Major anxiety with a new baby

Re: Major anxiety with a new baby

• Mehllers

  December 2011

  I am experiencing the same thing.  My daughter was born last Tuesday and I have been having a high level of anxiety ever since.  I knew it was going to happen because I have a history of depression and anxiety, but knowing doesn't help when you're in the grips of a big ol' panic session.

   My anxiety starts to appear when the sun goes down.  I worry that I'm going to somehow make a mistake, or miss some sign, and do something to harm my baby, or that she will start crying and won't stop for hours.  Her crying makes me cry too; I feel so helpless.

  My husband has been a lifesaver.  He has taken "night shift" for the past few days and has let me take my Ambien and get a good 6-7 straight hours of sleep.  Catching up after pregnancy insomnia has been heaven.  I am also formula feeding, so I have started taking my anti-depressant again, Wellbutrin, so I need to give it a couple of weeks for my levels to rise.  And when I get really worked up, I do housework to burn off nervous energy. 

  I hope we both start feeling better, and more comfortable in our new roles of mom.
  

  

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• LousMama

  December 2011

  I can empathize... I felt exactly the same way when my boy was born. I would dread the nights and would spend the day searching for info on SIDS and safe sleeping ( I don't recommend doing that!). All I can say is that, once my hormones settled down and I got used to the baby, my anxiety subsided. It did take a few weeks and I do still worry, but it is much, much better than the first few weeks when I was a *total* wreck. It sounds like you are doing everything you can to give your baby a safe sleep... take some comfort in that and have faith that you will feel better when the massive changes of pregnancy/labour/delivery fade!

  
  

  
  

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• Fvstevey

  December 2011

  I worried and worried and worried about SIDS or something happening to my beautiful baby while I was sleeping or not right there to help her. I had battled with depression myself years prior to my baby being born and think that contributed alot to my paranoia. It was like I couldn't believe I could be this happy without something happening to ruin it or take it all away. For the first few weeks of my daughter being home I checked on her several times at night and barely slept listening and trying to hear her breath or sighs to know she was alright. I can tell you it does get easier you don't stop worrying but after night after night of her being alright it starts to reassure you and the stronger she got the better I felt. Luckily the risk of SIDS is very low when proper precautions are taken and after about six months it is practically nonexistent. Try to enjoy your baby as much as possible if you find that your worrying and paranoia is getting in the way of you being the best mom possible maybe seek out some counselling. My mother was great help to me and her advice was free and always available

  

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• teachermeesh82 member

  December 2011

  th first six weeks i felt off as well. i think its  our hormones getting in line i also feel there is almost too much information out there which makes us all even more nervous. my mom says to me i am glad i didnt know as much as u guys . it can be good and bad. it sounds luke yooure dong a great job. just a thoughht when your ready, i was the same way at night. i actually put the baby in his room and slept much better.  i  was listening to every sound he made and not sleeping well. 

  take one day at a time .. at three weeks i had my breakdown  

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• res932 member

  December 2011

  Fvstevey:

  I worried and worried and worried about SIDS or something happening to my beautiful baby while I was sleeping or not right there to help her. I had battled with depression myself years prior to my baby being born and think that contributed alot to my paranoia. It was like I couldn't believe I could be this happy without something happening to ruin it or take it all away. 

  This is exactly how I feel! I felt that way when I was pregnant and now I am feeling that way now. When I was pregnant I was paranoid about cord accidents and I used my doppler almost everyday. Now I am paranoid about SIDS. Both are very rare things, but I would focus on them to the point where I would break down.
  

  

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• neems1982 member

  December 2011

  I think every new mother deals with some level of anxiety. I had very high anxiety for the first two weeks. Now at 8 weeks it's a whole lot better. If you are worried about SIDS and baby's breathing maybe you can invest in a Snuza. It monitor's baby's breathing and is worn on them, clipped to their diaper so it alerts you if they stop breathing. Check out the reviews, people love it and it gives them piece of mind. I almost purchased one but my anxiety got better around 5 weeks.

  https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=halo+snuza&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=11919035395&ref=pd_sl_5i85fkbvri_b

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