We can try to prepare for birth and hope that things go according to plan, but even with the best intentions – birth trauma occurs far more often than you’d think.
By talking more about birth trauma, we can help the mamas suffering identify when it’s going on and get the help and support they need to find peace.
The thing about traumatic birth is that it can happen to anyone. There are no set of criteria that define birth trauma, and truly only the birthing mama gets to decide if her birth caused trauma.
Birth trauma can make it difficult to bond with baby and puts you at a greater risk for mental health complications such as postnatal PTSD, postpartum depression, and postpartum anxiety.
But luckily, there are some things that you can do to help process your experience and find peace in your birth story. Read on to learn more!
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According to PATTCh, an organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of traumatic childbirth, “a birth is defined as traumatic if the woman was or believed she or her baby was in danger of injury or death, and she felt helpless, out of control, or alone, and can occur at any point in labor and birth (Beck, 2004a).”
But what’s essential to note is that this definition is based on how things were perceived by the birthing mama and does not take into account the opinions of the healthcare providers involved.
In other words, birth trauma exists whenever an individual says that her birth is traumatic. And while it’s hard to quantify, research suggests that up to 45% of new mothers report experiencing birth trauma (source).
But in no way is this an exhaustive list! Birth can result in trauma for countless reasons, with the bottom line always being that only you can define your birth as traumatic.
What might look like a positive or “normal” birth experience to an outsider might result in deep trauma for the mother. And on the other hand, a birth that looked negative or traumatic may not result in trauma if the mother is coping well.
There can be no assumptions when it comes to traumatic birth, and best practice is to tread with compassion and allow all mamas the space and support they need to process their experience.
Like I said in the introduction, birth trauma is something we need to be talking about more so that more mamas can recognize and process their experience. This is because a traumatic birth puts mom at an increased risk for perinatal mood disorders.
This includes more common obstacles like postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, but the less talked about postpartum PTSD is of particular concern for mamas with birth trauma.
In addition to the psychological impacts of birth trauma on mama’s day-to-day life, birth trauma can also impact breastfeeding and mother-infant bonding.
We already talked about how traumatic birth can happen to any mother, but researchers are looking at what might put some women at higher risk.
Here are some of the findings from a 2015 literature review aimed at “Understanding Psychological Traumatic Birth Experiences”:
Because it isn’t talked about as often, I want to get a little more into the warning signs and signals of postnatal PTSD. This way, you’ll be able to identify if you could be suffering from the effects of birth trauma.
I so often hear from mamas that they have no idea what they are feeling isn’t “normal” for postpartum. They have no idea birth trauma is a thing, and also might not realize their PPD/PPA could all be traced back to a traumatic birth.
Occasional postnatal PTSD is misdiagnosed as PPD or PPA as well.
To be diagnosed with postnatal PTSD after birth, providers look for the prevalence of at least 9 defining symptoms. While only an estimated 1-3% of women are diagnosed with full-blown PTSD after birth, a much larger percentage, as many as 25% have at least one or more symptoms. Researchers also estimate that undiagnosed PTSD could be as high as 17% of new mothers! (source)
These statistics are staggering, and quite frankly we need to be doing more to support mothers and help them work through birth trauma!
Some of the things that characterize postnatal PTSD include (source):
The major difference to note between PTSD and other perinatal mood disorders is that PTSD is caused by the way our brain has processed the memory of the event.
PTSD is always event-related whereas postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety aren’t tied to a single event.
If you think you are experiencing birth trauma, there is a lot you can do to feel better!
While the bulk of this article has been about how to identify and cope with birth trauma, I want to include some suggestions of how to prevent birth trauma too.
This might be for first-time mamas worried about this happening to them, but it’s also for the mamas that suffered and want to be proactive the second time around.
Related Reading: 23 Ways to Advocate for Yourself During Birth
I’ve mentioned a few times the power of talking and telling your birth story as a way to process traumatic birth. But listening to the stories of other women that suffered birth trauma can be extremely liberating too!
It’s easy to feel isolated and lonely in your experience. And while your birth experience is unique to you, hearing the stories of others can make you feel less alone.
I’m going to wrap up this article with a list of just a few of the incredible birth stories shared on the Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast for you to hear:
And leave you with some resources that can help you get the help you need. Because you can process your traumatic birth and find peace <3