The surprising common occurrence of intrusive thoughts during the perinatal period.Įvidence suggests that Intrusive thoughts are very common for new and expecting parents. These thoughts are described as scary thoughts or mental pictures of harm coming to our baby, other children, spouses, or even ourselves. Intrusive thoughts are symptoms of anxiety disorders that can arise during this period. The biological, environmental, and psychological shifts that occur during the perinatal period create circumstances that make mothers more vulnerable to mental health challenges. The perinatal period is also hallmarked by hormonal shifts that can lead to imbalances (these hormones include progesterone, serotonin, and oxytocin). Having a baby whether our first or fifth requires us to experience a period of change where we learn how to integrate our new family members into our lives. Less time to pursue passions and self-care.Some of these stressors include but are not limited to: Realities that can co-occur or even overwhelm those anticipated emotions are often associated with great stressors and not so smooth transitions. The perinatal period (the time during pregnancy and postpartum) is often associated with feelings of joy and excitement. These are just a few examples of what intrusive thoughts can sound like. “Sometimes I picture myself dropping the baby down the stairs.” “What if my baby falls in the washing machine?” “What if my baby is suffocating to death in my sheets ?” “What if I felt aroused when changing my baby’s diaper/breastfeeding?” “What if I lose control and throw my baby out the window?” During pregnancy and in the postpartum period mothers and sometimes fathers may experience intrusive thoughts.
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