Is it normal to be paranoid about first baby?

Question

My wife and I just had our first baby seven days ago. I have found myself absolutely paranoid. The doctor said he was an extremely health baby and is actually stronger than babies his size and weight. Why do i feel so terrified with the thought of him getting sick with minor stuff like most babies...is this feeling normal???

Answer 1

I think it would be abnormal for you not to be paranoid... after all, it's the first time you've done this, and a precious little life depends on you doing it right!!! You remind me of my husband with our first, it's a sweet memory because moms seem to have a calmer "mommy instinct" thing going on... thanks for reminding me!

Answer 2

Yes Yes Yes - v. v. v. normal. Don't worry about it you will feel terrified with the first one for sure. Also at the moment you will be in a total fog and won't be able to see clearly at all, so the minor things do seem major ones. But its ok to feel this way. Its only later from about (and I say about) 6 weeks that things become a little clearer and you realise what a blur life was in those first few weeks. It is a perfectly natural thing you are experiencing. I always wondered why babies didn't come with an instruction manual! Good luck, enjoy your baby and enjoy your time together as your new family.

Answer 3

Supposedly. A lot of people told me they were paranoid. My best friend couldn't believe I left my then 5-week old baby with her husband for an hour while we went for coffee down the street.

I'm a very non-paranoid first time mom. I rarely woke up to check on her sleeping, the dog was licking her from day one, she chews on the dog's rawhides, I don't wash the binky unless it drops on something wet/dirty outside, etc. People make me feel like a freak everytime I take her out and she loses a sock and I don't freak out about "her poor cold little toesies".

My catch-phrase is, "It's a baby, not a bomb".

HOWEVER, I was very paranoid BEFORE her birth. We'd been told at 6 weeks that I'd miscarried, and we didn't find out I was still pregnant until 20 weeks (long story). My husband has three siblings who died right at or soon after birth from congenital defects. He has an older brother who died at 19 of a heart defect, and his younger sister was premature with lots of problems. He's the only "healthy" one, but he has lots of chemicals in his body from two tours in Iraq. From the time we found at 20 weeks, I was paranoid until about the time I went into labor, especially since I was still having my period and was 2cm dilated at 32 weeks. I flipped out with worry for weeks.

Once she came out healthy and strong with no complications, I figured I was in the clear. :-)

I think everyone gets paranoid at some point, whether before birth, when the child's a baby, when they go to school...who knows. I'm sure I'll get paranoid at another time in her life. :-)

Good luck. Enjoy your baby. It's ok to be paranoid; just don't let it rule your life. :-)

Answer 4

Yep perfectly normal. And it's not just about the first baby. You learn a lot after the first one, but the second one still tends to scare the heck out of you. I remember wondering how they could possibly let people take newborns home so fast (and I was in the hospital for longer after a c-section).

Answer 5

This is completely normal. My doctor would rather me call every other day with a minor concern than wait until something major happens. If it's something that you're not sure if he should be seen about, call and talk to a nurse. They can tell you whether or not he should be seen and if he shouldn't, what you can do to aleviate the problem. You are very lucky to have such a healthy baby boy. Congratulations! Welcome to mommyhood.

Answer 6

Yes it is very normal. When we brang our daughter home from the hosptial we were afraid to drive her home..I was scared to carry her in her baby carrier down some stairs..I was afraid to hold her and I did not want anyone else to hold her and didnt even like the way the nurses handled her. I called an ambulance twice because I was afraid she was very ill. It was absolutely horrible..but dont worry it gets much much easier. She is now five months and I have relaxed probably 85 percent compared to what I was.

Answer 7

You sound like me! I'm 9 and a half months pregnant with my first child and I'm scared to death (and incredibly paranoid) about EVERYTHING and he's not even here yet. I imagine that it is normal only because you have a fear of the unknown. I'm sure once we experience a cold or something for the first time, we won't worry so much but until then - you won't know how you or your child is going to react!
Congratulations and good luck to you!

Answer 8

Oh, my goodness - yes!! I was a wreck with my little boy. I actually cried myself to sleep more than once, I was so scared of SIDS. He's just so little you can't comprehend how his little body could take sickness. It does get easier as they get older, but mine's 18 mos now and I still get that way sometimes. We just love them so much we want to protect them. You sound like you're going to be a great dad.

Answer 9

Quote from the movie Parenthood... "You know how it is. You won't let the first kid read a book because you're afraid they'll get a paper cut. By the time the 3rd one comes along you'd let him juggle knives if you could just watch the news in peace!"

You're fine. Baby's fine. You just love him, that's all. RELAX, enjoy, he'll be a teenager before you know it!

Answer 10

I think it is perfectly normal. We get these bundles of joy and we are so scared something is going to happen to them, that we find ourselves getting up several times a night to just make sure they are breathing and touch them every time we get up. Just don't go to overboard, if you find these symptoms don't go away or get better you may need to see a doctor. That is what happened to me and I had post partum depression. Best wishes with that new bundle of joy.