Postpartum anxiety is confusing - it can be hard to distinguish from regular new mom worry. What we look for is severity - has excessive worrying completely taken over? Are you unable to relax and enjoy your baby? Are you unable to rest? Are you having trouble turning off your brain? Are you worrying about everything? Is it difficult to focus on one thing? Do you have nervous energy? Do you have a relentless to-do list? Are you ‘present’ but really in your head the whole time? Are you having sleep difficulties due to excessive thoughts? Is your appetite non-existent? Did you quickly lose your pregnancy weight? Do you have perfectionist traits? Are you focused on trying to do everything 'right' (when there is no right way to care for a new baby)? Are family members telling you to just relax or calm down but you can’t?
Postpartum anxiety is experienced by approximately 10 percent of new moms. It can be related to having a history of anxiety before or during pregnancy, or from prior pregnancy loss, birth trauma/NICU stays or a newborn health concern. It can be impacted by hormonal changes and higher levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), which are present during pregnancy and early postpartum. Giving birth since COVID has increased generalized anxiety, uncertainty and social isolation, impacting postpartum anxiety for many new moms.
Postpartum anxiety is a silent postpartum concern that is challenging to identify. It typically gets grouped under the more commonly known postpartum depression, but is its own maternal mental health diagnosis. It is a common postpartum concern in the Bay Area - I see more moms with postpartum anxiety in my practice than postpartum depression. One of the biggest regrets I hear from moms with postpartum anxiety is they feel they wasted their maternity leave worrying and constantly doing, rather than just slowing down and being with their baby and enjoying this unique time. To change that, a new parent may need help managing anxious thoughts.
It is not always easy to tell others that you are having scary thoughts or excessive amounts of worry. Please know there is much strength in being open with others about feeling this way. If any of this describes your experience, please reach out for support to help manage these thoughts and stabilize your mood.
It has been helpful that postpartum anxiety has received more media coverage in the past few years. Below are links to some helpful articles.
This is What It's Like to Have Postpartum Anxiety
https://www.scarymommy.com/postpartum-anxiety-exhaustion/
Postpartum Anxiety Affects 1 in 10 Moms
https://www.vogue.com/article/postpartum-anxiety-vogue-april-2018
The Lonely Terror of Postpartum Anxiety
https://www.thecut.com/2017/08/the-lonely-terror-of-postpartum-anxiety.html