Perinatal anxiety encompasses anxiety disorders that occur during pregnancy (prenatal anxiety) and after childbirth (postpartum anxiety). Unlike the "baby blues," which are temporary and usually resolve within a few weeks, perinatal anxiety can persist and significantly impact a person's daily functioning.
Bringing a new life into the world is a beautiful experience, but for many moms, the postpartum period can be challenging. Amidst the joy and wonder of welcoming a newborn, some mothers may find themselves struggling with intrusive thoughts – unwelcome, distressing, and often disturbing mental images that can be deeply unsettling. Today, we'll explore what intrusive thoughts are, why they might surface during postpartum, and most importantly, provide moms with practical coping strategies to manage and reduce these intrusive thoughts.
Perinatal mental health issues affect a significant number of individuals during pregnancy and the postpartum period. These challenges can manifest as anxiety, depression, or other mood disorders, impacting not only the mother but also the overall family dynamics. IPT has gained prominence as an evidence-based therapy for perinatal mental health due to its focus on interpersonal relationships and its adaptability to address the unique challenges faced by individuals during this transitional time.
The theoretical foundation of IPT revolves around the idea that one's mental health is intricately linked to the quality of their interpersonal relationships. IPT operates on the premise that life events, particularly changes in relationships, can trigger or exacerbate mental health issues. The therapist and the individual collaboratively explore and address problematic interpersonal patterns, enhancing the individual's ability to navigate and manage social interactions effectively.
Baby is coming, you have read all the books and taken the classes on labor, delivery, caring for baby etc. What is your plan for how to take care of yourself during postpartum? I remember not feeling as prepared as I wanted to be for the emotional ups and downs of this time with baby.
As a therapist specializing in postpartum care, I understand the unique challenges new moms face in balancing the needs of their newborns, their own well-being, and the dynamics with family, your partner, and their return to work if that is part of the plan. One crucial aspect of navigating this transformative period is creating a comprehensive postpartum care plan that not only addresses the logistics of caring for your baby but also prioritizes your mental and emotional health. Here's a guide to help you develop a plan in collaboration with your partner:
remember when I was pregnant, I probably read about 10 books on pregnancy and having a newborn. And after I had my first child I remember so many things happening with my body and emotions postpartum, that I said “why don't they write books on this experience?” I felt unprepared as my body recovered from giving birth, navigating my body image, emotions, and questioning if I could do this “mom thing”.
These are my goals for this year. What are yours?
We are all human and have successes and sometimes failures. Life has its natural ebbs and flows. We don’t have to go through this journey alone.
If you feel your anxiety is getting in the way of your daily living and feel overwhelmed by work, family, household, kids, etc. have you considered counseling?
Pregnancy, birth, and postpartum brings with it many feelings, hormone, changes, and role transitions. Some women develop symptoms of anxiety and depression to the point of where it causes significant distress. Findings suggest that 1 in 7 women, have diagnosable depression and/or anxiety during the postpartum period.
Is this postpartum OCD? A study from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that pregnancy and childbirth can produce OCD symptoms or increase symptoms of OCD if previously diagnosed.
To take care of yourself, not just on 1 day out of the year, but daily. Today, I am going to talk with you about ideas for a self care plan, along with a simple way to stick to your plan.There are 5 aspects to self care: Mind, body, spirit, reflection, and connection.This is definitely not an exhaustive list. This is to give you an idea and you can tailor it to meet your needs.
Often times though, perinatal distress goes untreated and undiscovered. When postpartum depression goes untreated, at least 40% of these women will continue to have symptoms throughout their child’s school years even. Perinatal distress can impede the mother-infant relationship, cause developmental issues with their child, or complications during the prenatal period.
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