Episode
Perinatal and Postpartum OCD: When Parenting Anxiety Becomes More
- Podcast
- Inside Mental Health
- Published
- Oct 23, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1549
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/inside-mental-health-432530/episodes/perinatal-and-postpartum-ocd-when-parenting-anxiety-becomes-more/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/inside-mental-health-432530/perinatal-and-postpartum-ocd-when-parenting-anxiety-becomes-more.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Intrusive thoughts are common for new parents — but when do they cross the line into something more serious? In this episode, you’ll learn how obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) latches onto what matters most — in this case, the safety and well-being of the baby — and how evidence-based treatment like exposure and response prevention (ERP) can bring relief.Joining host Gabe Howard is internationally recognized OCD and parenting expert Dr. Jenny Yip, who sheds light on perinatal and postpartum OCD. Dr. Yip explains how obsessions and compulsions can overwhelm expecting and new parents, from fears of accidentally harming the baby to overwhelming guilt about being a “bad” mom or dad. She also discusses the stigma surrounding taboo intrusive thoughts — including forbidden sexual thoughts — and how avoidance can interfere with bonding during the crucial early weeks of parenthood. Takeaways for listeners: the difference between usual parenting anxiety and perinatal or postpartum OCD common intrusive thoughts new parents experience but rarely discuss why avoidance harms bonding and increases OCD’s power Whether you’re a new parent, a clinician, or simply curious, this episode reveals the hidden struggles of perinatal and postpartum OCD — and the hope for recovery. “OCD will tackle whatever it is that you care about. And when a family is pregnant, or when they have their first child, or when they have multiple children, what they're going to care about most is that. The safety, the wellness of the mother, of the unborn, or the newborn. And then that's how OCD starts to build and manifest.” ~Dr. Jenny Yip Our guest, Dr. Jenny Yip, is a board-certified, licensed psychologist, author, speaker, and internationally acclaimed OCD, anxiety, and parenting expert. With nearly three de…