Laura Lynch, from Boroughbridge, only found out she had lost her first child when she underwent a routine 12-week scan.
Just a few months later she discovered she was pregnant again.
“Since I found out so early that I was pregnant, it impacted my enjoyment around the pregnancy, and I was convinced I was going to lose this baby as well,” said Laura.
Laura experienced health anxiety – a condition sparked after a routine appointment at the opticians, suggested something more serious that needed investigating.
At the time she had to wait two weeks for the results of tests, which left her barely able to concentrate – the same feeling she had during her second pregnancy.
“I would wake up at night and instantly think about my pregnancy,” she said.
“What would normally be a two-minute window in which I could go back to sleep would turn into a 15/20-minute period which was full of negative and intruding thoughts.
“I was always catastrophizing the situation.”
Laura found herself unable and unwilling to picture her life with a child until after her 20-week scan proved normal – as she was always fearing the worst.
At the same time, her GP became concerned about her high blood pressure, tearful moods and feelings of distraction and referred her to our North Yorkshire Talking Therapies service for support.
The service gives perinatal support for women during or after pregnancy who may experience mental health issues such as anxiety.
Within two weeks Laura had her first session with Ellen – who acknowledged that Laura was thinking negatively before anything had happened.
Ellen taught Laura the ‘take the thought to court’ process, which she encourages her colleagues at work to use.
“Instead of saying ‘if’ something goes wrong, I would always start with ‘when’ something goes wrong. I was informed that this was an unhealthy thinking pattern,” said Laura.
“Ellen taught me how to examine why you feel a certain way and how to rationalise between feelings. I feel so much now equipped to deal with anything if something was to go wrong.”
Laura went on to give birth to a son, Dougie, and both are doing well.
“To begin with I felt betrayed by my body,” she said. “But Talking Therapies helped me focus on what I needed to do. It also made my relationship with my husband stronger.
“I can’t recommend the service enough.”
It is believed that one in four people experience mental ill health at some point in their lives.
For more information on our Talking Therapies services, please head to the Talking Therapies website
