The Transition to Motherhood: When Scary Thoughts Won't Go Away

You Might Feel…

You feel like you are on high alert all the time… you jolt awake in the middle of the night, soaked in sweat. Without warning, images of your baby suffocating enter your mind, you check on your baby throughout the night, every night, to reassure yourself that they are still breathing. You imagine thousands of different tragic scenarios happening… dropping the baby while you are walking, smashing their head into the wall as you round a corner in your house… you think about getting into a car accident and see with (disturbing detail) the scene unfold before you… you think maybe your baby would be safer without you as their mother.

What is Happening?

Let’s start by saying that you are NOT failing as a mother! The thoughts described above are called intrusive thoughts. These are scary thoughts that enter your mind that you don’t want to think about, that are very upsetting, but continue to plague you. One mom described intrusive thoughts like “walking around having mini-nightmares” all of the time.

Worrying as a mother is a natural instinct! In fact, it is often shrugged off as normal by many health care providers because everyone expects new noms to experience heightened fears or anxiety to some extent. But when it begins to feel crippling, excessive, or even toxic, this type of intrusive new mom worry can be a sign of postpartum anxiety.

What Will Help?

The good news is that there are proven ways to decrease your postpartum anxiety and learn how to cope with challenges of motherhood!

Tell Someone

The first step is telling someone about the thoughts you are having. You may be afraid that you will be judged, that others will think that you aren’t a good mother, that their perception of you may change, but bringing intrusive thoughts into the light will lessen their power. You may even find that another mother says, “me too”.

Understand the Condition

A better understanding of postpartum anxiety and it’s symptoms will help empower you! The organization Postpartum Progress is a great resource to learn more about postpartum depression and anxiety. They break down intimidating and complication medical jargon into plain mama English, making it easier for you to understand and identify if/how you struggle.

Seek Treatment, Ask for Help

Know that there are proven ways to treat your postpartum anxiety! There are a variety of different types of therapies, medications, and self-care methods that can help ease your symptoms and help you start living again! Starting the counseling process with a practitioner that has specific knowledge and experience with perinatal mental health can be an important first step in finding what will work for you!