What is Birth Trauma and PTSD?
Pregnancy and giving birth are meant to be some of the most exciting times in a woman’s life, right? But what if it isn’t? There are many women who experience extreme morning sickness, aches, pains, and many other physical ailments – not to mention the rollercoaster of hormones flooding through your body. However, it all becomes worth it when the baby finally comes! But sometimes the baby comes – and it isn’t at all how you expected it would be. Sometimes there are unforeseen difficulties that can cause problems during birth and suddenly this experience that is supposed to be miraculous and beautiful, ends up being scary, traumatic and isolating. If you’ve experienced any of these scared or isolated feelings following a difficult birth, or feel like you had a traumatic birth you aren’t alone. Many women actually experience this, and it caused by something called “birth trauma” – just know that you aren’t alone, and you can move past this!
What Exactly is Birth Trauma?
Birth trauma is a distress experienced by the birthing parent during or after childbirth. The non-birthing parent can also experience the distress and trauma from this traumatic birthing event because they often witnessed The act causing the trauma can be physical but the physical piece of it isn’t the trauma – the trauma often refers to the feelings of distress and loneliness, or isolation following the event (pregnancybirth&baby, 2021). Oftentimes when a distressing or fear-inducing event takes place during labor and delivery, this can cause very intense and uncontrollable emotions. Once the birthing is complete, you may be left feeling numb, empty, or unheard – you may even experience very intense anxiety or panic attacks. These are signs that you have experienced birth trauma and may benefit from birth trauma therapy to process what occurred during labor and delivery and be able to feel whole and like yourself again. If you notice any of these symptoms following your delivery/birthing experience, please know that you are not alone – it is estimated that about 1 in 3 women who give birth will experience a birth trauma. If you feel that you have, therapy for birth trauma can be incredibly beneficial as it can allow you to process the emotions and fears around your birth. Couples counseling or marriage counseling can also be really beneficial to allow you both to process the event, promoting communication versus distance in your marriage.
What is PTSD?
PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder, and it is a disorder associated with someone who has experienced a traumatic event that they are struggling to process. Trauma comes in all shapes and sizes, and what may be considered “traumatic” to some may not be considered “traumatic” to others. Therefore, it is important to remember that you cannot compare your unique experiences to other people who may have gone through something similar. Giving birth is a unique experience to every single mother and parent out there, and birth trauma is the same. Therefore, if you experienced a labor and/or delivery that was quite scary and has left you feeling anxious, panicky, alone, numb, and generally just “not yourself” – it is important to NOT ignore those feelings. It is your body’s way of telling you that what you experienced was traumatizing and you may need some help processing it! PTSD is something that can result from experiencing the birth trauma – and is typically characterized by a multitude of symptoms, but the most common include difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, feeling intense fear, intense anxiety, panic attacks, irritability, or extreme guilt or shame. If you are feeling any of these symptoms, it would likely be in your best interest to reach out to someone specializing in birth trauma therapy, or trauma therapy in general to support you in processing and healing.
Can Birth Trauma be Prevented?
The short answer is no. Unfortunately, giving birth is one of those things that you can plan for, and still everything can turn out differently than you’d hoped. However, there are some things that can be done to try to prepare you as much as possible, such as, taking childbirth classes, giving yourself realistic expectations for labor and delivery, keeping an open mind, establishing a support network, and seeking mental health support before giving birth – especially if you are prone to anxiety and/or depression (pregnancybirth&baby, 2021). There are many things in life that are unpredictable, and childbirth falls into that category. However, preparing and establishing mental health support beforehand with a therapist familiar with and specializing in therapy for birth trauma can be incredibly beneficial for your health and happiness following giving birth!
We offer Counseling to Help you with Birth Trauma and PTSD
We have amazing therapists on our team that not only specialize in working with individuals that have experienced trauma, but more specifically individuals that have experienced birth trauma! If you recently gave birth and it was not the experience you thought it would be, and you are left feeling “not quite right”, or if you are still pregnant and preparing for childbirth – we can be there to help you alone the journey. Our team of therapists in Miami are experts in the field and offer some of the best counseling in Miami. Pregnancy and childbirth are incredible acts of courage, and sometimes don’t always follow our plan. Reach out to us today if you feel like you might benefit from birth trauma therapy, or trauma therapy in general – we would love to help!
References
Information Retrieved from a pregnancybirth&baby.com article titled “Birth Trauma”.