Last Updated on January 18, 2026 by Lila Sjöberg
Everyone warned me about postpartum depression. Nobody mentioned that I might lie awake for hours imagining every possible way something could go wrong with my baby. That my heart would race every time she slept too long — or not long enough. That I’d check if she was breathing so many times my husband gently suggested it wasn’t normal.
Turns out, postpartum anxiety is just as common as postpartum depression, but far less talked about. If you’re reading this at 3 AM while Googling symptoms for the fifth time tonight, hi — you’re not alone, and what you’re experiencing has a name.
Key Takeaways
Postpartum anxiety affects up to 20% of new mothers and often goes unrecognized because worry seems “normal” for new moms. Key symptoms include constant worry, racing thoughts, physical symptoms like racing heart or insomnia, and difficulty relaxing even when baby is fine. Postpartum anxiety is highly treatable with therapy, lifestyle changes, and sometimes medication — you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through it. Early support leads to faster recovery, so don’t wait until you’re in crisis to seek help.
The Short Answer: Postpartum anxiety is excessive worry, racing thoughts, and physical anxiety symptoms that develop after having a baby. It’s different from the normal worries of new motherhood in intensity and impact on daily functioning. Treatment is effective, and you should reach out for support rather than suffering in silence.
Let’s talk about what’s happening, how to recognize it, and what actually helps.
When Worry Becomes Something More
New moms are supposed to worry — that’s the biological design that keeps babies alive. But postpartum anxiety is worry that’s gone into overdrive. It’s not just “I hope the baby is okay” but “I’m convinced something terrible will happen and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
The line between normal new-mom vigilance and postpartum anxiety isn’t always clear, which is why it often goes undiagnosed. Many women think, “Well, of course I’m anxious — I have a newborn!” But there’s a difference between manageable worry and the kind that hijacks your life.
If your anxiety is preventing sleep even when the baby is sleeping, if you can’t delegate any baby care because you don’t trust anyone else to keep them safe, if your mind runs through catastrophic scenarios on a loop, if you feel like you’re constantly waiting for something bad to happen — that’s beyond typical new-mom worry.
Common Signs and Symptoms
Postpartum anxiety shows up differently for different women, but some patterns are common. Mentally, you might experience constant worry that won’t turn off, racing thoughts especially at night, intrusive images of bad things happening to baby, difficulty concentrating, feeling like you’re “going crazy,” and being unable to relax even in safe situations.
Physically, symptoms can include heart pounding or racing, trouble sleeping even when exhausted, appetite changes, nausea or stomach upset, dizziness, hot flashes, and muscle tension — especially in neck and shoulders.
Behaviorally, postpartum anxiety might look like checking on baby obsessively, avoiding certain activities out of fear, needing constant reassurance, researching symptoms endlessly, controlling everything related to baby care, and difficulty leaving baby with anyone else.
Risk Factors
Postpartum anxiety can happen to anyone, but some factors increase the likelihood. A personal or family history of anxiety or depression is significant. Experiencing a traumatic birth, pregnancy complications, or baby health issues can trigger anxiety — your brain learned that something could go wrong and stays on high alert.
Previous pregnancy loss makes postpartum anxiety more common — it’s hard to trust that things will stay okay when you know firsthand that they don’t always. Hormonal changes play a role too. Perfectionism and high-achieving personalities seem more prone to postpartum anxiety. If you’re used to being in control and doing things “right,” the unpredictability of newborn life can be particularly destabilizing.
The Difference from Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety are different, though they often co-occur. Depression tends toward sadness, numbness, withdrawal, and loss of interest. Anxiety is more about fear, worry, and being unable to calm down.
A depressed mom might struggle to care for her baby because she feels hopeless or disconnected. An anxious mom might be hypervigilant about care to the point of exhaustion — she cares intensely, maybe too intensely to function normally.
Many women have both, and screening tools often catch depression but miss anxiety. If you’ve been screened for postpartum depression and came up “fine” but still feel something is wrong, specifically mention anxiety to your provider.
When to Seek Help
The short answer: sooner than you think. Don’t wait until you’re in crisis. If anxiety is interfering with your sleep, your ability to enjoy your baby, your daily functioning, or your relationships — that’s enough to reach out.
Specific red flags include inability to sleep even when exhausted and baby is asleep, panic attacks, intrusive thoughts about harming yourself or baby (these are more common than people admit and don’t make you a bad person — they need support, not shame), feeling unable to care for your baby, or any thoughts of suicide.
If you’re experiencing intrusive thoughts about harming your baby, please hear this: those thoughts are a symptom of anxiety, not a reflection of who you are. They don’t mean you’ll act on them. But they do mean you need support. Call your provider, call a helpline, tell someone. You deserve help, not judgment.
Treatment Options
Postpartum anxiety responds well to treatment. You don’t have to feel this way forever — and you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through the newborn months hoping it passes.
Therapy — particularly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — is highly effective. It helps you identify anxious thought patterns and learn to challenge them. A therapist specializing in perinatal mental health understands what you’re going through.
Medication is an option and can be compatible with breastfeeding — many SSRIs are considered safe. If a provider dismisses medication concerns without exploring safe options, get a second opinion.
Lifestyle factors matter too: sleep (as much as possible given newborn life), nutrition, movement, and social support all impact anxiety. Our postpartum recovery essentials touches on the physical healing piece — but please know that mental health IS part of recovery.
What Helps Day-to-Day
While seeking professional support, some strategies can help manage anxiety in daily life. Limiting Google and social media helps enormously — the endless stream of information and comparison feeds anxiety rather than soothes it.
Grounding techniques help when anxiety spikes. Try 5-4-3-2-1: name five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, one you taste. It sounds simple, but it interrupts the anxiety spiral by bringing you back to the present moment where, usually, things are actually okay.
Sleep prioritization is critical. Movement helps discharge anxious energy. Even a short walk with the stroller can shift your state. Our energy essentials page has some gentle ideas. Naming the anxiety to yourself can help: “This is anxiety. My brain is being overprotective. The baby is actually fine.” It creates a tiny bit of distance between you and the thoughts.
Building Your Support System
You cannot recover from postpartum anxiety in isolation. You need people who can offer practical help and emotional support. This might mean letting people help even when anxiety tells you only you can keep baby safe. Practice delegating small things first and notice that baby survives.
Joining a new moms’ group can help normalize your experience. Hearing other mothers admit they checked breathing twenty times last night too can be profoundly relieving.
Be honest with your partner if you have one. Anxiety can make you snappy, critical, and controlling — explaining what’s happening helps them understand it’s the anxiety, not you (or them). They can also be a reality check: “Is this a reasonable worry, or is this anxiety talking?“
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does postpartum anxiety last?
Without treatment, symptoms can persist for months or even years. With treatment, many women see significant improvement within weeks to months. Early intervention typically leads to faster recovery. It won’t last forever, but don’t wait it out — get support.
Can I have postpartum anxiety without postpartum depression?
Absolutely. They’re separate conditions, though they often overlap. You can have anxiety without depression, depression without anxiety, or both together. Standard screening often focuses on depression, so mention anxiety specifically to your provider.
Will medication affect breastfeeding?
Many anti-anxiety medications are compatible with breastfeeding. SSRIs like sertraline have been widely studied and are generally considered safe. A provider knowledgeable about perinatal mental health can discuss options. Don’t let fear of medication effects keep you suffering.
Are intrusive thoughts normal?
Intrusive thoughts — unwanted mental images of bad things happening — are a common symptom of postpartum anxiety. Having them doesn’t mean you’ll act on them or that you’re a danger to your baby. They’re distressing but treatable. Talk to a provider about them without shame.
You Deserve to Feel Better
Postpartum anxiety is not a character flaw. It’s not you being “too much” or failing at motherhood. It’s a medical condition that happens to many women, and it responds to treatment.
You deserve to enjoy your baby without constant fear. You deserve to sleep when they sleep. You deserve to trust that things are okay when they actually are. You deserve a brain that works with you rather than against you.
If anything in this article resonated, please reach out for support. Talk to your OB, your midwife, your primary care doctor, or a therapist. Tell someone who loves you what’s happening. You don’t have to navigate this alone.
Help is available. Recovery is possible. And asking for support is one of the bravest things you can do.
You’ve got this — and you don’t have to “this” by yourself.
Lila.
