Sudden anxiety with 7 week old

[Anroga76]

Hi
My lo is 7 weeks today and since the weekend I have had terrible anxiety which I can't shake off. Just feel overwhelmed and out of my depth. My lo is doing well and is healthy and a happy boy.

Saw my hv yesterday and she made me do a pnd test which came back negative and she said its just hormones etc

Anyone else feeling like this and any tips to shake off this awful anxiety?

Goi g to my fist mother and baby group shortly hoping that will help!

You've done the right thing in talking to your HV but don't be fobbed off. If this persists please see your GP.

Having said that, how are you this evening? Was the group ok?

Are you looking after yourself as well, don't forget that you need to recover from the pg and birth. Could you talk to your partner about how you feel?

Hi thanks so much for replying.

I managed to get to the baby and mother group and stayed for the whole two hours and felt much better but by the time I got back home with the baby the anxiety had started up again.

Last night I felt better again when my husband came home but through the night e anxiety returned. Spoke to my husband all about it this morning he thinks it's just a blip.

I just don't understand why I feel like this as up until now I have been fine, my baby is well, happy and contented.

I just feel overwhelmed by it all, worry I won't be able to cope etc.

Will go to see the go if it doesn't go away but don't want to be put on tablets.

How did you control yours?

There is no shame in going on tablets at all but speaking to the GP doesn't automatically mean that you will be prescribed them anyway. CBT can be as effective as ADs with PND.

What sort of things are you anxious about?

Thanks again for replying x

Saw my gp yesterday with my son about his reflux and broke down and told her how I was feeling. She listened and have referred me for some cbt counselling.

Slept quite well last night as my husband had the baby all night but woke up with the same anxiety. Feel a bit better now but it comes in waves so I just am sitting here dreading it coming on again.

I look at my gorgeous little boy and just feel anxious, not sure what about, the future, looking after him, what if I can't look after him what will happen, am I good enough mum, that I haven't bonded with him as much as I think I should of so does that mean I don't really want him, as you can see my mind is just racing.

My husband from day one has said what a great job I am doing and up until this week I have felt fine.

How did you feel?

I had this with both mine at about 7 weeks. I was quite upbeat in myself and had no problems bonding with dc but the anxiety hit me like a truck from nowhere. I had CBT and tablets. The tablets are a life saver and you can get off them ok, you just have to do it very very slowly.

Just to add that I was looking for signs of pnd, but didn't realise that pn anxiety was actually a thing. I think your hv should have been more aware.

Oh so good to read your post it'sbloodyraining especially as you developed the anxiety at 7 weeks like me.

Its hit me like a truck as well and I feel frightened by it. I have been coping so well and everyone has said how well I have been doing with a newborn then this week I have gone to pieces.

Before I had my little boy I ran my own business with my dad and could handle anything.

How did you find the cbt? I am going to a group on Monday that discusses post natal anxiety and depression thought it might help.

How long did your anxiety last and what were you anxious about?

I was anxious about everything! Just that bad things were going to happen generally. I couldn't sit and be relaxed, it was just a constant physical knot inside. It's hard to say how long I was anxious for, as I got a prescription straight away and got on the ads. The anxiety stopped almost immediately. I stayed on them for eighteen months which is longer than I'd liked, but hey ho, and they really did work. They didn't particularly cheer me up, as I wasn't depressed, but they did enable me to live normally.

Once on the tablets I started one on one cbt which was fantastic. I'm not sure how a group set up would work, as I think they have to unpick your own personal issues etc. but I'm no expert. Book a gp appointment today for next week and have a think over the weekend about tablets. You can always cancel the appointment if you have a calm weekend and decide you don't need it.

Interested how your anxiety stopped almost straight away on the drugs and my gp said yesterday it takes about 2 weeks to take effect.

Same as me I am not depressed.

No I am going to have one on one cbt but there is a local mums group on Monday a bout feeling alone, anxious etc which I thought I might go to.

I am booked to see the go next Friday after seeing her yesterday so if I don't feel any better by then will speak to her about tablets, what did u take out of interest?

I think I felt better almost straight away as my family took over and I basically went to bed for a week, it was that bad. Almost like tipping into a breakdown. After that the tablets kicked in quickly. It was Sertraline.