Late pregnancy anxiety help?

[Matthew38]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced anxiety in later pregnancy? I’m 35 weeks and I find danger everywhere. Just today I was at the supermarket and am convinced my shopping is covered in raw meat juice (some of the packaging was wet after I bagged it all) My worry over germs etc is holding me back from enjoying these last few weeks :(

Any advice?

This isn't a helpful comment, so im sorry in advance, but worry is your life now. There is always something. The good news is that by the time you've worried about something for a few weeks it's usually clear it's not going to happen and you can start on the next thing. Welcome to motherhood

The hormones during pregnancy seem to enhance anxiety for me massively too. Things that I would normally hardly worry over, I suddenly cant stop thinking about and getting in a tizzy over. I have had it in both my pregnancies, but good news is it cleared after the birth and the initial after birth hormones settled down.

I think I would look at things as rationally as possible and ask yourself if you would usually feel so worried about these things or if there is a chance it is an irrational response.

Thank you for your replies :) Yes, that’s true...mostly it is irrational but still lurks in my mind...and once one worry is dissolved I move into the next one! Really can’t wait to have the baby and possibly feel normal (but tired) again!

I'm also badly affected by anxiety in pregnancy despite having no particular issues in that direction when not pregnant. I think for some of us it's just the way the hormones effect you.

That said, if you're finding it difficult to manage I would speak to your midwife as they may be able to provide you with some extra support.

I clearly remember starting to see danger everywhere! The escalator, walking on a narrow path by a busy road, the list went on.

Never usually anxious and it disappeared following the birth of my baby.

I would definitely discuss with your midwife. There has been a marked push on peri natal mental health so loads more services are available. Plus birth and becoming a parent can trigger significant anxiety problems in some parents. Some anxiety is totally normal, even some irrationality, but it can start to really get in the way of life eg not going out because of worries, excessive cleaning, all sorts of things. Some of it can knock on to impact the child/relationship with the child. I think its worth mentioning now just in case it gets worse after and you lose the ability to really see the irrationality, which can start to happen. Also, its possible they can support you quite quickly which may help it getting worse and give you some good tools to deal with it.

Completely normal. I find I get this with "nesting." Pregnancy one I was obsessed with bleach. Pregnancy two I was paranoid about second/third hand smoke. Pregnancy three I was neurotic about unnatural cleaning chemicals (exact opposite of pregnancy one then 😂).

All of these anxieties paled into comparison compared to the fear I have been gripped with ever since. Fear of injuries, illnesses, accidents, cars, drowning, fire, failure, poverty, hunger, homelessness. Everything, then, basically. But you learn to breath through it take stronger anxiety pills. And you have to let them graze their knees and eventually do things for themselves even when it terrifies you.