Read the video transcript
Okay, let's talk about one of my favorite techniques for postpartum anxiety. It's called the worry window and let me show you how it works. So this is literally just in my notes app, nothing fancy. I keep a note called my worries and this is where I write down any worries that pop up in my mind during the day. And at the top of my list, I keep a little key. A check mark means that there's a tiny action that I can take on this worry. And the squiggly means that I have to accept uncertainty and set this worry aside. And this is important because it helps your brain realize that not every worry needs a solution. Some just need a place to live. Some just need to be acknowledged. So when a new thought hits like this one, I just drop it right into the list. The goal isn't to fix it right now. It's to get it out of your head and into a container that you control. During your worry window, which is a 10 minute space that you choose each day, you can come back and go through these one by one. And you can label each one with a check mark if there's a tiny action or a squiggly if it's an uncertainty that I can't solve. So this keeps you from spiraling all day. And it teaches your brain that you don't have to have a plan for every worry, at least not right this second. It's honestly one of the quickest ways to interrupt postpartum anxiety because it creates boundaries where your brain thinks that there aren't any. So try it tonight. One note, one list, one tiny window. It changes so much.
The worry window is one of my favorite tools for postpartum anxiety. You keep a running list of worries on your phone, then give yourself ten minutes each day to look at them. The useful part is deciding which worry has a small action you can take and which one asks you to live with some uncertainty.
In the video above, I show my own note. Nothing fancy: one list, a check mark and a squiggle. Here's how to try it without turning it into one more thing you have to get right.
How do I set up a worry window?
Open a note on your phone and call it “My worries.” Put a little key at the top:
- Check mark: There's a small action I can take.
- Squiggle: I can't make this certain right now.
Pick a ten-minute time you can reasonably come back to most days. After lunch, before the evening routine, whenever fits. It doesn't need to be the same minute every day, and missing a day doesn't undo anything.
When a worry shows up, add a sentence to the list. You might write, “What if daycare is hard for her?” Then return to what you were doing. You have a time to come back to it.
The window is for anxious what-ifs. A new symptom, a possible safety issue or a question your pediatrician wants to hear about today needs attention today. Don't use the list to put off medical care or a real safety check.
What do I do with the list?
During your ten minutes, read each worry and decide: check mark or squiggle?
“I haven't asked daycare how they handle naps.” Check mark. Write down one small action: send that question tomorrow.
“What if she has a hard day even after we've talked about naps?” Squiggle. You can make a plan and still be unable to guarantee how her day will go.
“What if I'm not doing a good enough job?” Before you start reviewing every choice you've made this week, notice how broad the question is. There may be no answer that will satisfy it for long. That one can sit with the squiggles.
Not every worry needs a solution. Some need to be acknowledged, and some need one practical step. Sorting them gives you a way to stop treating every thought as an instruction to act.
When the ten minutes are up, close the note. If you've identified an action, put it somewhere you'll remember to do it. More thinking isn't required to finish the exercise.
What if the same worry keeps coming back?
It probably will, especially at first. Try: “I've written that down. I'll come back to it during my window.” You may still feel anxious after saying it. You're practicing returning to your day with the worry there.
Be careful about using the window to check the same thing repeatedly. If you've already received an answer from your baby's clinician and keep searching for another one, write down the urge to search. Bringing that pattern to a therapist can be more useful than finding one more reassuring article. Constant fear about your baby's safety can be part of this loop.
If writing the list becomes a ritual you feel compelled to repeat perfectly, pause and talk with a clinician. The tool is meant to help you make room in your day.
Is there research behind scheduled worry time?
Yes. It's a CBT technique often called worry postponement. In a 2024 Leiden University meta-analysis of seven randomized trials, people who postponed worries reported small reductions in the time they spent worrying and how often they worried, compared with people who only recorded their worries. Those studies weren't with new moms, and they generally used longer windows than the ten minutes I suggest.
I suggest ten minutes because it's more realistic with a baby. Treat it as a skill to practice, with modest expectations. It can be part of treatment, and it isn't a replacement when anxiety is running your days. Postpartum anxiety versus new-mom stress can help you describe what you're noticing.
When should I ask for more help?
Talk to your OB, midwife, doctor or a therapist if worry is taking up much of the day, keeping you from sleeping when you have the chance, or making it hard to eat, work or enjoy time with your baby. Repeated checking, avoiding ordinary activities and panic attacks also deserve attention.
Scary, unwanted thoughts can occur with postpartum anxiety and OCD. Having one doesn't mean you want to act on it. If they're recurring or distressing, tell a clinician; this explanation of intrusive thoughts can help you find words for the conversation.
Chest pain, trouble breathing and a racing heart need medical assessment, rather than an assumption that they're anxiety. Get medical care right away, and call 911 if symptoms are severe.
If you're thinking about suicide or need crisis support, call or text 988. Call 911 if you or your baby is in immediate danger. For non-emergency support, call or text Postpartum Support International's HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773; a trained volunteer will get back to you.
A therapist can help you decide which worries need action and how to respond to the ones that keep asking for certainty. Postpartum anxiety treatment can include these skills alongside other approaches tailored to you.
If you'd like to talk it through, you can book a free 15-minute consultation. I see moms in person in Austin and online across Texas and 40+ PSYPACT states.
Try starting with the note. You can learn the rest as you go.
Sources
- Dippel A, Brosschot JF, Verkuil B. Effects of worry postponement on daily worry: a meta-analysis. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 2024.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: When Unwanted Thoughts or Repetitive Behaviors Take Over. 2023.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Perinatal Depression. Revised 2023.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. What to Expect.
- Postpartum Support International. Perinatal Mental Health: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment and Get Help.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Urgent Maternal Warning Signs and Symptoms. HEAR HER Campaign, 2024.
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Learn About Postpartum TherapyFrequently asked questions
- What is the worry window technique?
- Keep a running note of worries and choose about ten minutes each day to review it. Mark a worry with a check if there is a small action you can take, or a squiggle if it asks for certainty you can't have. Medical or safety concerns that need attention now should be acted on now.
- Does scheduling worry time actually work?
- Research on worry postponement suggests modest benefits, though the studies discussed here weren't with new moms. Think of it as a skill you can practice, rather than a promise that worries will stop. It can be used alongside treatment when anxiety is affecting your life.
- How long does it take for CBT skills like the worry window to help?
- There is no set timeline. Notice whether the practice helps you spend less time responding to each worry, even if anxious feelings still show up. If symptoms are worsening or taking over the day, seek support rather than waiting for the technique to work.
- What can I do in the moment when postpartum anxiety spikes?
- Ask whether there's a real symptom or safety concern that needs action. For a familiar what-if loop, write the worry down and return to it during your planned window. A comfortable slow breath or noticing your feet on the floor may help you pause; get medical care for chest pain or trouble breathing.
- Can self-help skills replace therapy for postpartum anxiety?
- No, self-help isn't a substitute when anxiety is significantly affecting sleep, care, work or daily life. A therapist can help you adapt skills and assess repeated checking or intrusive thoughts. For suicidal thoughts or crisis support, call or text 988; call 911 for immediate danger.
Dr. Jana Rundle
Licensed Psychologist, PsyD, PMH-C
