In Today's Issue:
- Why "intrusive thoughts are normal" without context is failing mothers
- The neuroscience behind why brilliant maternal brains become dysfunctional
- What your assessment is missing that keeps clients stuck in the spiral
80% of postpartum mothers experience intrusive thoughts.
We've made progress normalizing this conversation. Mothers talk about it on social media. Books address scary thoughts openly. Some clients come to you already knowing "it's normal."
Others are still too terrified to say anything.
But here's the problem with how we've normalized this: We've said "these thoughts are normal" without the critical follow-up—"AND here's what your body needs so they don't spiral into dysfunction."
Listen: What's Actually Happening (And the Tools to Address It) →
Yes, intrusive thoughts ARE biologically normal in early postpartum. Hypervigilant "what if" thinking is how maternal brains protect babies.
But when they're frequent, distressing, and interfering with daily life? That's a nervous system screaming for support it's not getting.
It's like telling a client with severe joint pain "oh yeah, totally normal postpartum" without investigating whether it's nutritional deficiency or developing autoimmune condition.
The maternal brain undergoes massive restructuring postpartum. The amygdala (the threat detection center) becomes hyperreactive.
This is evolutionary brilliance. But this system requires proper support: adequate rest, nutrition, nervous system regulation, social support.
When those needs aren't met, sleep deprivation, nutritional depletion, chronic stress, isolation... the system goes into overdrive.
The postpartum brain already has massive energy demands. Add chronic sympathetic activation on top.
First casualty? The prefrontal cortex—responsible for rational thinking, impulse control, emotional regulation. It requires enormous energy. When energy is scarce, it's compromised first.
Now you have: hypersensitive threat detection + compromised regulation + nervous system stuck in overdrive.
Perfect storm that spirals goes like this:
- Mom has intrusive thought →
- Compromised prefrontal cortex can't dismiss it →
- Strong emotional reaction →
- Amygdala interprets this as real danger + produces MORE thoughts →
- Mom avoids triggering situations (confirming danger in brain) →
- Thoughts intensify and anxiety depletes energy further →
- Prefrontal cortex worsens.
This is how normal maternal brain function becomes postpartum anxiety and/or OCD.
What Standard Care Misses
Standard approach: Screen → prescribe medication → refer to therapy.
These can help. But you're not asking: Why is her nervous system so dysregulated that normal function became pathological?
Root causes nobody's addressing:
Sleep deprivation: Fragmented sleep impairs prefrontal cortex function more severely than consolidated sleep deprivation
Nutritional depletion: Brain needs magnesium for GABA, B vitamins for neurotransmitters, omega-3s for structure, iron for oxygen—dysregulated nervous systems require EVEN MORE
Chronic stress: HPA axis dysregulation, flattened cortisol, lost ability to downregulate
Inflammation: Pro-inflammatory cytokines alter neurotransmitter metabolism
Unresolved trauma: Keeps nervous system hypervigilant
Client with severe intrusive thoughts at 6 weeks: One actual real meal per day. Traumatic birth with heavy blood loss. Labs showed ferritin at 4, magnesium low, cortisol flatlined.
Within two weeks of aggressive nutritional repletion and nervous system regulation? Thoughts decreased significantly.
Another client with intrusive thoughts while breastfeeding: Multiple energy drinks daily. Diet mostly crackers and toast. Blood sugar crashes creating constant anxiety.
Stabilize blood sugar + address depletion + nervous system regulation? Intrusive thoughts disappeared completely.
There's a critical distinction between normal intrusive thoughts, postpartum OCD, and psychotic thoughts. This distinction can be life-saving.
There are specific intervention strategies that address root causes before thoughts spiral into dysfunction.
And there are tools your clients need NOW—not after weeks on a therapy waitlist.
How to Recognize the Patterns, Address Root Causes, and Know When to Refer →
The episode covers the distinction between normal thoughts and OCD, the comprehensive approach that resolves underlying causes, and the specific tools you can use in your practice today.
Because your clients with intrusive thoughts need more than "it's normal." They need you to understand what's actually happening and how to support the system that's struggling.
Stay fierce, stay rooted,
Maranda Bower
CEO & Founder of Postpartum University®
www.PostpartumU.com
