Table Of ContentCopyright © 2021 by Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or
otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of
the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written
permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for
permission should be addressed to the Permissions
Department, Rockridge Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite
175, Emeryville, CA 94608.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Publisher and the
author make no representations or warranties with respect to
the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work
and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without
limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No
warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional
materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not
be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the
understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering
medical, legal, or other professional advice or services. If
professional assistance is required, the services of a
competent professional person should be sought. Neither the
Publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising
herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization, or website
is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source
of further information does not mean that the author or the
Publisher endorses the information the individual,
organization, or website may provide or recommendations
they/it may make. Further, readers should be aware that
websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared
between when this work was written and when it is read.
For general information on our other products and services or
to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer
Care Department within the United States at (866) 744-2665,
or outside the United States at (510) 253-0500.
Rockridge Press publishes its books in a variety of electronic
and print formats. Some content that appears in print may not
be available in electronic books, and vice versa.
TRADEMARKS: Rockridge Press and the Rockridge Press logo
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Callisto Media
Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other
countries, and may not be used without written permission. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Rockridge Press is not associated with any product or vendor
mentioned in this book.
Interior and Cover Designer: Elizabeth Zuhl
Art Producer: Janice Ackerman
Editor: Sean Newcott
Production Editor: Ruth Sakata Corley
Production Manager: Martin Worthington
Illustration: © Basia Stryjecka / Creative Market
Author Photo: Courtesy of Myke Aquino
ISBN: Print 978-1-64876-837-8 | eBook 978-1-64876-256-7
R1
I dedicate this book to my daughter Zella, whose birth threw
me into the world of motherhood and into some of my deepest,
most important work.
CONTENTS
Introduction
chapter one
Why Do I Feel This Way?
chapter two
Anxiety and Pregnancy
chapter three
Thought Modification
chapter four
Managing Distressing Thoughts
chapter five
Relaxation Techniques
chapter six
Mindfulness and Meditation
chapter seven
New Situation, New Strategies
chapter eight
Anxiety and Postpartum
chapter nine
Doing It Together
resources
references
acknowledgments
about the author
INTRODUCTION
A
fter the birth of my daughter, I was engulfed by a pain that I didn’t
know existed. Postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, and
postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder took over my life for a
year before I was able to figure out what was going on. I had never
learned about these postpartum conditions, despite having been in
the professional field of psychology for many years. Pregnancy, along
with my devastating postpartum experience, ushered me into my
life’s work to educate and advocate for new parents’ mental health.
For years now, I’ve specialized in perinatal mood and anxiety
disorders and have supported many people through the transitions
of conception, pregnancy, loss, birth, and postpartum. One of the
most pervasive challenges people face is not knowing. Not knowing if
they will get pregnant, stay pregnant, have a healthy baby, pregnancy,
birth, or postpartum period. So many of the pregnant people I’ve
supported just wanted to know that everything was going to be okay.
Many people are surprised to experience anxiety for the first time
in pregnancy. After all, pregnancy is supposed to be a magical time,
right? Pregnancy is filled with some magic for sure, but it can also
present challenges for many people. If someone has a history of
anxiety, they can be anxious in pregnancy, too. Furthermore, the
process of trying to conceive, and the prospect of being pregnant,
can be incredibly overwhelming for some. This is especially true if they
have previously experienced a pregnancy loss.
Anxiety is common, and so are clinical levels of anxiety. But because
anxiety is not often talked about, it can be very isolating, which, in turn,
can produce more anxiety. Thankfully, people are working to change
systems of care, adequately support new parents, and make sure
people know that they are not alone. There’s so much to know about
the relationship between pregnancy and anxiety, and I’m hopeful that
this workbook will help you feel more prepared and better supported.
How This Workbook Can Help
This workbook is focused on helping people who are experiencing
anxiety for the first time during pregnancy as well as people who have
a history of anxiety going into pregnancy, and will give you day-to-day
coping skills to use before, during, and after pregnancy.
If no one told you that anxiety could be a part of pregnancy or
having a baby, you’re not alone. This workbook will shed light on the
reality that many people experience and help you learn to notice your
own physical, mental, and emotional cues about how you’re feeling,
then respond appropriately. That’s what this book is for, to help you
find ways to manage your feelings, self-soothe, find resources, and
feel better.
This workbook will also address the ways in which anxiety can show
up. I’ll help you learn about anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive-
compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and skills for
coping with each. The symptoms of these conditions are important to
be aware of, but the lived experience is much more nuanced and
complex.
The tips, tricks, exercises, and skills in this workbook will come from
many types of theoretical models of psychotherapy. I will be using an
evidence-based approach, coming from a trauma- and resiliency-
informed perspective. You will find cognitive behavioral therapy,
dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy,
mindfulness strategies, and a great deal of information to help you on
your journey.
It is important to know that as you read through the various anxiety
conditions, your anxiety might increase—that is okay. But be sure to
remind yourself that you don’t need to take on any anxiety that isn’t
yours. You’re already being proactive by using this workbook to learn
and develop skills.
While you may see some of your experience reflected in this
workbook, it can’t cover every possible experience. If you don’t see a
specific symptom, thought, feeling, or behavior in this book, that
doesn’t mean your experience isn’t real. It’s real. It’s valid. You’re not
imagining things, and you’re certainly not alone. To that end, you will
find many valuable resources at the back of this workbook to help
you develop your coping skills as you continue on your pregnancy
journey.
