So anxious

[kidsareok]

Hi. I have a LO who is 7 months old and I'm so anxious about everything. I worry about something happening to him or him being hurt - I saw a girl on the news who died because she swallowed a button battery and I'm so scared he will eat one or something. I vacuum my house all of the time before I even put him down on the floor . He goes to play at his cousins house with my OH and I am terrified he will find a battery from a toy or something. I know this sounds insane but I just can't help worrying - I feel like it's getting worse. The minute I can't get in touch with my OH or mum if they're looking after him I convince myself something awful has happened. I've always been anxious but being a mum has just tipped me over the edge. Anyone else like this?

This sounds like possibly the start of postnatal anxiety. I'm sorry you're struggling. I say this as someone who after 4 months is beginning to slowly emerge from the hell of PND - My advice would be to see your GP or your HV and have a chat, there's lots of help out there for postnatal disorders but I appreciate it's hard to reach out sometimes. Be kind to yourself lovely xx

I only realised I had postnatal anxiety when I started getting panic attack chest pains. The pains have been so bad that I get breathlessness, a tightness in my chest and I have already collapsed four times now and been to A+E. Even today I started panicking but luckily I knew the pain was coming early on and I used special painkillers prescribed by the medical team to target this panic attack early. My panic attacks come on weirdly for the strangest of reasons, like there was a thunderstorm and I started getting chest pain panic attacks. I was gasping for air, praying I will make it, it's very scary to experience.

I had this with my first baby OP. Constant state of high anxiety which was overwhelming.
In my line of work I’ve dealt with some truly sad incidents involving children and after having my daughter they all came flooding back and I was convinced something similar would happen to my child.
I had CBT which helped (arranged by my GP as it linked in with my PND and PTSD). I now have two children and do still get anxious but it’s not overwhelming anymore as I have my coping mechanisms.