HI there Hullywood86,
Welcome to the forum. I can speak from the voice of a Nurse but mostly in this post I can speak from my own experience as a new mum and how challenging it can be to manage worry.
The perinatal period (defined from pregnancy to one year post birth) is a fragile time for new families (mums and dads included) and there are some specific support sites and services available to you.
A good place for you to have a read is on the PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia) website. They have some good resources as well as a support line that deals specifically with anxiety and depression during the perinatal time. The link to this site is here https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/during-pregnancy
Another great resource is Raising Children with a link to the site here https://raisingchildren.net.au/pregnancy/health-wellbeing/mental-health/stress-pregnancy
You are so right in that 'being supportive' and 'fixing' are two different things. You can't just fix anxiety but by being supportive, you can possibly get your partner to see a health professional. I suppose one of the things that is important is to listen and not offer solutions or questions. Just listen without judging. For example, if you ask, "what exactly are you worried about...?" and they respond and when you want to say or offer a solution ...just keep listening even longer (even if it is silent for a few minutes) and give space to her words.
Acknowledging rather than offering solutions is also a good strategy. For example, if you partner says they are worried about ________, then you might say..."that sounds really scary" rather than pointing out reasons why it is not a real fear.
You could indicate to your partner that it is normal to feel worried but that you are concerned she is worrying too much and that you want to help. You could suggest that you both go and talk to the GP/Maternity Care Nurse together. If she doesn't feel comfortable talking in front of you, then you could take her to the appointment and wait for her, and when she's done, be waiting outside (with ice cream)'.
These are just some tips and sites to get you started, but please continue to reach out with more questions.
Nurse Jenn
