Reflection sessions
Have you had a difficult or traumatic birth? Recently or some years ago? Do you want to talk about what happened and have space for your story to be heard? Do you want to explore how you feel around future pregnancies?
Birth trauma is not just about what happened during labour and the birth. It can also refer to your experiences and the way you were cared for before, during and afterwards.
Attending a Birth Reflection session with me gives you the opportunity to tell your story in a safe, supportive space where you will be heard. You’ll be able to process your experience and feelings and talk about your struggles with someone who recognises that how you feel about your birth matters.
Sharing your experience can help you with the healing process which is important when considering future pregnancies. I have lived experience of two traumatic births and have had my own journey towards recovery and healing.
Each birth experience is unique. How you feel about your birth experience will be different to how someone else feels about their birth. How you feel about your birthing experience matters and you deserve the time and space to process what happened.
Birth sessions are a one off session, sessions cost £50 for 60 minutes. To book a Birth Reflection with me or find out more information please contact me using the contact form.
Some further information about birth trauma is provided below which we will discuss in more depth during our session.
What is Birth Trauma?
Birth trauma is real and affects 1 in 4 women. The trauma experienced could be due to a number of experiences before, during or after birth.
There are numerous reasons why a birthing experience can be traumatic.
*The potential threat to the baby or Mothers life
*Medical interventions such as forceps, caesarean section, episiotomy etc
*Injury to Mother or baby
*A long painful, distressing labour
*Feeling out of control
*A difficult pregnancy
*Not being heard, taken seriously, given choices
*Lack of information, explanation around medical procedures
*A baby needing to spend time in special care
*The loss of a baby during childbirth
*Previous trauma
A Traumatic birth doesn’t always result in Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Around 3-4% of women go on to develop Postnatal PTSD. Symptoms can include struggling to bond with your baby, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, hypervigilance, low self-esteem, feeling numb; and extreme anxiety that makes life challenging.
Many women have some trauma symptoms, but not enough for a PTSD diagnosis. We use the term “birth trauma” for those who feel that their traumatic birth is continuing to affect them.
Effects of traumatic birth
A traumatic birth affects people in different ways. It can take some time to come to terms with what has happened. Your relationship with your new baby, partner, friends and family might be affected along with some of the symptoms listed above.
If you notice these symptoms continuing for longer than around four weeks after the birth, then you could be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can also develop weeks, months or even years after the birth. If you are struggling speak to someone that you trust, a family member, friends, GP or Health Visitor. There is support out there, you don’t have to do this on your own.
Further information
Birth Trauma Association https://www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk/
Make Birth Better https://www.makebirthbetter.org/
Tommys premature baby support https://www.tommys.org/
Sands baby loss support https://www.sands.org.uk/