Online therapy across Ontario
Prenatal and Postpartum Anxiety Therapy
Has the worry been hard to switch off since pregnancy or birth? Therapy can help your mind settle, so you can rest and enjoy your baby.
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Signs of postpartum anxiety
Does the worry ever switch off?
Every new parent worries, and worrying about your baby doesn’t make you a bad parent. With postpartum anxiety, the worry starts to dominate your thoughts, it’s hard to stop, and it crowds out sleep, rest and the good moments with your baby. It can begin in pregnancy, right after birth or months later.
It often shows up in your body too: a tight chest, a racing heart, an upset stomach, or feeling too wired to sleep even when the baby is down. Many parents put it down to being new at this and wait for it to pass.
You don’t have to be falling apart to get help.
Intrusive thoughts
Scary thoughts are common, and they don’t make you dangerous
Maybe it’s a flash of dropping the baby on the stairs, or a picture of something terrible happening that you can’t shake. In one study of 100 new mothers, every one had unwanted thoughts of their baby being accidentally harmed, and close to half had unwanted thoughts of harming their baby on purpose.[1] (source, opens in a new tab)
These thoughts feel so upsetting because they go against everything you want for your baby. That’s why parents often check, avoid or keep them secret. When the thoughts and the checking take up a lot of your day, it may be postpartum OCD, which is treatable too.
You can say these thoughts out loud here. Telling your therapist about them won’t, on its own, lead to a report. In the first session, we explain the rare situations where we’d have to share information, so there are no surprises.
Why it happens
Your mind is trying to keep your baby safe
About 1 in 8 new mothers in Canada report feelings consistent with an anxiety disorder.[2] (source, opens in a new tab) Anxiety is your nervous system trying to protect you and your baby, and after birth a few things can keep it stuck on high alert.
Your body is running on little sleep
Broken sleep and big hormone changes make it harder for your body to settle, even when everything is fine.
Everything feels high stakes
Feeding, weight checks, fevers and safe sleep all land on you at once, often with too little support.
Your history comes with you
Anxiety before pregnancy, a hard birth, a long road to conceive or an earlier loss can all make the worry louder now.
How therapy helps
Worry less and enjoy more of your time with your baby
Therapy gives you practical tools to calm your body and quiet the what-ifs, with someone who understands the perinatal years. We start with whatever feels hardest right now, at a pace that works for you and your baby.
Calm your body
Calm the racing heart and the racing thoughts, so you can rest when you get the chance.
Check less
Spend less time checking, searching online and asking for reassurance, so you get more of your day back.
Loosen scary thoughts
Feel less frightened by scary thoughts, and less ruled by them.
Trust yourself
Trust your own judgment as a parent again, instead of second-guessing every feed, nap and decision.
Heal older hurts
Work through a hard birth or older pain that feeds the worry.
Our approach
Specialized care for pregnancy and the early months
Sessions are warm and down to earth, and we go slowly when you need to. We draw on CBT and ACT, two well-studied therapies for anxiety, along with DBT skills. The goal is for you to feel more in control of your anxiety, rather than anxiety controlling you.
Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C)
Postpartum Support International
EMDRIA Certified Therapist
EMDR International Association
Specialized in the perinatal years
I hold the Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C) from Postpartum Support International. Pregnancy, birth and the early months are the centre of our practice.
Help with what’s underneath
If a hard birth or an earlier loss is feeding how you feel now, EMDR can help those memories settle. I’m an EMDRIA Certified Therapist.
Built around life with a baby
Sessions are by secure video, so you can join from home without arranging childcare. Saturday appointments are available too.
Nicole Graff-Rowe
MSW, RSW · PMH-C · EMDRIA Certified Therapist
- Online sessions, anywhere in Ontario
- Based in Waterloo Region
- No referral needed
About your therapist
A certified perinatal therapist who’s also a mom
I remember the sleep regressions, the feeding worries and not quite recognizing myself after my baby arrived. I started Nurtured Family Counselling so parents have somewhere to say the hard things out loud without being judged.
It’s okay to feel like you’ve lost yourself after having a baby. I want to understand your history, your struggles and your story, and help you move forward in a way that’s rooted in your own values and goals.
I’ve felt the worry of wondering whether my baby is getting enough, and sometimes I still do. I’ve also trained in perinatal anxiety and perinatal OCD, so you won’t need to explain why a quiet baby monitor or a small fever sends your mind racing.
FAQ
Questions parents ask before booking
It’s normal to have questions before reaching out. If yours isn’t here, you can send us a message.
Can I have postpartum anxiety and depression at the same time?
Yes, and it’s common. In a Statistics Canada survey,[2] (source, opens in a new tab) more new mothers reported feelings of both than of anxiety alone. Therapy can work on both at once, and you can read more about postpartum depression.
What is postpartum OCD?
Postpartum OCD is when unwanted, upsetting thoughts lead to things you feel you have to do to keep your baby safe, like checking, cleaning or avoiding being alone with them. It can start in pregnancy or after birth, and therapy can help.
Can I start therapy while I’m pregnant?
Yes. About 1 in 5 women have anxiety symptoms in early pregnancy, rising to 1 in 4 in the third trimester.[3] (source, opens in a new tab) You don’t have to wait until the baby arrives to get help.
What if I’m worried about taking medication while breastfeeding?
Therapy can help whether or not you take medication. Decisions about medication, including while breastfeeding, are made with your family doctor, nurse practitioner or psychiatrist.
Can partners have postpartum anxiety?
Yes. Partners can feel anxious during pregnancy and after the birth too. We work with partners as well, and you can read more about support for dads and partners.
Is therapy covered by insurance?
Many workplace health plans cover therapy with a Registered Social Worker, and you don’t need a referral to book. Fees, receipts and how to check your coverage are on the Fees and insurance page.
Get started
Postpartum anxiety is treatable.
You don’t have to keep carrying the what-ifs on your own. We can talk about what’s been keeping you up and what might help.
Book a Free Consultation (opens in a new tab)