Anxiety is the most common mental health condition around the globe. There are numerous anxiety disorders. However, the majority of them stem from a fear of change. And having a baby is a big change. A new parent might not have experienced anxiety in decades, but the two lines on the pregnancy test can send their head spinning. Alternatively, if you suffer from anxious thoughts regularly, this might now fixate on questions surrounding your newborn and the type of parent you will be. Although parenting anxiety can be fearful and overwhelming, there are ways to manage the condition. In this blog post, we’re sharing how to deal with newborn anxiety.
Ways to manage parental anxiety
Anxiety affects us all in different ways. One parent might be constantly concerned about the health of their baby. And another might experience spontaneous, overwhelming thoughts about whether they’re a good enough parent. Just as there isn’t one cause for parenting anxiety, there isn’t only one solution. There are multiple ways to stop the anxious thoughts in your mind and stop letting the condition dictate your life.
Accept how you’re feeling
The first step in dealing with parenting anxiety is to accept how you’re feeling. Anxiety might be annoying, but ultimately it shows how deeply you care. While working on limiting your newborn anxiety, try to be graceful and forgiving of yourself and your feelings. Your body and brain have undergone a lot in the past few months. Give yourself the time and space necessary to adjust.
Acceptance is the first step in recovery. And once you’ve acknowledged your situation, you might feel ready to speak to a medical professional and receive the help you need.
Talk with your support system
Pregnancy and parenthood shouldn’t be isolating experiences. And speaking to others about your worries is proven to alleviate stress. Rather than struggling in silence, talk to your support system. Tell your partner about the concerns you’re having. Discuss with your family how you’ve not felt relaxed since giving birth. And seek out support groups of other people feeling the same disillusionment you are. Once you realize you’re not alone in this experience, you’ll feel better equipped to face the challenge.
Seek professional help
Anxiety can be an oppressive and dictating force in our lives. But, there is help out there. There’s no reason you should suffer on your own. And although you might eventually get a grip on your anxious mind, seeking help from a professional is often a quicker, long-lasting route to success. Receiving external support may be daunting, and you might even feel as though it plays into your anxious mind, but overcoming this hurdle can help you significantly in the long run. If you’ve tried talking with a professional about your mental health but feel it isn’t serving or supporting you, you might not be with the right person. It can take anxious moms and worrisome parents several attempts to find the right therapist and support systems.
Make time for yourself
The best thing to counteract an anxious mind is to lead a healthy lifestyle. As new or expecting parents, we frequently forget to make time to look after ourselves. Eating and drinking right, getting enough sleep (when possible), and moving your body is essential.
If a family member or friend offers to watch your newborn for a few hours while you sleep, take them up on this offer. The more energized you are, the clearer your mind will be, and the better you’ll be able to care for your family.
As much as we love our new baby, we need pockets of time for just us. Having moments to yourself allows you to reconnect and appreciate who you are as a person as well as a parent.
Confide in other parents
45% of parents experience a mental health condition after taking their newborn home. Millions of people have experienced parenting anxiety, and many more will. If you feel alone in your struggle, you can benefit from talking to others in the same situation as you. Although your friends and family feel empathetic, they might not be able to connect with you. Speaking with other parents or finding a parenting anxiety support group can help you feel understood. And speaking to those who have overcome their parenting anxiety can give you the motivation and confidence you need to face your condition
Living with anxiety takes time away from your children and can stop you from enjoying the start of your new, incredible journey. In addition to this, studies show anxious parents bring up anxious children. Although parenting anxiety can be difficult to face, it will benefit you and your family’s future. If you’re suffering from newborn anxiety, you can manage your condition and limit the influence it has over your life using one of the five methods outlined in this blog post.
Please note, if you’re suffering with a serious mental health condition, you need to seek help from a medical professional. Newbabynyou can give you guidance on mental wellness, but we are not experts in this field.
However, we are experts when it comes to newborn care! Click here to discover our range of baby care resources.
