Is there a link between OCD and increased risk of postpartum depression?

Yes … We are more prone to PPD and PPA since we have ocd ….. post partum ocd is a thing to with OCD. I’m 6 months postpartum . The first 8-10 weeks were where I struggled the most mentally and it has slowly gotten better . I think I was dealing with some form of mild postpartum depression in the first weeks . but for me the struggle really has been the postpartum anxiety. When she was a newborn I kept having anxiety if she was breathing when she was sleeping . I felt like I couldn’t follow the AAP guidelines perfectly . I had a huge fear of SIDS . And my ocd kicked in really high gear with contamination over fear of getting my baby sick . I was petrified of someone coming over and giving my child RSV . I also was struggling with intrusive thoughts . Like I would be holding her and I would get this vivid image of her dropping to the ground . I think around 3 months is when I started to come out of the postpartum fog . I still get intrusive thoughts and struggle with contamination ocd but I go to therapy for that . I was completely off medication the third trimester so she was not born with any type of withdrawl . I stayed med free until 1 1/2 months postpartum I decided I mentally needed to get back on my ocd meds and I stopped breastfeeding and went to formula . The thing is is everyone is different . You could be totally fine and the hormones could actually help your anxiety and then others it does the opposite. I would just continue to see a therapist throughout pregnancy and postpartum ! Also discussing with a psychiatrist about when to be on and off meds (if you are on any) especially if you feel like you will be prone to ppd .

I don’t know about that, I do know my ocd developed after my first alongside with ppd but with my second it wasn’t any worse than normal and I didn’t have ppd again.

I’m not sure of any sort of common co-occurance of OCD and PPD. I had two kids and no PPD. I think the best way to take care of yourself is to have lots of loving, calm support around for those recover and newborn months.

I know I'm joining this late but I'll add my experience. I've had OCD/anxiety since I was a little kid and postpartum OCD/Anxiety/depression has been ROUGH. It was hard with my first and even harder with my second. Not saying this to sound scary, just to inform for preparation. I wish I had prepared better (had more pre made meals, had therapy already lined out, had a plan for community/friends that could help me. Being around people in the early days would have helped if I had felt comfortable exposing my babies to that.