Health Anxiety manifesting onto baby

[Belle82]

I’m sorry to post on here, I didn’t get many responses on the PND page & I was hoping this page might be a bit better.

I have always had health anxiety since before my babies were born, with my 3 yr old I had it badly - all about her and not me.
My DS was born 8 weeks ago & I thought I had escaped it, but it’s come back with a bang and it’s scaring me.

He did have delayed jaundice and needed a blood transfusion at 5 weeks but my anxiety was fine.
Belly breathing almost had us up at a&e, every twitch & just his Moro reflex I’m panicking and looking up stuff on Google worried it’s always something a lot worse, but it comes up with cancer or brain tumour or the worst rarest type of epilepsy.

My husband is great with the children and supportive but I know he is sick of this.
I didn’t really get any support with my PND the first time and I’m scared to go through it alone again.

I would like to go on sertraline but I am already on anti epilepsy medication (I have epilepsy) and breastfeeding so I don’t want to go on it until I stopped breastfeeding.
I am doing CBT but it doesn’t seem to help.

Any tips as to how to get through the worst of it?

Sertraline is the safest antidepressant to use whilst breastfeeding. Only tiny concentrations get into breast milk. The benefit to your dc of addressing the health anxiety will far outweigh that. There’s really no risk breastfeeding on sertraline, it’s the first recommended for breastfeeding mums.

Have you been offered CBT for health anxiety?

Sorry, missed that part of your message. Mindfulness also useful.

I had terrible anxiety with my second child, who was born at the start of the pandemic. What I would say is speak to your gp/midwife and get the help you need. I had pnd and health anxiety, and was determined not to go on any tablets because of breast feeding, but when I relented I found the medication really helped.

Also, don’t assume that because you have health anxiety you’re automatically overreacting though. I knew something wasn’t right despite being told I was just anxious. Turned out to be a uti, so his temp spiking wasn’t my imagination at all. Ended up in hospital on antibiotics for 5 days when he was 3 weeks old. Xx

Sertraline is safe when breastfeeding - look it up on the breastfeeding network.

Are you getting help through maternal mental health service? When I saw them I found them to be amazing. Do you think you are slipping into PND?