A Note about Postpartum Anxiety

Having a new baby in the mix opens the senses to allow a lot more information to enter. It is common for a mother to feel overwhelmed with the new adjustments. Postpartum anxiety has a different tone than “just feeling overwhelmed.” Sleep deprivation adds to the body’s response to an anxious thought or feeling.

“I was fearful that I was doing nothing correctly as a mother. I feared I was ruining him by my incompetence. I coped by running 3 to 5 miles a day and sometimes twice daily because that was the only thing I could do to give me any relief. But when I stopped the anxiety flooded in like a newly opened damn.”

Below are common symptoms that move beyond a feeling of anxiety.

Symptoms:

*trouble completing tasks fully

*agoraphobia- fear of being in open or public spaces

*avoid something out of fear or worry something bad will happen

*insomnia & fatigue

*easily distracted

*inability to relax

*loss of appetite

*agitation & Irritability

*panic attacks

*suicidal thoughts

*indecisiveness

You are not alone! Help is on the way!

Try the below suggestions that align best with you.

Remember, telling a trusted friend or partner is the first step.

Make yourself accountable for choosing YOU and if you feel like you’d prefer more guidance and relief, give You First Now a call.

We have mom groups and a licensed maternal mental health counselor ready to start with you! (That’s me!)

Suggested Tools to find relief, participate at your discretion:

* mindful yoga

* gratitude journal

* proper medication (prescribed by someone familiar with PMADs)

* CBD

* breathing exercises

* talk therapy (call me!)

* cut down on the caffeine

* stop reading How to mother (anxiety-provoking)

& trust yourself (you know the answer

because it’s right for you and your baby)