news stories now I have a baby

[brilliantsunshine]

This is my first post so please be gentle! I'm just sitting here so upset about what is going on in the world...I have a 5 month old baby and since having her things like this affect me so much more. I was just starting to feel more positive and then the Malaysia flight news came up on my BBC app and then all the other horrible news today. Then I end up getting obsessed reading the in the news threads about it all and feeling so scared with everyone saying about the end of the world and ww3 etc and I'm a sensible person so why can't I realise these are just people's opinions and not to freak out so much? I just want my little baby to grow up in a nicer world. I'm watching her innocent little face while she sleeps and just feel so helpless and miserable. Can anybody cheer me up or offer advice on how to handle these feelings? I need somebody rational to tell me that we'll be ok and remind me of positive things?

Sorry if this is ramble just needed to get this out I just feel so sad.

It is normal honestly.

I remember coming out of the hospital with DC1 in the carrier and strapping him into the car. The world outside had suddenly changed to this overwhelming scary place, and I had brought a child into it. That drive home was a realisation IYKWIM.

But there is a lot of great things in the world too and loads for your 5 month old to experience and enjoy in the future. DC1 is 15 years old now-the worry about the world is still there but not at the forefront all the time. x

Totally normal. Ignore news for next 18 mths, if something VVV important happens you will hear about it on mumsnet.

Everything is so much stronger and more vivid once you have a child, I think. There are things that seemed sad or scary in concept before I had DD, but now make me feel physically sick.

I would say, though, that it sounds a little as if you are feeling this more strongly at the moment? Are the negative thoughts playing on your mind, or just when you see a sad story?

There's nothing wrong if things are playing on your mind. Becoming a parent is a massive, massive step. It does, sadly, wreck havoc with a lot of things in life.

When 9/11 happened I was 5 months pregnant with DC2. I had a few days of 'OMG what sort of world will he be born into'.

Completely normal, please don't worry! I stopped being able to read thrillers (still can't) and books like One Thousand wotsit Suns. Just can't bear to think of the horror in the world (and ds is 9).

All we can do is keep going. Remember, our grandmothers (okay my grandmother, maybe your great-grandmothers) had babies actually in a world war. People did - hope is a powerful force.

I think you see the world with different eyes when you have a baby you start to see the risks everywhere don't you.
My dd is 17 months now when she was a few weeks old there was a film/documentary about a lady think she was in her 50's who had died in her flat and no one had noticed for 3 years. I'd wanted to watch it for ages- I managed about 20 minutes in- it broke my heart the thought that this was someone's baby and that's how their life ended up :( still haven't been able to being myself to watch it

Very normal.

Thank you all I already feel less crazy I guess I just think of myself as a rational person but at the moment I'm getting really freaked out by everything in the news and I think avoiding it as much as possible is the only answer!

And yes it is playing on my mind a lot just random things like wondering what kind of world she will experience later in in life and feeling sad that I can't just enjoy being a new mum because I love it so much but am worrying too much about the future and fear I'm missing the present! Hope that makes sense. It happened a little while ago and I made myself snap out of it and stopped myself reading the news and I started feeling better but unfortunately the news today has set me back. I am a natural worrier I guess but having said that I am usually a very positive optimistic person so I don't like feeling like this.

Thank you so much for the replies I can't believe how nice it feels to share on here!

I feel much more normal reading your replies! I also avoid all sad films and books at the moment! I just can't deal with anything sad at the moment!! My dd brings me so much joy and yet a whole new world of worry! I just want her to be happy I guess now and always and I realise every parent feels like that

I feel just the same. I can't bear the idea that such sad things are happening - especially when it involves babies or children - and that people are having to cope with such pain and loss. Those poor children in Gaza - the Malaysian flight - and a million other things that don't even ever get into the news. I think when it all feels too much it is sometimes best to steer clear of the news for a while. It doesn't make it all go away but you can't help anyone by obsessing about it. I sometimes react by giving to a charity which helps the people affected, but although I think that's on balance a helpful response, I don't really kid myself that I'm doing much more than making myself feel better.

Totally normal. DS was 9 months old when 9/11 happened. I'm in general a fairly cynical old fart who doesn't get overly upset by the news but that day I was terrified for him and the world he would be growing up in.

Oh yes, been there too! Basically, avoid all news for the next 18 months.

DS1, Iraq War.

DS2, I sobbed for 3 whole days about the polar bears on the melting ice.

If it does become overwelming, do speak to your HV. I had a thyroid issue with ds2, which triggered anxiety which the HV picked up.

Totally normal, it was described to me as losing a protective layer of skin when you have a baby. I now only scan news headlines and read the ones I think I can deal with (which isn't a lot). I also have to be careful about tv shows and films. I am currently pregnant with number 2 so even worse than before. I used to be fairly rational but not any more.

Thanks everyone I will avoid it all for a few days at least to try and stop me from getting too overwhelmed with it. Sunnyrose that's interesting about the thyroid I've definitely been feeling more anxious than ever before but assuming it's just the emotional roller coaster of having a baby but will definitely keep an eye and my dh will look out for me too I'm sure - he says I worry too much but I know he'd notice if I was really out of character

Oh gosh,it's such a normal reaction.you do become sensitised to sad news events
I cried at many distressing things immediately after having my kids,whoosh I was in floods
Even now as a parent I'm sensitive to news,and in some case change channel

36 wks pregnant here and I've always been over emotional about things but spent the entire morning in tears about the Malaysian Airline flight and those poor kids in Gaza, thinking my son will never know a world without terrorism. At least I was 23 on 9/11 so spent my youth in a world free of all that fear. But hopefully he'll have lots of opportunities that I didn't have.

I knew I couldn't be the only one. Thanks for posting this!

Absolutely completely and totally normal - once you have a baby, the world becomes a terrifying place. I spent yesterday crying my eyes out at the pictures of those Palestinian boys on the beach. Then news of the Malaysian Airline.

I swear by Bachs Rescue Remedy for my shaky moments, and avoid all news except celebrity gossip and comedy TV. It does pass - it was vivid with DS1, I had awful thoughts of dropping him down the stairs and other such accidents but it's mainly hormonal and the fear passes and it hasn't been so bad with DS2 mainly because I don't have time to dwell on those thoughts like with DS1.

I'm not mentally strong enough to read stories about small babies and children and I know this about myself so I avoid reading sections of certain online "newspapers" and stick to the sidebar of shame!!

I also avoid sad movies and most thriller novels as I can't read those either! Chick lit and comedy is the order of the moment for me and I don't care if people judge me for it