Pregnancy or Postpartum OCD is Real and Treatable

You imagined that becoming a parent would be overwhelming but not like this. Instead of feeling connected, you feel consumed by fear. Terrifying thoughts flash through your mind, thoughts that feel completely out of character. You might picture something happening to your baby, or even worry that you could be the one to cause harm. These thoughts feel intrusive, shameful, and constant. And no matter how often you try to convince yourself they aren’t real, they still come back.

This isn’t who you are.

This is OCD. And it’s treatable.

Perinatal and Postpartum OCD Deserves Specialized Support

Perinatal and postpartum OCD is often misunderstood or misdiagnosed. It's not the same as postpartum depression, though they can co-occur. You might feel immense guilt or confusion over what you're thinking, especially if others tell you to “just enjoy the moment.”

The onset of postpartum OCD and anxiety varies from person to person. Symptoms may start within the first few weeks, or several months, after childbirth. They can develop gradually or appear suddenly. Some individuals notice an intensifying of preexisting OCD symptoms during pregnancy. Others experience symptoms for the first time during the perinatal or postpartum period. It’s also important to note that partners can develop perinatal and postpartum OCD as well, often in response to new responsibilities, fears of harm, or trauma exposure during birth and recovery.

Early intervention can significantly improve outcomes for both the parent and baby. The prognosis for perinatal and postpartum OCD and anxiety is generally very positive when addressed with timely, evidence-based treatment and ongoing support. With the right tools in place, many parents experience meaningful symptom relief, improved functioning, and more fulfilling connections with their children and families.

I offer specialized therapy for PPOCD using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard approach for OCD. My practice also integrates ACT and I-CBT strategies when helpful, depending on your needs and goals.

How PPOCD Shows Up: Common Themes

PPOCD can focus on any number of fears, and themes often overlap or shift. What matters most is not what your thoughts are about but how they affect you.

Some common patterns include a mix of intrusive fears (obsessions) and the compulsions or mental strategies used to neutralize them. These may include:

• Fear of Harm: Images or thoughts of accidentally or intentionally hurting your baby

• Sexual Intrusive Thoughts: Distressing mental images that violate your values

• Contamination: Obsessive worry about germs, feeding equipment, or cleaning rituals

• Checking and Reassurance Seeking: Needing constant confirmation that your baby is safe, breathing, or developing “normally”

• Moral or Religious Scrupulosity: Fears about being a bad parent or having done something wrong

• Mental Review: Replaying moments to make sure nothing bad happened or that you’re “not missing something”

• Intrusive Doubts About Bonding or Attachment: “What if I don’t love them enough?” or “What if I made a mistake?”

If you’ve experienced any of these and felt horrified, panicked, or disgusted by the thoughts, that reaction is a sign that they are ego-dystonic, meaning they go against your core values. This is a hallmark of OCD.

What Therapy Looks Like

Treatment begins with understanding your unique OCD cycle and how compulsions are reinforcing your distress. Therapy includes:

• Assessment: We identify your obsessions, compulsions, and avoidance strategies

• Psychoeducation: You’ll learn what PPOCD is, why you’re not alone, and why ERP works

• ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention): You’ll gradually face feared thoughts or situations without engaging in rituals or reassurance

• Optional Tools: ACT and I-CBT: ACT helps clarify what truly matters to you as a parent. I-CBT helps you recognize when your imagination has created a false threat that overrides your lived reality

Therapy is always collaborative, paced thoughtfully, and grounded in evidence not fear.

Inclusive, Nonjudgmental Care

Intrusive thoughts during pregnancy or postpartum can feel deeply shameful, especially when they contradict how you thought you’d feel. In my practice, no thought is too disturbing, irrational, or “bad” to talk about. I understand how PPOCD can hijack the very identity of parenthood and I treat it with both clinical skill and compassion.

Whether you’re a new parent, expecting, or months beyond birth and still struggling, you deserve support that’s grounded in respect, competence, and honesty.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Perinatal and postpartum OCD can feel terrifying and isolating, but many parents have been where you are and made it through with the right support. You’re not alone in this. I offer free consultations to help determine whether this approach is a good fit for you.