Anxiety During Pregnancy and Early Parenthood

It’s completely normal to feel anxious during pregnancy or early parenthood. After all, you’re navigating 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. Thoughts don’t settle, questions spiral, and you lie awake imagining everything that could go wrong. You search for reassurance but rarely feel it. Perhaps you find yourself constantly researching baby products or medical symptoms, or maybe your chest feels tight all day for no clear reason.

Anxiety during the perinatal period is incredibly common, and it often shows up in quiet, invisible ways. You might appear calm on the outside while feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or on edge inside. Because society tends to emphasize the joy of new parenthood, these feelings can be difficult to express.

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 in pregnancy or postpartum often flies under the radar, especially when it doesn’t look like panic or tears. Common experiences include:

• Excessive worry about the baby’s health or safety

• Difficulty sleeping, even when exhausted

• Obsessive research or checking behaviors

• Irritability or feeling constantly “on edge”

• Racing thoughts or a persistent sense of dread

• Physical symptoms such as nausea, headaches, or rapid heartbeat

Intrusive thoughts—unexpected, distressing images or fears—are also common. They do not 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, convincing you that you’re alone and something is wrong with you. Therapy creates a space to speak the quiet parts out loud, reduce shame, and build tools that genuinely help.

In therapy, you can:

• Identify and interrupt anxious thought patterns

• Understand the impact of hormonal, emotional, and relational changes

• Process trauma from pregnancy, birth, or past experiences

• Build strategies to regulate your nervous system

• Strengthen boundaries, support systems, and self-trust

• Learn to respond to anxiety with curiosity rather than fear

You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through this season. Support can help you feel grounded, present, and more connected to yourself and your family.

You’re Not Supposed to Do This Alone

Pregnancy and early parenthood can be beautiful—but they can also be exhausting, isolating, and vulnerable. Experiencing anxiety doesn’t mean you’re broken or ungrateful. It means you’re navigating a lot, and your nervous system is doing its best to keep up.

With the right guidance, it’s possible to feel more balanced, emotionally resilient, and connected to both yourself and your family.

We Are Here For You

Dana Young
Parenting & Perinatal Director

Becoming a parent is one of life’s most profound transitions—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.