Postpartum OCD – when the thoughts won't stop

Some common examples of intrusive thoughts are:

• Fears or images that something bad is happening to your baby
• Fears that something bad will happen to you
• Fears or images of accidentally harming your baby
• Images of intentionally harming yourself or your baby

When the thoughts start taking up space

Most people have intrusive thoughts, and they pass. But sometimes, especially in the postpartum period, those thoughts start to take up more and more space. When that happens, it stops feeling like an occasional unwanted thought and starts feeling like something you have to manage constantly.

You might find yourself:

• Checking on your baby more than you know is necessary
• Asking someone to confirm, again, that everything is fine
• Avoiding the kitchen, the stairs, the bath, anywhere the thought tends to appear
• Researching risks late at night
• Trying to think the thought away, or replace it with a safer one

Why relief doesn't last

These responses make complete sense. Each one brings a moment of relief. But the relief doesn’t last, and the checking, avoiding and seeking reassurance can actually keep the cycle going. The more attention a thought gets, the more significant it feels.

When it becomes OCD

When intrusive thoughts become more persistent and distressing, they can shift into obsessions. When we feel pulled to do something (repeat a behaviour, follow a ritual or seek reassurance) in order to bring down the anxiety, those are compulsions. When these compulsive behaviours start taking up more than one hour a day, disrupt your typical way of doing daily life and follow very strict, rigid and often illogical rules, then it could be OCD.

Why it's easy to miss

What makes this even trickier is that many of these behaviours are framed as "good parent" behaviour. Regularly checking on the baby or washing the baby’s clothes using a very specific method are routines that are usually praised by parents. For many new parents, these behaviours might feel expected or even necessary, even though they’re exhausting and take up a lot of time and energy.

What’s the difference between intrusive thoughts and OCD? The biggest difference is how much the thoughts affect your life and whether you feel like you have to do things differently in response to the thoughts. If the thoughts are causing a lot of distress or changing how you care for yourself or your baby, it’s a good idea to talk with a healthcare provider or mental health professional. OCD is highly treatable, and early intervention is key to helping you feel better.

As with intrusive thoughts, many people with postpartum OCD stay silent for a long time. That fear is completely understandable. It’s also one of the main reasons postpartum OCD goes unrecognized for so long.

It’s also worth knowing how postpartum OCD differs from postpartum psychosis, which is a separate and rare condition. These are not the same thing.

You don't have to manage this on your own

Postpartum OCD is treatable. Speak with your medical or mental healthcare provider to get started.

You don't need to describe every thought or explain the whole picture. One sentence is enough to start: "I've been having upsetting thoughts I don't want, and they're becoming hard to ignore." A provider who hears that can take it from there.