Anxiety and pregnancy

[BrightCoralReader]

Hi, I’m currently 20 weeks pregnant after a few miscarriages and 4 years of unexplained infertility. We were due to start IVF now but fell pregnant naturally last year instead!

I am obviously over the moon I’m pregnant, but my anxiety is getting worse (at first I was thinking my anxiety is normal considering my history but now I’m thinking it’s excessive). I’m constantly thinking any symptom is a miscarriage and struggle to believe this pregnancy will result in a baby.

I reached out to my GP but missed their call back so reaching out again tomorrow. Has anyone had mental health support via the NHS during pregnancy? If so, what did it look like and what was your experience please?

im keen to have some sort of talking therapy and absolutely not medication after previous experiences with it many years ago.

thanks!

Hey op.

In my experience all completely normal. When you suffered loss and heartache ttc prior, youre going to worry. My only advice would be to stay positive. At 20 weeks the likely hood of anything going wrong is so much slimmer now. Try and enjoy your pregnancy and look after yourself.

I had a similar route to pregnancy. My midwife referred me to the perinatal mental health team at my booking appointment. I was already seeing a therapist and was taking meds so I didn’t really need too much support from there but there was a fair amount of support available if I needed it. I never really believed my pregnancy was real and even after DS was born, if I wasn’t looking at him, I couldn’t believe he actually existed. He’s 6 now and makes his presence known pretty much every minute that he’s at home!

Hey! I feel like I had to reply as I'm 21 weeks pregnant after a miscarriage, years of unexplained infertility and a round of IVF.

Feel like I could of written your post! Have you had your 20 week scan yet? Have you felt any movements?

Things I found helpful are learning about what I'm feeling... Sharp side pains are most likely growing pains, I've even had sharp pains around my belly button area and all is fine.

I'm part of a pregnancy after IVF chat on Mumsnet - so helpful to talk to other people in a similar situation who get it.

I've called the midwife team several times when I've been worried and they are so helpful and reassuring. Even had me in to check the heartbeat and an extra scan when I was freaking out.

Lots of people won't agree with this one but Chat GPT can be really helpful at keeping my worries in perspective.

I still obsessively check the toilet paper every time I go to the loo... I don't think that will stop but I'm also allowing myself to feel some excitement, not just fear.

Hope some of those things help... and congratulations!!

I have my 20 week scan tomorrow morning, I’m hoping that reassures me but then I’m also already overthinking what if she is too small or they find a problem. Chat GPT has been really helpful for me, really black and white answers.

I’ve rang the midwife team a couple of times and they always get me in straight away and check heartbeat etc but I feel so silly when I ring, and think they must see my notes and think ‘oh her again…’ so I hate ringing.

I also still check everytime I wipe! I don’t think that will ever stop. It’s nice to know I’m not entirely alone or abnormal with my ways of thinking but would really like to give my brain a rest somehow

OP I could have written this but only around 10 weeks. Multiple miscarriages and MMC with HG means I’ve had a lot of therpy to even ttc and panic attacks once pregnant.

I spoke to the midwife at my booking appointment about it and she said the mental health midwives have a high threshold to meet to be under them. Her suggestions were:

• self refer to a therpy service on the nhs, if your pregnant you will be seen quickly. Your GP should be able to help how to do this if you don’t.
• speak to the GP and look at if medication is the right option for you (I have never been on any meds for anxiety either) and I think it’s a last resort for me personally.

Don't feel silly when you call the midwives... I felt the same way and I'm sure they think 'Oh its her again' when I call. But I'm very happy for them to think that if It helps me feel calmer. In reality, I'm sure they don't think that and they deal with loads of women with similar anxiety.

Totally understandable to feel nervous about your scan... my anxiety always peaks before them! Chances are, everything is going to be fine!

I get the feeling of giving your brain a break, I remember saying very similar words to my boyfriend. It really does feel overwhelming at times. I've started a hypnobirthing book and some of the ideas in there about breathing and positive affirmations have been helpful.