Managing Anxiety as a New or Expecting Parent
It’s completely normal to feel anxious during pregnancy or early parenthood. After all, you’re facing some of the biggest changes of your life. You’re adjusting to new responsibilities, shifting relationships, and the reality that you are now someone’s parent. A certain level of worry is to be expected.
But sometimes, that worry becomes something more. The thoughts don’t settle. The questions spiral. You lie awake thinking about everything that could go wrong. You search for reassurance but rarely feel reassured. Maybe you’re constantly researching baby products or medical symptoms, or maybe your chest feels tight all day and you don’t quite know why.
Anxiety during the perinatal period is incredibly common, and it often shows up in quiet, invisible ways. You might look like you’re holding everything together on the outside while feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or on edge inside. And because the cultural narrative of new parenthood tends to focus on joy, these feelings can be hard to talk about.
The truth is, anxiety doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It means you’re carrying a lot, and your nervous system is trying to keep up.
How Anxiety Shows Up During the Perinatal Period
Anxiety during pregnancy or postpartum often flies under the radar, especially when it doesn’t look like panic or crying. You might experience:
Excessive worry about the baby’s health or safety
Difficulty sleeping, even when you’re exhausted
Obsessive research or checking behaviors
Irritability or a sense of being “on edge”
Racing thoughts or a constant sense of dread
Physical symptoms like nausea, headaches, or rapid heartbeat
It’s also common to experience intrusive thoughts—unexpected, distressing images or fears that feel out of character. These thoughts are more common than people realize, and they don’t mean you’re dangerous or unfit. They’re often a sign of anxiety, not of who you are.
Why Therapy Helps
Anxiety thrives in silence. It tells you that you’re the only one feeling this way, and that something must be wrong with you. But therapy creates space to say the quiet parts out loud—to name your fears, reduce shame, and build tools that actually help.
In therapy, you can:
Learn to identify and interrupt anxious thought patterns
Understand the role of hormonal, emotional, and relational changes
Work through trauma from pregnancy, birth, or past experiences
Build coping strategies that regulate your nervous system
Strengthen boundaries, support systems, and self-trust
Learn to respond to anxiety with curiosity instead of fear
You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through this season. You deserve support that meets you where you are.
You’re Not Supposed to Do This Alone
Pregnancy and parenting can be beautiful. But they can also be exhausting, isolating, and deeply vulnerable. If you’re experiencing anxiety, it doesn’t mean you’re broken or ungrateful. It means you’re carrying a lot—and your nervous system is trying to keep up.
With the right support, it is possible to feel more grounded, more present, and more connected to yourself and your family.
We Are Here For You
Cameron Mashburn
Parenting & Perinatal Director
Becoming a parent is one of the most profound transitions a person can experience—and it doesn’t come with a manual. Whether you’re trying to conceive, navigating pregnancy or postpartum, adjusting to life with a newborn, or struggling with the evolving identity of parenthood, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our Parenting & Perinatal Therapy program is led by clinicians who specialize in these tender, complex seasons of life. We’re here to support you with care, insight, and compassion.
When you’re ready, reach out to us. We’d be honored to walk with you.
