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Worthington Psychotherapies

CBT for Perinatal Anxiety and Anxiety After Having a Baby

Perinatal anxiety can make it difficult to switch off. Having a baby can bring enormous changes, and it's common to experience worries and anxiety during pregnancy and after giving birth. CBT is one of the psychological therapies used to treat anxiety during the perinatal period.

Prenatal Anxiety

Anxiety can begin during pregnancy. You may be worrying about your health, the baby's development, labour, becoming a parent or whether you'll be able to cope with the changes ahead.

Prenatal anxiety can involve:
- Persistant worries about the pregnancy or baby's health
- Fear of labour or medical procedures
- Repeatedly seeking reassurance or more information, for example repeatedly checking what foods are OK to eat
- Difficulty sleeping because of worries
- Avoiding appointments that feel frightening
- Feeling unable to relax or enjoy the pregnancy
- Physical symptoms, such as tension, nausea or heart racing
- Worries about being a good parent

CBT can help you understand the patterns maintaining your anxiety and develop practical ways to manage worries during pregnancy.

Postnatal Anxiety

Once baby arrives, perhaps you're finding yourself worrying constantly about them. Maybe you're checking, seeking reassurance, or searching online because you can't quite convince yourself everything is OK.

Anxiety after having a baby can look like:
- Persistent worrying
- Feeling constantly on edge
-Difficulty relaxing
- Racing thoughts
- Repeatedly checking your baby - eg: are they still breathing when asleep?
- Comparing yourself to other parents
- Seeking reassurance from the GP, internet or AI
- Staying in incase your baby cries and you worry people might judge you/you feel you won't cope
- Difficulty sleeping because your mind won't switch off
- Physical symptoms like tension, heart racing or nausea
- Feeling overwhelmed by responsibility
-Worry about being a good enough parent

Sometimes anxiety can also involve distressing intrusive thoughts.

Having an unwanted thought does not automatically mean that you want it to happen. If intrusive thoughts are causing you significant distress or affecting what you do, it is important to discuss them with an appropriately qualified professional.

General feeling of anxiety

Or perhaps the anxiety isn't obviously about your baby at all.

You may simply feel constantly on edge.

You might be thinking:

- 'what if something goes wrong?'
- 'What if I'm not coping?'
- 'What if I'm doing something wrong?'
- 'Why can't I relax?'
- 'Why do I feel like everyone else is managing better than me?'

CBT can help you understand the patterns maintaining your anxiety and develop practical ways to manage.

How can CBT help?

CBT helps you understand the cycle between thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviours.

For example:

Worry -> anxiety -> checking/reassurance/avoidance -> temporary relief -> more uncertainty -> more worry

Worry: What if I can't cope at the baby class? Her cry seems so loud, what if they think I'm doing a bad job? What if I start crying and can't cope?

Anxiety: Feel sick, heart starts racing, difficulty concentrating

Checking/reassurance/avoidance: Make up an excuse not to go and text the mum chat

Temporary relief: anxiety symptoms go away

More uncertainty: But there's another class tomorrow, and a Drs appointment, and the shopping to do...

More worry: I couldn't cope with going to the class today, what if I'm really struggling? what if I'm not cut out to be a mum? What if everyone can tell?

How can I help?

I'm a BABCP-accredited CBT Therapist with over 15 years' experience in supporting people with their emotional wellbeing. I am also trained in delivering Behavioural Couples Therapy and person-centred counselling.

I work online with parents experiencing anxiety and difficulties during pregnancy, postnatally and with children.

Therapy with me is collaborative and practical. We'll work together to understand what is happening and identify changes that are realistic for your life.

You don't have to wait until you're at breaking point

You don't need to be in crisis to seek therapy.

If you're functioning on the outside but feel exhausted, anxious, guilty or unlike yourself on the inside, it may be worth talking to someone.

If you'd like to find out whether CBT might be right for you, I offer a free 15 minute consultation. You can also contact me if you'd simply like to ask a question before deciding whether therapy is right for you.

Book a free 15 minute consultation now

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