Does every mother have intrusive thoughts of their child getting hurt or dying?
I can't recall having this too much with my first born bar a few sporadic instances but after my second I have had these thoughts often. I've never had any mental health issues before but did have 1 counseling session when pregnant with my second for a similar issue as a result of having a miscarriage in between my first and second.
Some examples of these intrusive thoughts are: a shed in a neighbours property caught fire in the middle of the night last week (no one was hurt) and since then I have had a thought that something will catch fire in the kids room and I won't be able to save them. This pops in my mind randomly maybe 2 times a week.
Or a dog walks past us and instead of thinking 'that's a cute dog' I automatically think that it will be vicious and bite one of the kids.
Or I think I'm not holding the pram tight enough and I picture it accidentally roll into traffic or water.
It has been quite distressing, it takes my breath away and makes my heart beat fast and these thoughts have made me cry a couple of times.
Am I just a caring mum looking out for dangers of the world to protect my kids from or should I be talking to someone about this?
6 Replies
I've had those thoughts at times but they went away. Personally I'd speak to my GP if I was you. Getting help early can make a big difference.
I dont know if they are normal but i do have these thoughts as well every now and then. You're not alone.
When you become a mum you tend to think about all the 'what ifs'. I think to a point, it is normal. It probably comes down to the fact that we love our kids so deeply that we couldn't bare to see any harm come to them.
That said, if these thought are becoming increasingly more frequent and they are bothering you, it could be a symptom of anxiety or something else mental health wise. It's probably worth chatting to your gp about, they'll be able to point you in the right direction to help you overcome it.
When I was doing birthing classes, the midwife did mention thoughts like this could be a sign of PPD. I think naturally we have some thoughts like this, but if it gets to the point where you're thinking about it more often than not, it may be a sign to see your GP.
I have these thoughts but its more regular. I'm pregnant with #2 and they are worse then ever! I have no advice but I do intend on telling my midwife what's happening in my head
Def get some psychological support. Anxiety can be extremely debilitating.
I have thoughts of "if this happens, I'll do x y n z" but it's not causing me any distress