"Nothing shakes your mind, body, and heart like bringing a human into this world. What's more, you've been charged with protecting a new life in today's world that, to many, feels like it's off its axis. Many of the social supports available to new mothers such as in person postnatal yoga, meet-ups, and visits from family and friends, are less available these days. The burden of protecting and nurturing your child may feel lonelier and heavier than ever before.

Even so, it's important to know that postpartum worry, including checking behaviors, is entirely normal. Find comfort in the fact that you're not alone; 90% of new parents experience intrusive thoughts. This also makes it more difficult to separate typical, normative concerns from the anxiety that 7-10% of postpartum women experience.

You may be experiencing perinatal anxiety if you cannot turn off your worries, your worries significantly impact your sleep, or your worries interfere with caring for your baby or yourself. If this sounds like you, you're not losing your mind. Your mind is stretching and coping with the transformational shift of becoming a mother. And we are here to help you through it."

– Lexi Garber, LMSW