Imagining the worst

[SOPH781]

I have a 3yr old son and I constantly worry that something bad will happen. Every situation, in my mind, has the potential to end with him being killed, horrifically injured or kidnapped. I know how crazy that sounds now I've typed it here but I can't control it. It's getting to the stage where I'm finding it difficult to let him be anywhere else other than with me. I'm about to have a second baby and I'm exhausted! My husband wants to take our son out for the day on Saturday, all day , and I should be elated about having a whole Saturday to myself but all I can think about is ' what if he crashes the car' or 'what if he doesn't watch him properly and someone takes him' it's crazy. I'm dreading when he's old enough to go on school trips etc. Any advice on how to deal with this please...?

Is this a development since becoming pregnant? It could just be your hormones (I'm 27 weeks with my second and certainly feel generally a bit more anxious).

It might be worth talking to your midwife or HV about your fears thought and maybe they can assess for delayed post-natal depression. Just talking through your fears with someone might also help a little.

I was very similar towards the end of my second pregnancy. I literally clung to dd1 constantly.

I'm exactly the same in pregnancy! It goes away for me a few months after the babies birth!

It is probably pregnancy hormones which do send anxiety into overdrive. I remember whilst expecting dc2 I was terrified of forgetting to pick dc1 up from school (5yeat age gap). Thinking how scared she would feel it was horrible. But it went after I gave birth and I realised it was just natural worry that my relationship with dd would change and she would feel left out etc because she would no longer be an only child. I just worried I couldn't love 2 children like I loved the 1 which, with hindsight, is absolutely crazy as you really do love all of them equally ( I now have 4!)
Have a word with your midwife at your next appointment. Some anxiety and always imagining the worse is probably pretty normal being a mum. It's an awful lot or responsibility protecting and caring for these little people, but when it starts affecting you life and you start basing decisions of these fears then it is probably time to visit your gp

Thank you for the replies. Thing is, I was exactly the same before I was pregnant with my second!

Thank you jamtartandcustard, I think I will go to my gp. It has got to t h e stage where it's affecting day to day decisions.?