Phobias, strong fears related to particular situations, are the most common anxiety problems. People often find a way to live with them in normal life, often by avoiding situations that trigger the fear. Pregnancy and the postnatal period makes this very difficult in the case of two particular phobias, fear of blood, injections and injury (BII) , and fear of vomiting. These situations are impossible to avoid completely at this time and can therefore be very distressing. Fear of vomiting is often related to early memories of this, and keeps going in the present by avoidance and taking particular precautions that keep the anxiety going. This chapter will help you understand and work through these factors to tackle your fears. BII is unique in triggering a fainting response and probably has a large genetic component rather than being learned. We describe proven techniques to apply during exposure exercises to counteract the fainting response triggered in BII, which are known to have a long-lasting effect. Getting on top of these fears will help you manage and enjoy pregnancy and the postnatal year.

This chapter explains what avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is and provides diverse and relatable case examples of each of the three prototypical ARFID presentations, including sensory sensitivity, fear of aversive consequences, and lack of interest in eating or food.