Becoming a parent is one of life’s most profound transitions. Alongside the joy and awe of meeting your baby, often comes a complex mix of emotions—some expected, others not. As a lactation consultant and mental health nurse, I want to talk openly about something many new parents experience but few feel comfortable discussing: postpartum anxiety.
It’s normal to feel nervous or unsure as a new parent. But if your worry feels constant, overwhelming, or out of proportion, it may be something more. Here are signs to be on the lookout for:
If your anxiety is interfering with daily life, making it hard to sleep, eat, care for your baby, or connect with others, it’s time to reach out.
There is no "right" threshold to ask for help. If you’re wondering whether you should—then you probably should. Trust your instincts. You're not being dramatic. You're being proactive.
Start with someone you trust—your partner, a friend, your OB-GYN, midwife, pediatrician, or a nurse at your baby's check-up. You can say something like:
They can help connect you with a therapist, psychiatrist, or postpartum support group. Many regions also have hotlines and online communities where you can speak anonymously at first if that feels safer.
And let me be clear: You’re not failing. You’re being brave. Asking for help doesn’t mean you can’t handle motherhood—it means you care enough to get the support you and your baby deserve.
We often hear that babies need a calm, loving, responsive caregiver—and that’s true. But to offer that, you need to be well, too. You are not a machine that runs on instinct and selflessness. You are a human being, with needs just as important as your baby’s.
You may have heard the phrase, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” As a lactation consultant, I see it all the time: moms pushing through exhaustion, anxiety, or pain in silence, believing they have to be perfect to be good parents. But the truth is, taking care of yourself—your body, your mind, your emotional health—is the foundation for nurturing your child.
If you’re reading this and seeing yourself in these words, know this: you’re not alone. Postpartum anxiety is common, it’s treatable, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You deserve to enjoy this time, not just survive it.
Please reach out. Help is available—and healing is possible. Your local international board certified lactation consultant and registered nurse psychotherapist. Servicing York region and Durham Region (Markham, Stouffville, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Newmarket, Aurora, Woodbridge, Ajax, Whitby, Pickering, Oshawa).
