Mothers’ lived experiences of anxiety after birth: An existential phenomenological study

The concept of anxiety after birth has attracted interest from researchers in recent years, however there are no studies which examine this from an existential phenomenological standpoint. The aim of this study was to explore women’s lived experiences of maternal anxiety from a new perspective. Eight mothers were interviewed to obtain detailed experiential accounts which were analysed using Van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Three emergent themes were identified: 1. Being taken over; 2. Being uncertain; 3. Being with others. These themes illustrate the ontological nature of maternal anxiety in its embodied, ambiguous and interpersonal dimensions. Insights into the relational, transitional and temporal nature of postnatal anxiety are presented. The discussion recognises implications for therapeutic practice, highlighting that it is essential to listen beyond clinical language and attend closely to lived experience itself. Therapy has a vital role in assisting mothers to explore their maternal identity, uncertainties and anxious feelings. The study shows that in addition to the considerable distress that anxiety after birth can bring, it also serves a protective function when understood from an existential context. Exploring mothers’ lived experience provides an alternative to a medicalised view of postnatal anxiety, offering insights that can inform therapeutic care.