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”.
The past 2 weeks have felt like a whirlwind and it seems like rules and precautions are changing by the hour. I think everyone is feeling uneasiness and worry and that is okay. What we are all experiencing is historic and is shifting our sense of normalcy and routine. There are a lot of unknowns and when we have unknowns this can lead to fear and we tend to fill in the unknowns with worst case scenarios.
With maternal mental health more and more in the media and gaining recognition as an issue needing to be addressed. There is still a lack of screening at pediatricians and OB-GYN offices and options for moms can be limited in regards to treatment if they are struggling with mental health issues, specific to the prenatal to postpartum period.
Stigma is still present and moms are hesitant to start therapy due to barriers to access of services or for a multitude of other reasons; transportation, finances, or they don’t think it is that bad.
Sometimes it may feel like you aren’t being listened to and no one is really hearing what you are saying. This can lead to feeling hopeless, resentful, and like you are not getting your needs met. When this happens we can feel stuck and more uncertain about the situation. The way we communicate with others can impact how we feel and the health of the relationship. As a mom, we wear many different hats and if we are not communicating in a clear, respectful, effective way this will impact our relationships and our mental health.
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