Pregnant and anxious about OCD, insomnia, and potential postnatal psychosis.

Hello! I am 14 weeks postpartum with my planned baby as well. This is baby #2 for me. My OCD flared up quite bad when he was about 5 weeks old, not gonna lie. Everyday is still a battle but I’m improving. Psychosis was/is a major theme for me postpartum just knowing it’s a possibility. However, I’m coming to terms with the fact that I can’t control if that happens but I can control how I respond to those thoughts. I also have spoken with my partner and other loved ones basically saying “hey, if this does happen please make sure I get help so nothing bad happens” and just knowing everyone is on the same page about that has been helpful. I do believe it’s most likely to happen immediately/shortly after birth, so the further out you are it’ll be less likely to occur, and it is still pretty rare in the first place. Psychosis is a medical emergency and I would not recommend ever trying to cope alone or treat that at home. I would recommend speaking with your partner about it and having some therapy lined up for postpartum, that way you have someone to talk to. Even if you don’t develop any additional mental health concerns, it’ll still be helpful to chat with someone. Having kids is a big change!

have a good support system ready

I have faith in your ability to get through this. If you need any help raising a child, find resources that help new parents. Surround yourself with people who will be positive and helpful during this. Lots of love🤍

Hello! I don't have POCD but deal a ton with Harm OCD and ROCD. There is a support group tonight for Moms with OCD and I highly recommend you come out!! People with POCD, contamination OCD, Harm OCD etc are all generally present. It's a very understanding place. I didn't have psychosis but I had a very very bad panic attack (that I went to the ER over) and really bad post partum anxiety and depression. I was convinced somehow they'd take my baby but that's the OCD and fear talking. I had a ton of anxiety and dread when I found out I was pregnant, while my partner was so so excited and happy. Its ok to have mixed feelings. Pregnancy is a huge life change and makes so many changes to your body. Try to build up your support systems *now* and find any local resources in your area. You won't be getting a ton of sleep with a newborn so I'm not sure if insomnia would really worsen things or not. 🤔

Bless you all, thank you all so much for replying to this! My head is all over the place, I'm convinced I'll have the baby taken away, as my mum did with us three girls... But my partner has been with me for over 3 years and he is so so supportive, he does get a bit of anxiety but he managed to do everything that everyone else can, so I don't have any doubt on him being a good father... It's the worry that my mum got put in a specialist clinic with me for weeks because she had post natal psychosis with me, and then she had ocd forever on top after having me, and I've had ocd since a young child, and I am so much like my mum! I'm just hoping someone has been able to be treated at home for post natal psychosis as the worry for me is that I'll be forced to a clinic... I don't want to be up a and e all the time thinking I'm losing my mind and I know what I'm like with my dreadful ocd. I know I'll over do it for this baby, it's really going to test my ocd to the extreme. I have had some experience looking after a baby as from the age of 8 until I left, I was left to look after my little sister, and me being 8, I had really bad ocd even then. I even had pocd then, I'd worry I wasn't changing her nappy right, I'd worry that I'd drugged her bottle when I made it, I was expected to do a lot more than most siblings. But at that time I had a sleeping pattern, I'd struggle to sleep, but I wouldn't get manic, ocd makes me manic and I can be up days to the point that I almost drop. I said to my partner before we fell pregnant, get ready just in case you end up a single dad, I want to hear from you if you had to, you would. He said he would. I just hope it doesn't come to that. I don't want any reassurance I'd just like to hear if anyone managed to deal with post natal psychosis at home, or whether it has to be dealt with at a clinic... And if anyone is coping with insomnia that they had before their baby, I just want to feel like I can do this, no reassurance I just want to personally get to the point where I'm like, I can definitely do this xx

At the moment I don't know anyone who has been in my position and has managed to sort their sleep problems out and coped with their ocd and possible post natal psychosis and haven't essentially dropped down from stress xx

I'm thinking way too soon ahead as I'm only early stages, I think it's important to get to the point where you're at least 50% confident you'll manage, I'm not even 20% there yet, not even an ounce excited but my partner is so excited, I'm just overwhelmed with fear! Xx

Hello, Dealing with something similar and just had a baby, how would I know if I am going into a psychosis? Vs OCD. What should I do I’m so ashamed of my ocd not many of my family members know, my spouse does but how do I know if I should go to a hospital or just speak with my psychiatrist?