By: Nichole Fairbrother
Unwanted intrusive thoughts of infant-related harm are a ubiquitous phenomenon. Unwanted, intrusive thoughts of accidental harm (what if something happens to my baby) are reported by almost all new birthing parents, and unwanted, intrusive thoughts of harming one’s infant on purpose are reported by fully one half of all birthing parents. Although some thoughts of harming one’s infant on purpose may represent a risk of harm to one’s infant, when these thoughts are unwanted, intrusive and inconsistent with the parent’s wishes and values (I love my baby and want her to be safe), they do not represent a risk to infant safety. They do, however, represent a risk to parental mental health, in particular, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), an anxiety-related condition. My team has developed an infographic on this topic to education pregnant and postpartum people and their families about this phenomenon.
If you would like to learn more about this infographic, watch the recording of this research rounds talk.