Most people have heard of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and associate it with the effects of a traffic accident or war related experience. What many do not realise is that in Ireland Postpartum or Perinatal PTSD (PPTSD) is a birth trauma affecting 3% of all new mothers and approximately 6% of women following an emergency caesarean section. (HSE, 2017)

The cause of perinatal trauma is unique to each woman however it can be caused by feeling loss of control, vulnerability or danger to themselves or their baby i.e. premature labour, unplanned C-Section, prolapsed cord, postpartum haemorrhage, use of a vacuum extractor/forceps to deliver the baby, or any need for the baby to go into a neonatal intensive care unit. Uncomplicated vaginal delivery, breastfeeding problems and sleep deprivation can also be very traumatic for a mother.

I experienced PPTSD when after being diagnosed with severe preeclampsia I was rushed to hospital for an emergency cesarean-section. Although the surgeon and nursing staff were wonderful it was a traumatic experience for both my husband and I. I was disappointed not to have had the natural birth I had planned and although I was positive and seemed to recover quickly shortly afterwards I slipped into post natal depression and a fog that left me exhausted and made everything seem overwhelming.

Some women who elect to have a home birth and have to transition to a hospital birth find the experience traumatic as staff are on high alert, the lights are bright and the hospital busy. One of my clients who got airlifted in from an island said “My midwife called for the air ambulance as she felt I was getting tired, and she did not want to risk that I would become exhausted. The transition into the helicopter was calm and relaxed the journey was comfortable and I retained my birthing mindset, however when we landed the hospital staff were on red alert, shouting, excited and in a hurry,. My midwife tried to explain that everything was normal and we were only transferring to the hospital as a precaution but no one seemed to be listening, I felt powerless as they induced me it was almost like I didn’t matter…” Many women feel powerless during their birthing experience and poor communication and/or lack of support and reassurance during delivery can make delivery a traumatic experience.

PTSD is caused by the failure of the brain to process memories in the normal way, so a trauma or fear that happened in the past still feels real and present. Women who have experienced a previous trauma, such as rape or sexual abuse, are at a higher risk of experiencing Postpartum PTSD.

Birth trauma can lead to feelings of detachment or depression, general anxiety and panic attacks. Some may constantly re-live what happened in their mind and may experience nightmares, flashbacks, feeling overly emotional or hyper vigilant. Keeping busy or using alcohol or drugs may be used to avoid feelings and memories.

Tocophobia (an extreme fear of childbirth) can be trigger by thinking or even talking about pregnancy. It is thought that up to 6% of women (Gosselin 2016) experience Tocophobia, it can predate a woman’s first pregnancy or can be a direct consequence of a previous traumatic delivery.

Perinatal trauma is treatable, however if left untreated it can attach itself to other events, and a growing sense of fear to situations that seem totally unrelated.

Grief and loss are also traumatic and mothers and birth partners can experience traumatic grief from miscarriage, termination of pregnancy, fertility problems and loss of a baby.

If you have experienced a birth trauma or have a fear of childbirth and would like to rebuild your confidence and dissolve the strong negative emotions attached to the memory then hypnotherapy can help, contact Amanda in confidence.