Birth is a life-altering event. However, childbirth for some parents is not the euphoric and empowering experience they wished for. It can be a traumatic event, not only physically and emotionally, but one whose impacts translate even after discharge from the hospital.
Birth trauma may be in the form of unexpected medical intervention, complications with a threat on a woman’s or her baby’s life, or feelings that characterized labor. It does take time to heal from a traumatic birth. While every parent’s experience may vary, specific strategies can help you get back on track.
Seek Professional Support
If your birth experience left you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or unable to enjoy early motherhood, professional support can be life-changing. Birth trauma specialists, therapists trained in PTSD, and postpartum mental health professionals can provide coping strategies to manage anxiety and grief.
This may also be in the form of support from pediatric specialists, early intervention programs, and parent advocacy groups for parents whose babies had complications, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, to sort their way through long-term medical care.
Acknowledge Your Experience Without Guilt
One of the most challenging sides of birth trauma is the guilt that so many parents report. Sometimes, a mom feels guilty when complications arise, or perhaps she feels shame because this was not the “perfect birth” they had envisioned. First of all, know that it’s not your fault. Childbirth is unpredictable, and sometimes trauma just happens even when everything is going perfectly, according to plan.
Discussing your experience with a trusted partner, friend, or support group may be very helpful and can be incredibly validating. Writing in a journal or talking with others with similar experiences can also help process your emotions.
Prioritize Your Physical Recovery
Recovery from birth trauma involves healing, which is essential. The processes would depend on the type of birth, one being a CS or any complications experienced. Commonly, postpartum recovery includes time to allow for C-section or perineal tear healing with appropriate wound care and rest, pain management with doctor-approved medications, warm compresses, and gentle movement, and seeking pelvic floor therapy for sharp pains, weakness, or incontinence.
It’s essential not to hurry back into exercise or strenuous activities and to listen to one’s body. Taking care of your physical health supports recovery, but it will also help restore a sense of control over one’s body after a challenging birth experience.
Advocate For Yourself In Future Births
The thought of planning another pregnancy after a traumatic birth is overwhelming, but the steps one takes to advocate for one’s needs can make a huge difference. This may include finding a birth team doctor, midwife, or doula that prioritizes trauma-informed care, creating a detailed birth plan that outlines your preferences while remaining flexible, and processing your previous experience through therapy or support groups before entering another pregnancy.
Others do the same with a different environment the next time, maybe having gone to the hospital previously, this time trying a birth center, and vice versa. You aim to create a scenario wherein you feel heard and supported with options.
Conclusion
Healing from a traumatic birth is not linear. Some days will go easier, and some days, even months and years later, you’ll bump into that trigger of a feeling. Allow yourself patience and grace in the process.
This can make all the difference for those parents whose traumas are related to complications like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: ongoing medical and emotional support. Meeting and connecting with other families with similar challenges is reassuring and educational.
Whatever the circumstances of your birth, know this: your experience matters and your healing is important. Trauma does not define your journey as a parent, and with the proper support, recovery is possible.