Finding out you are pregnant or being a new parent can be one of the most wonderful experiences imaginable and one of the happiest moments in a person's life. It can also be filled with anxiety, fear, and worry about this new chapter's unexpected changes. The reality is- you will most likely be anxious. 

Studies have shown anxiety happens more frequently than depression during pregnancy (more than 1 in 10 pregnant persons) and just as often as depression during the postpartum period. 

Understanding, awareness, and ways to manage your anxiety can help you learn how to live with it and continue to find joy while pregnant and spending time with your newborn baby. 

What Do We Mean By Understanding? 

Understanding means becoming informed of what to expect and normalizing how you may feel right now. Why is it normal to experience anxiety right now? 

• Your body is going through regular hormonal and physical changes

• You are managing the health of yourself and your baby

• Your personal relationships with many around you may be changing, for better or worse

• Things may seem uncomfortable or scary

• You start worrying about all the things you have to prepare for to bring another human into this world 

These are just a few sections of this new chapter in your autobiography!

It is completely normal to be anxious. Remember- you are not alone! Anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum can range from normal worry about your baby and your health to living with such debilitating fear. So for some, this normal amount of anxiety during pregnancy or postpartum can escalate to an anxiety disorder. 

Why Does Anxiety Increase During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period?

There is no immediate answer to this question, and more research is and must continue. Some suggest that your body going through more hormonal changes than ever can play a role. 

The hormonal changes impact these brain chemicals in your body, making some more vulnerable to anxiety during and after pregnancy. The increase in hormones such as oxytocin and prolactin can also increase the stress response and decrease the ability to remain calm in stressful situations for some. 

It is more common for hormonal change to play a bigger role in leading to anxiety during the postpartum period. Unlike during pregnancy, hormones rapidly change when you enter the postpartum period. 

Some brains struggle to bounce back from this change in brain chemistry, leading to anxiety in those more vulnerable. Breastfeeding may physically protect some by impacting the speed of hormonal change in their bodies, making it happen less rapidly, but it still comes with its own set of stresses.

It remains unclear how hormonal changes can impact anxiety when hormonal changes can result in anxiety, or how to prevent hormonal changes from causing anxiety. 

What Are The Symptoms Of Anxiety Disorders?

• Physical symptoms can include: pounding or racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, tremors or twitches, headaches, fatigue, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, upset stomach, or diarrhea.

• Emotional/Mood symptoms can include: non-stop and constant excessive worry or fear in situations that are not threatening, always focusing on the worst-case scenario, feeling tense or jumpy, being restless, or easily irritated. 

The most common type of anxiety disorder is Generalized Anxiety Disorder; you constantly and excessively worry about everyday life to the point it consumes hours of your day, making it hard to concentrate or complete daily tasks. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder- 7 (GAD-7) screener is an excellent way to determine if you have anxiety and how severe your symptoms as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

Why Is It Important To Be Aware Of Your Anxiety?

It is becoming increasingly common for pregnant persons and those in the postpartum period to figure out they may be living with depression. On the other hand, anxiety continues to be overshadowed and under-recognized as a condition that can develop or become worse during the same time in a birthing person or a new parent's life. 

Understanding what anxiety is, why it happens, and how to determine if you are living with it can help reduce your risk of physical impacts on you and your baby during pregnancy and mental health impacts on you postpartum. Being aware can help you process the anxiety so you don't get consumed in that moment or that day. 

Anxiety is overly assuming or predicting something you fear will actually happen. It is not believing in the resources you have internal to yourself or from other people in your life, especially when you are pregnant or learning how to be a mother. You may find yourself overthinking about the safety of your baby, whether your baby is thriving after birth, or if you are a perfect mom.

First, stop comparing yourself to others in your life who have been pregnant or had a baby. There is no master rule book or manual on how to be a perfect pregnant person or parent. What you see on television or the movies or social media is not 100% real.  The topic you may be worrying about can vary individually, but the underlying anxiety, thoughts of doubt, and feeling overwhelmed are quite common. 

The difference is, that many may not have shared it with their family, friends, or social media posts. Instead, they may have felt shame for feeling or thinking this way, and we want to change that! 

Please talk about it with others. Remember, you are not alone with your feelings and thoughts. 

The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook: Practical Skills to Help You Overcome Anxiety, Worry, Panic Attacks, Obsessions, and Compulsions. Gyoerkoe, K., Wiegartz, P., Miller, L. (2009)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/get-some-headspace/201309/what-is-awareness