Normal anxiety?

[LuluF91]

Hi all,

I'm a first time mum to a 14 week old and I'm struggling to know if my anxiety level is normal or not. It may be because we're going through teething just now but I'm finding myself increasingly tearful at his fretting and difficulty to settle, which of course is not his fault in the slightest. I don't know of my reactions are appropriate or O.T.T for example, I read about how bad nursing to sleep is and cried so much because I've set him up for a hard time now! In addition to this, when it comes to sleeping even when he is, I can't! I find it so hard to relax, I worry about him dying, me dying, car crashes, plane crashes, going back to work, weaning...you name it, I've thought about it even if it's in the far future!

I'm rambling. My head is going a 100mph. Question is, do all new mums feel this way? I'm starting to feel very overwhelmed :(

Hi OP :)

Firstly, congratulations on your beautiful baby.

Secondly - forget anything you've heard about "creating bad habits" when it comes to sleeping. Your baby is tiny and there is plenty of time in the future to deal with how baby gets to sleep. Do whatever you need to, it is normal and natural and lovely to feed to sleep. So please don't read into that :)

Thirdly - god being a new mum is exhausting isn't it! I remember at about 3/4 months I was incredibly emotional too. It was like the reality of what had happened finally hit me and I struggled to deal with being a mum for a bit. I like you found myself overwhelmed. So I think that is very normal. However, if you are worrying about these things to the point where it is affecting your daily life and ability to get some much needed rest, I would consider talking to your gp. They are there to help and it might just give you reassurance. If it is some sort of PND there is no shame in that - it's a lot more common than you would think. Have you got friends and family that can help out with baby so you can get a couple of hours rest?

Best of luck, I promise things get better x

Congratulations on the new baby xx

I was exactly the same with the first. Actually, I think I was worse! I remember giving away all the flowers the moment the visitor left because the flowers might make the baby sick!!

The lack of sleep, the emotions, the hormones, the strangeness of it all really does mess with your head. It gets better and most important - keep talking to friends and family and people who care.

xx

No, I don't think this is "normal". I'd suggest you try to get together with parents who are relaxed - not to talk about your problems in particular, but just to hang out with together with your little ones. I think this might help to calm yourself as well.

And don't believe all the bullshit you read online .... there is nothing bad about feeding a baby to sleep!

I was exactly the same with my first. It got to the point where I wasn't sure whether to see my GP or not. Anyway at about 6 months it started to get better. My second dc is 4 months and I've coped a lot better this time around. Although I still don't think my hormones are back to normal yet. Lots of ups and downs still. But a hell of a lot better than dc1!

Like you I suffer with my anxiety. Just remember that everything you go through is a phase. It will always pass. Although sleep isn't great now, you will sleep again. Your hormones will settle and you will feel better. Be kind to yourself. Make yourself your favourite dinner, or better yet get your oh to make it for you. Have a bubble bath. Watch your favourite comedy etc. And make sure you talk to your oh or family about it. You shouldn't feel like you're on your own because you're not. Wishing you lots of good nights sleep. X