What if the scariest part of new parenthood isn't the sleepless nights — it's what happens inside your own mind?

Research shows that 70–100% of new mothers and over two-thirds of new fathers experience intrusive, unwanted thoughts about their baby being harmed. Yet almost no one talks about it. In this episode, we explore the cultural message that tells parents to suppress anything that doesn't look like bliss, why that silence makes scary thoughts worse, and what the science actually says about why your brain does this. Spoiler: it's not broken. It might just be working too hard.

We also discuss when intrusive thoughts cross into perinatal OCD — and what to do if that sounds familiar.

Then we practice, using our NOW framework to begin building a different relationship with our own minds.

If your thoughts have become a problem for you, please do not hesitate to reach out for help!

Suggested Resources:

• Postpartum Support International (PSI): — helpline and provider directory
• Maternal OCD: — perinatal OCD information and support
• International OCD Foundation — Perinatal OCD page:
• Schweizer, S. (2025). "Perinatal intrusions: A window into perinatal anxiety disorders." Science Advances.
• UNSW Sydney coverage: "Dark thoughts before and after giving birth are almost universal"
• Birth Evolved: Birth Prep Course, Calm + Confident Birth, and individual sessions
• Newsletter: Wash & Wonder