Cleaning obsession

[pinky27]

Hiya, Since getting pregnant I have become obsessed with cleaning ( at first I thought it was just the "nesting instinct") - now my baby is 10 weeks old and I still can't stop cleaning - I worry that if I don't clean something then something bad will happen. It is becoming a bit like OCD cos I now have to do things in a certain order when I clean - has anyone else experienced this? Obviously I understand that new mums want to keep their houses clean to protect their babies but feel like it's getting a bit silly for me! Would be grateful to hear from anyone suffering from the same. Thanks. :)

[livingstonebach]

I have OCD (diagnosed about 20 years ago) and it's well controlled now with medication and CBT.

But, when I got pregnant with DD my symptoms got a lot worse. I was expecting this to some extent as I know OCD symptoms can get worse during and after pregnancy. In fact I understand that OCD can be brought on by pregnancy and childbirth, as an over-extension of the protective instinct you mention.

OCD is diagnosed by how disruptive or abnormal it is to you, and as you say "it's getting a bit silly", I suggest contacting your GP who will probably refer you for an assessment.

OCD usually responds well to medication and CBT. Good luck!