Pregnancy and anxiety

[chocolate26]

I'm 21 weeks pregnant with my first and I am so happy and excited, he/she is a much wanted baby. Everything has gone great so far, baby is growing well and all scans have shown no problems.

However I am riddled with horrendous anxiety everyday about loosing him/her ☹️ I don't know how to cope with this overwhelming feeling. I worry about catching a virus or infection and it harming the baby (I actually have a slight cold at the moment and I'm so worried) I worry about itching and it being a problem with my liver. I worry when I don't feel him/her kick for a few hours. I worry about going out and being around people incase I catch something or something happens to me.

Does anyone else feel like this? It's taking over my life and I don't know what to do to help. I do struggle with anxiety normally anyway when not pregnant but I didn't expect it to get this bad. I love this baby more than anything, I'm worried about how I'd cope in life if anything happened.

Hi OP,

How you feel isn't out of the ordinary and whilst I've found pregnancy has made me so chilled out in so many ways, a massive protection instinct has kicked in for this little boy!

It's easier said than done but stay off Google first of all as that doesn't help at all. It's also worth remembering that, as long as you're following the NHS guidelines and keeping to all your appointments, you're doing everything you can for your little one and there's not a lot else. That's probably the scariest part, that it's something you're so invested in but have very little control over!

Do you have anyone close you can talk to about your feelings? Even just being able to recognise them is a positive so next time you feel anxious about something, recognise you're feeling like that but then consider the likelihood of it actually being real based on your appointments and the reassurance you can get from these. I know again, easier said, but something could happen to you at any time in life regardless, being pregnant doesn't increase the risk and babies are very well protected.

Maybe too, when you do go out, sounds silly but, praise yourself when you get back in and recognise that something bad didn't happen. Sending a hug

And please discuss your anxiety with your MW as they can help if it's being so detrimental on your life
Posted too soon!

I just wanted to say, I can empathise as I am exactly the same. I'm only 13 weeks and it seems to be getting worse each week. I worry about everything and anything and have now convinced myself I'll be told I've had a MMC when I go for my dating scan next week.
I wind myself up reading Google then toss and turn all night worrying but I can't seem to stop it. The anxiety is horrendous.
I was hoping it might settle down after the scan (all being ok) but your post suggests otherwise!

@SparkleUK thank you 😊 yes I have my husband and a very supportive family who I speak to about how I'm feeling so that's good. I have my next appointment with my midwife in a couple of weeks so I will mention it to her and see if there's any help I can get.

Yes I really try to stay off google as I know it's no good! I just worry that if I get sick then my baby will get sick too 😔 I suppose the worry never really goes away as when they are born you probably worry about new things 🙄

@sel2223 it's so hard isn't it! I've had different anxiety at different stages, before 12 week scan I worried about miscarriage and MMC and then between 12 week scan and 20 week scan I worried there would be an abnormality with baby and now I'm worrying about catching something harmful or early labour or stillbirth. I've come to realise I will probably worry about different things as time goes on.

You're welcome ☺️

That's always a positive, when I'm feeling anxious about something, I talk about it with my OH who helps by putting a different spin on it. I'm 38+2 now so it doesn't really go away but there are ways to manage it and make it less stressful on you, it's just finding what works for you.

I had a really awful cold just before Christmas and as far as I know, little one was absolutely fine. They will take what they need from you and you're the one who suffers if anything so unless you catch anything way out of the ordinary, they should be absolutely fine.
Keep track of your movements but other than that, you're doing fine, good luck with the rest of your pregnancy

Hi Chocolate26, same here. I have always been a happy go lucky, positive, bright side, cheery person. Now, I'm nervous, anxious, sweating, over thinking. I am 22 weeks, got my next midwife app in 3 weeks so I'm going to see how it is then, if still the same I shall me too it, obviously in my over thinking I'll mention it and she will report me to someone (who, I don't know?!) But I'm trying to calm the brain down. I'm trying not to Google etc. Hopefully it'll all calm down XXX

@DawnK77 sorry to hear you are struggling too! It's so hard 😩 I'm exactly the same as you, I worry that if I mention how bad it is to my midwife then she will call social services or something! Even though I know there's absolutely no reason for her to do that as I'm only struggling with anxiety due to loving this baby so much. Do you have people around you that you can speak to?

That's what I was thinking too, when they ask how you are, I wonder if it is a tick boxing exercise .. my midwife does seem like is reading from a script rather than personable if that makes sense?
Yes, my other half is brilliant, I've not mentioned it much this week as he's been working abroad I didn't want him panicking, he is home tonight though, thank goodness. How about you? Xxx

Anyone else out there awake with their anxiety? I woke up shaking with an anxiety attack a couple of hours ago and haven’t been able to get back to sleep 😞

Oh you poor thing. Do you not go to work?

Yes I work full time. Thankfully I’m on my last week before mat leave begins.

Sorry your feeling this way I was the same with my first baby worried for 9 months I tried to keep myself to help I didn't always feel my baby move everyday but I now have a happy 2 year old and I'm on my second pregnancy I still worry but not as much as first time trying reading a book or something to relax your mind I'm sure all is well but any major concerns that what the emergency contacts are there for good luck with the rest of your pregnancy xx