5 Coping Strategies for Postpartum Anxiety

If you found yourself googling for "Coping Strategies for Postpartum Anxiety" and feeling frustrated at the lack of practical, helpful tips, you're not alone. So many articles and help pages lead us to catch all solutions - more self care, meditation, journaling - and these can seem like they won't even make a dent.

Do you find yourself constantly worried? Maybe you're scared to leave the house. Or maybe you're scared to let anyone else hold your baby. Postpartum anxiety is really common, yet so terrifying and frustrating. You thought this would be the happiest time of your life, and instead, you're ridden with fear.

Why Do I Feel Like This?

Postpartum anxiety impacts approximately 10% of postpartum women. Symptoms include constant worry, feeling like something bad might happen, racing thoughts, sleep and/or appetite disturbances, restlessness, and even physical symptoms. Sometimes postpartum anxiety occurs due to personal or family history, previous perinatal anxiety, or a thyroid imbalance. And sometimes it seems like it develops out of nowhere. Regardless of it's origin, postpartum anxiety is treatable and temporary with professional help.

5 Coping Strategies for Postpartum Anxiety

Sometimes shifting your thoughts can be incredibly powerful in managing postpartum anxiety. Here are 5 of my favorite tricks:

1. "Do I have direct evidence to support this fear?"

2. "If I had to bet a million dollars that this fear is accurate, would I?"

3. "If I went out and asked 100 other new moms if they'd also be scared of this exact fear, would they agree with me?"

4. 0-100: Where is this thought on a scale of 0-100? If it's at an 80, how can I bring it down to a 60? I don't need to bring it down to a 0 - just down enough that it's not causing me as intense of distress.

5. The bridge: If one end of the bridge is reality - the present moment with what I know as true - and one end is my imagination, where am I on the bridge? How can I back it up?

What Else Can I Do?

-If you've landed on this webpage, I highly recommend seeking a therapist who specializes in postpartum anxiety or maternal mental health. They will walk you through the above and so much more, and you deserve the support.

-Check out www.postpartum.net for more resources.

I hope this helps!

-Blaire

This blog is not a substitute for advice from a licensed healthcare professional. If you are in crisis, please call 911, 988, or go to your nearest emergency room.