as your baby’s baths?
Anxiety can also have physical symptoms, such as chest pain, head and stomach aches, dizziness or a racing heart. Panic attacks cause