New Mum Anxiety and Overprotectiveness for Their Baby

February 23, 2024

Becoming a new mum is filled with many emotions - joy, love, excitement, and also anxiety. It's completely normal for new mums to feel anxious and overprotective of their precious little one. After all, you've been growing this precious little human inside your body for nine months, and now you're responsible for a helpless being that relies entirely on you for survival. This can trigger strong protective instincts and a heightened sensitivity to any potential threats or dangers to your baby.

In those first few weeks and months, the weight of this responsibility can feel overwhelming. Every little cry, sniffle, or movement can cause panic as you try to figure out what your baby needs and make sure they are okay. You may constantly worry, "Am I holding them right?", "Am I feeding them enough?", "Is this rash normal?" - the self-doubt and second-guessing are endless.

Sleep deprivation and raging hormones only heighten this angst and self-doubt. Experiencing some level of anxiety is expected - but if it crosses the line into true obsessiveness, hypervigilance, and panic, that’s when help may be needed.

Overcoming Extreme New Mum Anxiety

If your worrying thoughts start seeming excessive - such as staying up all night staring at your sleeping baby to make sure they're still breathing or compulsively checking that the baby monitor is on and at full volume - then know that you don't have to cope with this alone. Here are some tips to help dial down the anxiety:

Talk to Your Partner: Explain what you're feeling and going through - they may be able to provide reassurance, give you a break, and reinforce that your fears are irrational. Partners can sometimes spot postpartum anxiety sooner than the sufferer realizes it, and getting the right support makes all the difference.

Prioritize Self-Care: Make sure your basic needs of healthy food, hydration, and rest are met, even if your newborn has other ideas! Take breaks, get some fresh air, and lean on your support system for extra hands with the baby so you don't feel solely responsible for their well-being 24/7. Light exercise like yoga or walking with the pram can also ease anxiety.

Avoid Dr. Google at 3AM: Resist the urge to frantically google baby symptoms in the middle of the night (easier said than done at 3 am!) As helpful as the internet can be, it can also fuel worrying thoughts. Stick to reputable medical sites or call a 24-hour nurse line if you really can't sleep from worry.

Learn Baby Cues: Understand your baby’s cries, body language, and signals. Knowing the difference between tired/hungry/pain cries makes it less stressful responding to their needs. Confident care reduces anxiety levels over time.

Adjust Your Mindset: When intrusive thoughts hit, stop and remind yourself "This too shall pass". Reassure yourself you're doing an amazing job - as a first-time mum, you don't need to know everything, you just need to give your baby all your love. Anxiety comes in waves; it ebbs and flows. Ride through the rocky bits and trust your instincts.

Try Therapy or Counselling: Speaking to a therapist who specializes in postpartum issues can be very helpful. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and acceptance commitment therapy (ACT) teach useful skills for addressing anxious thoughts and redirecting your focus. Having an outside expert validate your feelings and provide coping mechanisms can be very relieving.

Practice Calming Rituals: When you start feeling overwhelmed, tap into relaxation techniques like deep breathing, visualization, or mindfulness meditation. Develop little rituals that ground you - like drinking a warm cup of tea, taking a hot shower, or sniffing an essential oil. Use fidget toys and calming music to soothe nerves.

Consider Medication: If symptoms are moderate-severe and don't improve with other measures, talk to your doctor about medication. Anti-anxiety meds or low-dose antidepressants are sometimes prescribed in the postpartum period to help stabilize mood. While not right for everyone, medication combined with therapy is an effective approach for many moms needing significant anxiety relief.

Establish Healthy Routines: While often unpredictable, aiming for consistency in your daily routine can reduce anxiety that comes from unpredictability. Follow eat/play/sleep cycles, wind-down routines before bedtime, take regular walks, etc. Building reliable structure empowers you as a new mom.

Stay Connected: It’s easy to become isolated as a new mum. Make time for self-care and seeing friends/family regularly to avoid slipping into anxiety. Chatting with other mums helps normalize your feelings and get handy tips.

Conclusion:

Responding sensitively to your baby’s needs shows how much you care – not the level of anxiety you feel. Over time, you will gain more confidence in your mothering abilities.
So next time the worries creep up again, rather than add to your anxiety try to reframe it as a reflection of just how much you care and how devoted you are to your baby’s well being already. This too shall pass. Talk to other mums, make sure your own needs are met, and trust that the swirl of hormones and emotions in these early days does settle over time. You’ve got this, Mumma.

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FAQs

1. Is it normal to constantly worry about my newborn baby?

Ans. Yes, it's completely normal for new moms to experience heightened anxiety and feel the need to be overprotective of their baby, especially in the first few months.

2. How do I know if my anxiety is normal or if I need help?

Ans. If your worrying thoughts become extreme, like staying up all night staring at your sleeping baby to ensure they are breathing, or compulsively checking the baby monitor, it may have crossed into postpartum anxiety requiring intervention. Speak to your doctor.

3. What if my partner doesn't understand my anxiety?

Ans. Explain what you're feeling and thinking to your partner, even if irrational. They can provide reassurance, give you a break, and reinforce that your fears are exaggerated. Sharing the load with someone supportive makes a big difference.

4. Are there any relaxation techniques that can help lower my anxiety?

Ans. Yes, practices like deep breathing, visualization, meditation, yoga, using fidget toys, taking hot showers, and diffuse calming essential oils can help relax both the mind and body when you feel overwhelmed.

5. Will establishing routines help minimize my anxiety?

Ans. Yes! Aiming for consistency in your daily routine with your newborn - in terms of feeding, naps, activities and bedtime - can greatly reduce anxiety stemming from unpredictability. Building reliable structure and healthy patterns empower new moms.

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