Recovering From A Traumatic Birth

We’ll say it – birth is no walk in the park. And for some, the experience (or what comes after) can even lead to posttraumatic stress disorder. Here’s how you can cope, writes Robyn Lawrenson

- Robyn Lawrenson

WHAT IS PTSD?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that develops after a person has experienced a traumatic event. This could be a car accident, hijacking, near-death experience, or in this case, a traumatic birth.

Somatic psychologist Susanne Babble says, “PTSD is very different from postnatal depression (PND). The former occurs as a result of trauma (or perceived trauma) during delivery, while the latter happens because of hormonal changes in a woman’s body as a natural result of giving birth. Nevertheless, these two conditions are linked together in some cases, and can certainly exacerbate one another. It’s important to distinguish between the two so that you can seek the most effective means of treatment.”

WHAT COULD MAKE BIRTH (AND BEYOND) TRAUMATIC?

If you went through distress while giving birth, it’s referred to as a traumatic, or difficult, birth. You might have wanted a natural water birth, but landed up having an emergency caesarean section. You may have suffered immense pain, experienced a tear, or needed an assisted birth. And that’s the thing with birth: it often doesn’t go exactly according to plan.