Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Signs of postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder include:

• Recurring, persistent and disturbing thoughts, ideas, or images (frightening images of accidents, abuse, harm to baby)
• The urge to do something over and over again to reduce feelings of fear, to avoid harming baby (for example, putting away knives), or to create protection for baby (not leaving the house and/or constantly checking the baby, the house, etc.)
• Intrusive thoughts, fears, and images, and the inability to control them
• Hypervigilance (not being able to sleep for fear that something will happen to baby, being in a constant "fight or flight" mode)
• Being aware that these thoughts and behaviors are not typical, but still finding them very difficult to control