Perinatal Anxiety
Postpartum Support International
Anxiety impacts about 6% of pregnant people and 10% of postpartum people. Sometimes these individuals experience anxiety alone, and sometimes they experience it in addition to depression.
Symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum can include:
- Constant worry
- Feeling that something bad is going to happen
- Racing thoughts
- Disturbances of sleep and appetite
- Inability to sit still
- Physical symptoms like dizziness, hot flashes, and nausea
Postpartum Panic Disorder is a form of anxiety with which the sufferer feels very nervous and has recurring panic attacks. During a panic attack, they may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, claustrophobia, dizziness, heart palpitations, and numbness and tingling in the extremities. Panic attacks seem to go in waves. It's important to know they will pass and not hurt you.
Postpartum Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
You do not have to be diagnosed with OCD to experience these common symptoms of perinatal anxiety. It is estimated that as many as 3-5% of new mothers and some new fathers will experience these symptoms. These images are anxious in nature and not delusional, and have very low risk of being acted upon.
- Obsessions, also called intrusive thoughts, which are persistent, repetitive thoughts or mental images related to the baby. These thoughts are very upsetting and not something the person has ever experienced before
- Compulsions, where the person may do certain things over and over again to reduce fears and obsessions; this may include things like needing to clean constantly, check things many times, count or reorder things
- A sense of horror about the obsessions
- Fear of being left alone with the infant
- Hypervigilance in protecting the infant
- People with postpartum OCD know that their thoughts are bizarre and are very unlikely to ever act on them
TED Talks
Postpartum anxiety, the little cousin of postpartum depression
A TV news anchor wasn’t prepared for months of daily panic attacks and overwhelming thoughts that she and her baby were in danger.
Podcasts
Mom & Mind Postpartum Anxiety Ep. 193
A very popular episode with reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Snyder that looks at typical vs higher levels of anxiety, examples, and more.
A licensed therapist with 10 years of experience working with people who have OCD/anxiety and other disorders. Check out her IG @jenna.overbaugh for free worksheets, tips, and all the things.
Beyond Postpartum Sheila's Story and Intrusive Thoughts
A podcast from Canada that discusses a survivor's story including what intrusive thoughts are, who experiences them, and what they mean and don’t mean.
Books
A favorite among the perinatal community as it normalizes postpartum in a comic book style that's easy to take in and so validating.
Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts (2nd Edition)
A book that offers practical answers and advice on how to understand and tackle intrusive and unwanted thoughts that can be common in new parenthood,
This workbook offers powerful strategies grounded in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you control your worry, panic, and anxiety.
The Pregnancy Workbook: Manage Anxiety and Worry with CBT and Mindfulness Techniques
This workbook is full of techniques and coping strategies to ease your anxiety during pregnancy. Find peace and calm with exercises based in proven therapeutic methods.