So much of what mums experience after having a baby gets bundled under one umbrella — the "baby blues", or postnatal depression. But postnatal anxiety is just as real, just as common, and often goes completely unrecognised. Knowing the difference can be the first step towards getting the right support.
What Postnatal Depression Looks Like
Postnatal depression can feel like a heavy blanket you can't shake off. It might show up as sadness, numbness, exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix, loss of interest in the things you used to love, feeling disconnected from your baby, or the sense that you're just going through the motions.
It's not weakness. It's not a lack of love for your baby. It's a medical condition that affects around 1 in 10 women, and it deserves proper treatment.
What Postnatal Anxiety Looks Like
Postnatal anxiety is different. Instead of feeling flat, you feel wired. Your mind races. You obsessively check the baby monitor. You Google every symptom. You struggle to sleep even when the baby is sleeping. You feel panicky about being separated from your baby, or terrified something bad is going to happen.
It can also show up physically — a tight chest, racing heart, difficulty breathing, or that constant knot in your stomach.
The Overlap
Plenty of mums experience both at the same time. You can feel exhausted and hopeless AND wired and panicked. The two conditions often walk hand in hand, especially in the first year postpartum.
“"You are not a bad mum. You have a treatable condition, and there is real help available."
When To Reach Out
If you've been feeling this way for more than two weeks, please speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor. You don't need to have all the words. You don't need to have it neatly explained. "I don't feel like myself" is enough of a starting sentence.
What Helps
🤍 Talking to your GP honestly — they've heard it all 🤍 Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) available on the NHS 🤍 Medication, if that's the right route for you 🤍 Peer support groups for postnatal mental health 🤍 Telling your partner and one trusted friend what's really going on 🤍 Cutting yourself some serious slack
You Are Not Alone
You are not broken. You are not failing. You are a woman whose body, hormones and life have just gone through one of the biggest shifts a human can experience. Please ask for help. You deserve it.
Storme x