5 Tips to Manage Parental Anxiety

It’s hardly breaking news that being a parent can cause anxiety. However, there’s a difference between having anxious thoughts and dealing with persistent parental anxiety. This condition is present in about 34 percent of parents during pregnancy. Even after childbirth, roughly 20 percent of parents will continue to show signs of parental anxiety.

Underlying factors can range from worrying about your newborn to sleep deprivation to balancing parenthood with all of life’s other responsibilities. Learning how to manage such anxiety is crucial in helping them enjoy being parents. In addition, since children of parents with anxiety are at a higher risk of developing anxiety themselves, what you do now can help your kids in the long run.

Some of the More Common Symptoms of Parental Anxiety

The anxious parent will display signs like separation anxiety, panic attacks, sleep disturbances, and over-protectiveness. Physical symptoms may include unexplained muscle aches, headaches, digestive issues, and general fatigue. Left unchecked, parental anxiety can escalate into more severe behaviors like:

• Sudden angry outbursts
• Ignoring your own needs to go above and beyond for your new baby
• Obsessively talking about your fears
• Intrusive thoughts about the dangers you think your child will face
• Shame and self-consciousness that others are judging your parental skills

Parental anxiety can have a negative impact on you, your child, and your entire family. Therefore, it’s vital that you learn some simple but effective coping skills.

5 Tips to Manage Parental Anxiety

1. Self-Education

There is a plethora of accurate — and calming — child development information at your fingertips. Inform yourself about the basics to better understand how your baby will grow and develop. It’s a lot less daunting when you have a working knowledge of the process. You also get a chance to enjoy the experience!

2. Take Preemptive Steps

If you have some recurring concerns, take some protective steps around your home to reduce the odds of an accident. Maintain a healthy level of moderation but do enough to ease your mind. You can’t build a protective bubble around your baby. You can only do your best in the healthiest way possible.

3. Choose Self-Care

Always set aside time to care for yourself. Self-care makes you a better parent and a healthier person. Ask for help if needed so you can allocate a certain amount of time and energy to fundamental needs like regular sleep patterns, healthy eating choices, daily physical activity, relaxation techniques, and more.

4. Embrace Mindfulness

Anxiety thrives when you ruminate about the past and/or dread the future. Mindfulness guides you to root yourself in the present moment where it’s easier to stay calm and thus, enjoy being a parent more. Look into breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga to get started.

5. Welcome Social Support

Do not go it alone! If you have a partner, team up to create a workable schedule to share duties. Accept offers of help when they address your needs. Connect with new parent support groups to interact with peers who get it. However, set boundaries when you need solo time to tend to your self-care and mindfulness practices.

Professional Guidance Can Be Indispensable

This is a tricky scenario, brimming with contradictory emotions. You want to be the best parent you can at the same time that you want to relax and bask in the glow of this new experience. Finding this balance is challenging for every parent. That’s why so many of them connect with an anxiety therapist to implement parenting strategies and create a plan to safeguard their mental and physical well-being.

Anxiety is a very common mental health disorder. Working with a professional is a proven path toward healing and recovery. Give my office a call to set up a time to talk about how to manage parental anxiety.