In the last few years, there has been a greater recognition and increased discussion about what women experience during the postpartum period. Women are becoming more comfortable sharing about their own struggles with postpartum depression and how they were able to seek  help. 

While a dialogue has opened up about postpartum depression, there is one thing that is often missing from the discussion: postpartum anxiety.

Expecting a new baby is a time filled with excitement and anticipation, but it is also a time filled with worries and “what ifs.” It is perfectly normal to find yourself feeling anxious when you are expecting as well as after you’ve delivered your baby. 

“Will delivery go smoothly?” 

“How will I care for a new little person?” 

“Are we sure we strapped the baby into the car seat correctly?” 

New moms and seasoned moms both run into these worries and anxieties. 

But sometimes, the normal anxieties of pregnancy and postpartum can become intense and feel all-consuming and develop into an actual anxiety disorder. When your worries cause mental and emotional distress to the point that they create challenges in your functioning at home, at work, or with friends and family, you may be dealing with postpartum anxiety. 

It is important to keep in mind that the symptoms of postpartum anxiety can start showing up during pregnancy – before you’ve even had your baby. And, if you struggled with anxiety before becoming pregnant, you may have a greater chance of developing postpartum anxiety during or after pregnancy. 

Signs of Postpartum Anxiety

It can sometimes be challenging to distinguish if the worries you have are typical new mom anxieties or if they have intensified into postpartum anxiety. So how can you differentiate them? Here are symptoms of postpartum anxiety: 

•  Worrying excessively or feeling very anxious about yourself or your baby’s health: You can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong and you constantly search the web to try to diagnose yourself, or you frequently call your pediatrician despite her reassurances that everything is okay.

•  Feeling irritable or even rageful: If your spouse doesn’t fold the laundry the “right” way, you quickly fly off the handle. In that moment, you feel justified in your response, but later, you’re able to step back and realize that your response was a bit out of proportion.

• Feeling restless, on edge, and unable to sit still: You’re filled with a nervous energy and it’s really hard to just sit back. You feel like your body is almost vibrating and you just can’t physically relax.

• Struggling to concentrate: Be it at work or at home, when you are trying to focus on the task at hand, you find yourself easily distracted by racing thoughts and you can’t concentrate on what you’re trying to do.

• Fatiguing easily: You feel exhausted all the time (which is normal to a certain extent with a new baby!), but sleep is a struggle despite this. You have a hard time falling asleep at night because your mind and body won’t settle, or once you do fall asleep, you find yourself waking easily and having a difficult time falling to sleep again.

• Having physical or somatic responses: Not only is your mind impacted by the anxiety, so is your body. You experience muscle tension, heart palpitations, or a racing heartbeat, and you might feel short of breath or even have digestive issues.  

If you find yourself identifying with those common symptoms of postpartum anxiety, you are not alone. About 6% of pregnant women and 10% of postpartum women develop anxiety, and sometimes this is in addition to depression. Accepting that you are struggling with postpartum anxiety can be difficult, but you don’t have to try to deal with it on your own. 

Talk to Your OB-GYN or Midwife About A Postpartum Plan

If you notice during your pregnancy or after delivery that you’re finding yourself worrying more than usual, or experiencing any of the symptoms above, talk to your OB-GYN or midwife. Some providers are excellent at asking their patients how they are doing beyond just the physical changes of pregnancy and delivery, but many aren’t great at assessing your mental and emotional health. So, if you find yourself struggling with postpartum anxiety, don’t be afraid to bring up your concerns at your next appointment. Let your provider know the symptoms you’ve been experiencing and how they are impacting your ability to care for yourself and/or your baby. She may be able to prescribe safe medication to help alleviate some of the symptoms. She can also refer you to a therapist who specializes in postpartum anxiety and depression or connect you with local support groups. 

Postpartum Groups For New Moms

When you are struggling with postpartum anxiety, it can feel isolating and lonely. It can seem like you’re the only one struggling with this and you may not know who you can talk to. But the truth is, you are not alone, and there are many women experiencing postpartum anxiety. Postpartum Support International has amazing resources for expectant and new moms, and the greatest resources they offer are their support groups. 

Across the country, and even the world, women are able to gather together to discuss, support, and learn from each other in their struggles with postpartum anxiety. On their site, they provide information about groups and the support available in each state. Not everyone is able to get to an in-person support group, and during this time of COVID-19, it isn’t necessarily safe to be meeting together, so utilizing one of their online support groups can be a great way of still connecting with other women experiencing similar struggles. Joining one of these groups can help you to feel connected, validated, and understood as you work through your postpartum anxiety. 

Talk with a Therapist About Postpartum Support

If you’ve tried to cope with and work through your postpartum anxiety on your own but you’re just not finding relief, it may be time to talk with a therapist. Working with a counselor can help you learn ways of coping with the intrusive thoughts that make it hard for you to focus. Your therapist can also help you calm the feelings of rage or unsettledness and assist in strategies for feeling more like yourself again. 

It can sometimes be a challenge to find a therapist or counselor who specializes in postpartum anxiety and depression, but Postpartum Support International provides a directory of therapists in each state who have specialized training in working with women with postpartum depression and anxiety. Utilizing their directory can help connect you with a provider who will support you in your postpartum journey. 

Begin Online Postpartum Anxiety Treatment In Louisiana, Hawaii, or Colorado. Find The Support You Need!

You don’t need to live with the overwhelming burden of the symptoms of postpartum anxiety. Online therapy can provide support! If you are interested in online therapy in Louisiana, online therapy in Hawaii, or online therapy in Colorado with Ashley Clark Comegys, follow these three simple steps:

1. Schedule your free, 15-minute consultation via phone or video call

2. Learn more about the ways I can help you in therapy

3. Begin the journey to being the mother you always wanted to be!

Online Mental Health Services Offered By Ashley Comegys, LCSW

I offer a variety of online mental health services to residents of Louisiana, Colorado, and Hawaii. These include individual counseling for women, anxiety counseling, depression treatment, counseling for mothers, postpartum anxiety and depression treatment, postpartum support, counseling for military spouses, and counseling for women who have survived trauma.

*Please note, as a licensed social worker, I am only able to see clients who are physically located in Hawaii, Louisiana, and Colorado.