Most new parents have intrusive thoughts about their baby being harmed. It’s OK to talk about it

Recent studies have revealed that many new parents experience intrusive thoughts about their baby's safety during the first year of the child's life, known as the perinatal period. Intrusive thoughts are sudden, unwanted, and often negative thoughts that involve harm to the baby, either accidentally or intentionally. These thoughts are distressing because they contradict the parents' love and desire to protect their child.

Our research indicates that 95% of birthing parents reported experiencing intrusive thoughts, with 54% reporting thoughts about intentionally harming their baby. However, it is important to note that perinatal intrusive thoughts are not associated with actual harm to the baby and may serve an adaptive function by making parents more alert to potential risks.

Despite being common, little to no education is provided to parents about these experiences in standard perinatal care, leading to misunderstandings that they are "bad" or "unsafe" parents, which can result in distress and poorer mental health. Perinatal intrusive thoughts should be distinguished from severe mental health conditions such as postpartum psychosis and severe depression, which have more severe symptoms and require immediate treatment by trained professionals.

While perinatal intrusive thoughts are not typically a cause for treatment and subside as the baby grows older, they can be a sign of underlying mental health issues like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Parents experiencing intrusive thoughts should consult their GP or seek help from perinatal mental health services if the thoughts are persistent, time-consuming, and interfere significantly with daily functioning.