Although it’s normal to be concerned about your baby’s health, intense or constant worry can be a sign of perinatal or postpartum health anxiety. In this article, I’m going to explain what this means, where these intense thoughts come from, and what you can do about them.
What is Health Anxiety and Where Does It Come From?
Health anxiety is an excessive preoccupation with the thought that you or someone else either has a serious health condition or is going to develop one. This preoccupation is there more often than it’s not. It’s really hard to let go of this thought, and it often leads to excessive checking and reassurance seeking. This behaviour can look like constant googling, multiple trips to the GP, or spending lots of time on forums like Mumsnet asking for information and reassurance whenever you find yourself worried about your baby’s health.
You are more likely to experience health anxiety about your baby if you were a worrier prior to pregnancy or would describe yourself as an anxious person in general. If you previously experienced health anxiety in relation to yourself, there is more chance of it being redirected towards the health of your baby.
Other contributing factors include having had a difficult journey to conception. Understandably, this could leave you worried about something happening to the baby you so desperately longed for. It might be that you experienced ill health within your pregnancy. Perhaps there were some obstetric complications, or your baby was diagnosed with something in utero, so you are hyper focused on their health. Experiencing a traumatic birth where your sense of threat and danger is heightened can also leave you more preoccupied with the health of your baby. You may also experience health anxiety for your baby if you’ve experienced previous baby loss or multiple baby losses.
Health Anxiety and Catastrophising
Health anxiety often leads to an unhelpful thinking style known as ‘catastrophising’. This is when we look at and asses a situation through the lens of a worst-case scenario. If you are feeling anxious, it’s usually because you are catastrophising.
In relation to your baby’s health, catastrophic thoughts might sound like:
- ‘My baby’s poo has changed colour, does that mean they have a problem with their digestive system?’
- ‘My baby just ate sand on the beach, what if they get really ill and have to go to hospital?’
- ‘The baby has a rash, what if it’s meningitis and they die?’
All of us have the ability to catastrophise. As I’m writing this article, I’ve had a headache for five days straight. Even though I know it’s probably just a virus, the catastrophic part of my brain is thinking ‘what if it’s a tumour… what if I’m starting to develop cancer… I’m going to need surgery, and I might not be able to work’. This is catastrophising in action, and anyone can fall into this trap.
If this sounds familiar, I recorded a podcast episode called How to Challenge Toxic Thoughts. It’s essentially a free therapy session covering what I usually do with a client who is struggling with unhelpful thinking styles such as catastrophising.
My Tips for Coping with Health Anxiety
Start by keeping a thought diary. Whenever you are viewing your baby’s health through a catastrophic lens, notice it. Then, ask yourself ‘what is a less threatening explanation for the symptom I’m concerned about?’. Obviously, if it’s a genuine concern, seek medical advice, but if it’s a hypothetical worry rather than a reality, focus on the less threatening explanations. This will help you see the whole picture rather than just what’s visible through a catastrophic lens.
Next, notice how you feel when you focus on the less threatening explanations. You will probably find you feel calmer and less worried. We know our thoughts are powerful. They can affect how we feel emotionally and physically, as well as how we live our lives. Keeping an eye on our thoughts and ensuring they’re balanced, based on evidence, wise and compassionate is vital for our emotional wellbeing.
How Therapy Can Help
The recommended treatment for health anxiety, whether it is about you or your baby is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). When symptoms of health anxiety have been triggered by a traumatic event, I’ve also used EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) Therapy successfully. For example, I previously supported a mother who was experiencing health anxiety following a traumatic birth. Once we reprocessed the traumatic birth, the health anxiety symptoms improved.
I’m trained in both CBT and EMDR. The beauty of this is that I tend to draw upon both approaches with my clients depending on their individual needs and preferences.
Therapy for New Mums
If you’re struggling with health anxiety or any other aspect of motherhood, I can help. Reach out for support by booking a consultation here or subscribe to The Nurture Toolkit for free, actionable tips and prompts straight to your inbox. I also share lots of encouragement and support via Instagram.
Useful Links
- What Does Anxiety Feel Like in the Body?
- Help – I’m Anxious About Weaning My Baby
- Is Google a Blessing or a Curse for Anxious New Mums?
- Coping with Perinatal OCD