All You Need To Know About After Baby Anxiety

Wellness for Moms
Written By Leva App
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Many moms suffer from mental health problems after delivering their babies. The ‘after having a baby’ anxiety, although often overlooked, is very common and can be considered a disorder in many cases.

Postpartum Anxiety or PPA affects 10% of new moms, according to the American Pregnancy Association. It’s characterized by excessive worry and behavioral changes.

Worrying after the baby is born is common and normal to a certain degree, of course. New parents are more vigilant and alert to any problems their newborns might have but, when those feelings become overwhelming and are having a negative effect on the mom’s life, it might be PPA.

Risk Factors And Symptoms

Experts suggest that you might be at risk of suffering from Postpartum Anxiety if you have a personal or family history of anxiety, previous perinatal depression or anxiety, eating disorders, or thyroid imbalance.

The hormonal shift that moms experience during pregnancy is also a big trigger for anxiety after baby delivery, together with new realities such as sleep deprivation, changes in your everyday life and relationships, and new and overwhelming responsibilities. The fact that postpartum mental health issues are not discussed in our society also worsens the experience as moms tend to suffer alone.

‘Anxiety after baby’ symptoms might include:

  • constant and excessive worry

  • feeling that something bad is going to happen

  • racing thoughts, lack of concentration

  • disturbances of sleep and appetite

  • and physical symptoms like dizziness

  • hot flashes

  • nausea

The anxiety comes from the fear of new experiences that escape our control. Some examples are anxiety about baby sleeping, anxiety about the baby waking up, anxiety about baby eating enough. This fear is usually based on irrational feelings.

Research shows that PPA affects moms on cognitive, affective, and somatic levels. There might be feelings of loss, frustration, and guilt, accompanied by physical symptoms of tension.

PPA And Other Disorders

Different specific disorders come from having anxiety after delivering a baby. The different types of anxiety disorders are:

  • General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

  • Panic Disorder (PD)

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

According to different studies, most women suffer from more than one anxiety disorder at the same time and many of them also suffer from Postpartum Depression (PPD). 6% of new moms suffer from PPD and about half of them also have anxiety.

Although PPD is much more known and diagnosed, there’s still a great deal of dismissing serious new mom’s mental health problems. Research shows that many women feel alienated because healthcare providers wouldn’t recognize their symptoms and provide the necessary treatments.

Treating PPA

Postpartum Anxiety can have negative and long-term effects on your mental health, your parenting, and your baby’s development, for instance, it can negatively affect your breast milk composition.

If you think you might be suffering from ‘after baby anxiety’, reach out for help to your OB-GYN or pediatrician. Don’t hesitate to look for a second opinion if you feel they didn’t take your concerns seriously, many women overlook their own symptoms and this makes PPA harder to diagnose and, therefore, treat.

In mild cases of any postpartum mental health disorder, experts recommend support and therapy. Talking to someone about your worries and stressful experiences can help. Practices such as meditation or mindfulness are encouraged. On the other hand, treatment for serious cases of PPA could also medication.

Regardless of the degree of anxiety that you might have after the baby is born, you should always seek help and remember that you are not alone, as many women have gone through the same experience before.

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