Your mental health matters too.
You are not a bad mom. And you are not alone.
1 in 5 moms experience mental health struggles—but most are never taught what to look for. You deserve support before you hit your breaking point.
What to look out for.
Not all mental health struggles for new moms look the same.
It’s not just postpartum depression. Anxiety, OCD, panic attacks, PTSD, and intrusive thoughts are all common—and all treatable with the right help.
Anxiety.
6% of pregnant women and 10% of postpartum women develop anxiety.
Symptoms:
The worrying never stops
Feeling like something bad is going to happen
Racing thoughts
Disturbances of sleep and appetite
Feeling constantly on edge
Physical symptoms like dizziness, hot flashes, and nausea
Hear a real mom’s story:
🎧 Nancy Goh Kelly - I AM ONE Systems-Thinker and Maternal Mental Health Advocate (Anxiety, Sleep Deprivation)
🎧 Charlotte Ramberg - I AM ONE Mother, Therapist, and Surrogate (Sleep Deprivation, Intrusive Thoughts)
Depression.
Depression during and after pregnancy occur more often than people realize.
Symptoms:
Anger or irritability
Feeling disconnected from your baby
Appetite and sleep disturbance
Crying constantly
Feeling like everyone else is handling motherhood better than you
Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
Thoughts of harming the baby or yourself
Hear a real mom’s story:
🎧 Patricia Hoppman - I AM ONE NICU, PPD, and One Mom’s Unplanned Dream Come True
🎧 Shatiera Amankrah - I AM ONE Unexplained Infertility, Depression, & Why Mental Health Care Can’t Wait for the Baby
A note about postpartum rage.
Maternal mental health struggles don’t always look like sadness. For many moms it can look like:
Feeling constantly overstimulated
Snapping at loved ones over small things
Feeling intense rage or irritability
Feeling touched out, emotionally exhausted, or on edge
Feeling guilt after reacting in ways that don’t feel like yourself.
Postpartum rage isn’t an official diagnosis, but it can be connected to anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, and feeling unsupported.
Hear a real mom’s story:
🎧 Nicole McNelis - I AM ONE Angry Mother
Obsessive compulsive disorder.
As many as 3-5% of new mothers experience OCD. Intrusive thoughts are more common than people realize—and having them does NOT mean you want to hurt your baby.
Symptoms:
Intrusive thoughts that feel disturbing, graphic, or completely unlike you
Spiraling over ‘what if something terrible happens?’
Repetitive checking to reduce fears and obsessions (e.g., cleaning constantly, checking things continuously).
Fear of being left alone with baby
Being overly protective of baby
Hear a real mom’s story:
🎧 Kara Kushnir - I AM ONE Birth Trauma and Postpartum OCD Survivor
Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Most often caused by a real or perceived trauma during delivery or postpartum (e.g., unplanned C-section, baby going to NICU, feelings of powerlessness during delivery, etc).
Symptoms:
Intrusive re-experiencing of a past traumatic event
Flashbacks or nightmares
Avoidance of triggers associated with the event, including thoughts, feelings, people, places and details of the event
Persistent increased irritability, difficulty sleeping, or hyper vigilance
Anxiety and panic attacks
Feeling a sense of detachment
Hear a real mom’s story:
🎧 Karolina Lazarov - I AM ONE Medical Gaslit Birth Trauma Survivor
Bipolar mood disorder.
Many people are diagnosed for the first time with bipolar depression or mania during pregnancy or afterward. A bipolar mood disorder can appear as severe depression.
Symptoms:
Periods of severe depression
Rapid speed
Mood much better than normal
Continuous high energy
Overconfidence
Racing thoughts, trouble concentrating
Delusions and hallucinations
Hear a real mom’s story:
🎧 Krithi Lodha - I AM ONE in 1,000 Turning Pain into Purpose after Postpartum Psychosis
Postpartum psychosis.
Affects 1 to 2 out of every 1,000 deliveries. Moms suffer a break from reality. This is a severe condition so it is important to seek help immediately.
Symptoms:
Delusions or strange beliefs
Hallucinations
Feeling very irritated
Hyperactivity
Severe depression or flat affect
Decreased need for or inability to sleep
Paranoia and suspiciousness
Rapid mood swings
Difficulty communicating at times
Hear a real mom’s story:
🎧 Krithi Lodha - I AM ONE in 1,000 Turning Pain into Purpose after Postpartum Psychosis
Source: Adapted from Postpartum Support International resources. For more information, download Postpartum Support International’s Fact Sheet for parents and help seekers.
If you think you may be suffering from a maternal mental health condition, all symptoms are treatable with the right help.
If you are in danger of harming yourself or your child, seek help immediately. Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 988.
If this is not an emergency, call or text Postpartum Support International’s helpline at 1-800-944-4773. They have a ton of free resources (support groups, specialized coordinators, local provider directory, and more) to connect you with the help you deserve.
Visit Postpartum Support International to learn more.
Get help.
Features
Looking for deeper dives on maternal mental health conditions? Here are more articles I’ve written for March of Dimes.
