Healing Birth Trauma
Understanding Birth Trauma and Its Impact
Birth trauma is any physical or emotional distress you may experience during or after childbirth. - March of Dimes
Birth trauma is not your fault and you are not alone. Many birthing people have experienced birth trauma and many have recovered from birth trauma. According to research by the National Institutes of Health, up to 45% of new birthing parents have reported experiencing birth trauma.
Some experiences of birth trauma are hypervigilance, worry about your health and your baby’s health, intrusive thoughts, trouble sleeping, anxiety, depression, numbness, having a hard time being with your baby, nightmares, and headaches. You may be experiencing other things as well that are making life difficult.
If you are struggling, you are not alone, and connecting with others who know what it feels like can be very supportive and healing. There are multiple ways to find a safe, loving community where you can heal.
Somatic Practices and Tools for Healing Birth Trauma
Birth trauma, like any other trauma, impacts us on many levels. The way we experience life is largely impacted by the autonomic nervous system. When we start to befriend and work with our nervous system, we will start to see significant changes in how we feel.
We have nervous system regulation tools that we share on videos and in other content that can be a beautiful support for you as you heal from birth trauma. Our Healing from Medical Trauma course has nervous system regulation practices and can also be a very supportive resource for you in this time.
How Birth Trauma Support Can Help
When you have experienced birth trauma, it impacts all aspects of your life. We know you want to feel better and you can! It takes work, but there are many birth trauma support resources that can help.
Birth trauma support groups can be incredibly helpful because you are in a community with other mothers who understand the challenges birth trauma brings. Being in supportive community is healing. Sarah offers a support group for moms in Texas via Loving Parents an Austin nonprofit. You can find out more here.
Postpartum Support International has chapters all over the US. They offer free support groups and other resources.
There are many therapists around the country who specialize in working with new mothers who have experienced birth trauma. It is important to find a therapist that you connect with and who is also experienced in working with people in the perinatal period. Shelley Freeman, MS, LCMHC is a therapist who works with moms in the Southeast US who have experienced birth trauma. She and Sarah did a three part podcast series on birth trauma which you can find here.
Birth Trauma Podcast Series to Guide You on Your Healing Journey
Sarah Stasica and Shelley Freeman both have a passion for being with women in the perinatal period. Sarah became a doula over ten years ago and had the privilege of being with women in one of the most impactful events of their lives. She is also a trauma informed yoga teacher, peer specialist and social worker. Sarah brings these experiences and education into how she shows up with others and how she engages with podcast guests. Shelley is a therapist who focuses on working with mothers and uses EMDR among other therapeutic modalities to help people process and heal from birth trauma. Sarah and Shelley created a three part series on birth trauma for the Medical Trauma Support podcast.
We hope you will listen along and feel supported on your birth trauma healing journey.
Birth Trauma Episode One
Are you looking for help healing from birth trauma? We have released a three part series focused on birth trauma and healing that I hope will be helpful for you. Check out the Medical Trauma Support podcast and follow us to be notified as new episodes drop.
Birth Trauma Episode Two
Our second episode is about how birth trauma impacts the postpartum period for moms. We also talk about how new moms need to be nurtured just like they are nurturing their new baby. This episode is great for anyone preparing for their birth or anyone who loves a pregnant or postpartum mom. Check out the episode here and please follow us to be notified as new episodes drop.
Birth Trauma Episode Three
In this episode we talk about healing from birth trauma and offer some tips for people navigating birth trauma. Shelley explains how EMDR works and how it can help people in the healing process. Check out the third episode here and follow us to be notified as new episodes drop.