Is It Possible To Experience Trauma About A Birthing Experience?
It’s likely that not one single person on this earth thinks the birthing experience is easy. It can be mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging for the mother, the partner, and the child itself.
Regardless, most people think of childbirth as this miraculous or even magical experience and it definitely can be. However, this doesn’t mean that every birth will feel like this.
The reality is, sometimes the birthing experience isn’t as magical as it seems. In fact, it can be downright scary. So it is possible to experience surrounding the birthing experience? It absolutely is. Here’s how.
Trauma and the birth
You can go to classes to help prepare you for the birth. You can do everything in your power to make sure everything is planned out and ready to go according to plan. But the birthing experience is always something of a wildcard.
There can be complications during the birthing process. Maybe at some point, there was an intense fear that the mother or baby could lose their life. Many women find that this a really intense and stressful period being in labor. Emotions are already high, but when they stay in a prolonged period of distress, it can later lead to trauma surrounding the birth.
Trauma outside of the labor itself
Sometimes, outside sources can be the cause of a stressful and traumatic birthing experience. The mother may have dealt with a staff that wasn’t as friendly as they could have been. Or, they may have felt as if things weren’t explained well enough to them about the actual procedure.
Alternatively, if a woman did not feel as if she had proper support from either her partner or family, it can make labor even more distressing. Feeling alone, unsupported, and afraid during huge life moments can definitely cause the birthing experience to feel traumatic.
It’s also common for women who experienced past trauma (such as abuse, car accidents, or witnessing a crime) to find labor also traumatizing. This is due to the fact that once trauma occurs, any event that is highly distressing, like labor, can be naturally seen as traumatic by the human brain.
How to deal with birth trauma
No matter what happened during your labor, you aren’t crazy for classifying it as a traumatic experience. It’s already a highly emotional and stressful time. Even if what you perceived to be traumatic isn’t viewed the same by someone else – that does not make it any less real or scary for you.
Keep realistic expectations
If you are pregnant still, it’s important to make sure your expectations of the birthing experience and the reality of it are kept in check. Do a lot of research and preparation for the actual birth or labor process. Knowing what to expect ahead of time can help you feel a little more connected and prepared for the process which can help prevent the experience from being too traumatizing.
Find the right support
Knowing who you can rely on to keep you calm and grounded during the birthing experience is crucial. Since it is already a stressful time as it is, it’s best to not rely on anyone for emotional support who can stress you out on a normal day.
Having a few people you know you can call on during labor to talk to them can help you feel not alone during this process.
This is also important after birth as well. No one expects childbirth to be easy and most will be able to sympathize with the fact that yours wasn’t the experience you had thought it would be.
If you are wondering how to heal from birth trauma or prevent it, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We can help you with postpartum counseling or trauma therapy.