How Long Does Anxiety Last After Having a Baby?

Postpartum anxiety can happen at any time in the first 12 months following childbirth. It is reported to affect about 1 in 5 new mothers. But postpartum anxiety is likely even more common than that because parents don’t always talk about it, and doctors don’t always ask about it. Postpartum anxiety can happen at any time in the first 12 months following childbirth.

Postpartum depression is often treated with psychotherapy — also called talk therapy or mental health counseling — medicine or both. Psychotherapy. It may help to talk through your concerns with a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional.

SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the most widely used and most researched medication for postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression. SSRIs work by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain.

Many people who have given birth will experience mild mood changes after having a baby. This is sometimes known as the ‘baby blues’ and usually only lasts for a few days. Having anxious thoughts and worries now and again are natural, particularly in the early weeks after having a baby.

Consequently, breastfeeding mothers are more likely to report positive mood, less anxiety, and increased calm compared to formula feeding mothers (1, 8). Beyond the psychological benefits, breastfeeding provides substantial nutritional, cognitive, emotional, and immunologic benefits for the infants and their mothers.

If you recently gave birth, postpartum anxiety can occur alongside depression or distinctly from it. For many women, the abrupt decrease in estrogen and progesterone at the time of delivery can lead to a greater sensitivity to stress, causing some to feel overwhelmed, fearful or panicky.

If you have a history of anxiety before or during pregnancy, postpartum anxiety symptoms may also return after delivery. Anxiety and sadness may also appear after weaning from breastfeeding due to hormonal changes.

Another form of anxiety is Postpartum Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Learn more about it here. Postpartum and antepartum anxiety are temporary and treatable with professional help. If you feel you may be suffering from one of these illnesses, know that it is not your fault and you are not to blame.

Like other forms of depression, postpartum depression (PPD) is often associated with a neurotransmitter imbalance. Many new mothers with PPD have low serotonin or norepinephrine levels in the brain that are aggravated by nutritional deficiencies.

6 Months Postpartum

Your hormones have typically returned to baseline levels around the 6-month mark. Women also often have their first regular menstruation around this time. Estrogen and progesterone return to normal levels, making it possible to have a normal cycle.

Anti-anxiety medications help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as panic attacks or extreme fear and worry. The most common anti-anxiety medications are called benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are a group of medications that can help reduce anxiety and make it easier to sleep.

Postpartum depression can also cause severe anxiety — and even panic attacks. You can also have postpartum depression and a postpartum anxiety disorder at the same time. There’s evidence that 2 out of every 3 women with PPD also have an anxiety disorder.

One important step in reversing the anxiety cycle is gradually confronting feared situations. If you do this, it will lead to an improved sense of confidence, which will help reduce your anxiety and allow you to go into situations that are important to you.

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