Postpartum Anxiety
What is it?
Postpartum anxiety is the constant worrying that interferes with the ability to calm down. This is associated with irrational fears and constantly feeling on edge. These worries may be tied to the mother and/or the baby.
What does it look like?
- Staying awake worrying about your baby
- Being scared to leave your baby with a trusted adult
- Being afraid someone will hurt your baby if you leave the house
Symptoms
Emotional:
- Expressing irrational fears
- Forgetfulness
- Irritable
- Feeling on edge
- Excessive sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Inability to relax or calm
- Racing thoughts
Physical
- Disrupted sleep
- Increased heart rate
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle tension
- Trouble sitting still
- Excessive sweating
- Shortness of breath
Behavioral
- Avoiding trusted people, places, or activities
- Being overly cautious in situations that are not normally dangerous
- Checking things multiple times (excessively)
- Being controlling
Why?
Postpartum anxiety is similar to pregnancy or regular anxiety, however, the circumstances are different and the worry tends to be focused on the baby.
It is Associated With
- Change in hormones
- Stress (ex: not being able to breastfeed)
- Lack of sleep
- An overwhelming feeling of responsibility
- Health conditions or prior diagnosis of anxiety
Risk Factors
- Risk Factors
- Family or personal history of depression or anxiety
- Previous pregnancy loss of a child
- Having a child with health conditions
- History of eating disorders
- Having multiple children
- Not having a supportive partner or network of people to
When is it Time to Let Someone Know?
Anxiety is hard to catch on your own, however, if a loved one mentions their concerns, it may be time to see a doctor. When you:
- Feel like you aren’t bonding with your baby or are worrying all the time
- Seeing signs of postpartum depression
- Feeling overwhelmed with day-to-day life
- Feeling as though anxiety symptoms are worsening
These are also signs to go visit a doctor. They may prescribe medication or suggest therapy, but the bottom line is listening to your body and what your physician tells you to do in order to recover as quickly as possible.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic. (2022a, April 12). Postpartum Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment. Retrieved from Cleveland Clinic website: Link