If you are a new parent in New York—whether you’re navigating the busy streets of the Bronx or the quiet hills of Ithaca—you’ve likely experienced a "what if" moment.

What if I trip while carrying the baby down the stairs? What if the bathwater is too hot? What if I accidentally hurt my child?

For many, these thoughts are fleeting. But for others, these intrusive thoughts about the baby become loud, repetitive, and terrifying. When these thoughts start to dictate your day, it’s important to understand the difference between standard "new parent nerves" and Postpartum OCD symptoms.

If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve probably seen the "pregnancy glow" everywhere. It’s usually a photo of a perfectly serene woman in a flowy dress, looking completely at peace.

But for many of the women I work with at Towner Therapy, the reality of pregnancy feels a lot less like a "glow" and a lot more like a constant, buzzing hum of "what ifs."