When the Worry Doesn’t Turn Off: Understanding Postpartum Anxiety
If you’ve ever stood over your sleeping baby, hand hovering near their chest to make sure they’re breathing — you’re not alone.
Postpartum anxiety often hides behind phrases like “I’m just being careful” or “I can’t relax until I know they’re safe.”
It’s normal to worry as a new parent — but when that worry feels constant, when your mind can’t rest, or when your body feels like it’s in permanent alert mode, it may be more than “new mom nerves.”
Postpartum anxiety can look like:
Racing thoughts or feeling “on edge” all the time
Trouble sleeping even when baby sleeps
Feeling tense or shaky
Overchecking, over-Googling, over-preparing
Fear of being alone with your baby
Your mind is trying to protect you, but it’s exhausting.
If this sounds familiar, start here:
Ground your body. Place a hand on your chest, inhale for 4, exhale for 6.
Challenge the thought. Ask, “Is this worry helping or just looping?”
Seek support. Anxiety is treatable, and you deserve relief.
You are not “crazy” — you are a mother whose nervous system is doing its best to keep everyone safe. Therapy can help you teach it that you already are.
