Week 4: Birth reflections Flashcards
What is birth trauma?
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - a set of normal reactions to a traumatic, scary or bad experience (in this case, birth)
What are the characteristics of birth trauma?
Fear, helplessness or horror to that experience
Persistent re-experiencing of the event- memories, flashbacks and nightmares
The individual usually feels distressed, anxious or panicky when exposed to things that remind them of the event
Avoidance of anything that reminds them of the trauma
Often difficulty with sleeping and concentrating
May feel angry, anger can be projected to the baby for causing this bad experience. Bonding can be delayed
Irritable, may be hyper vigilant (feel jumpy or on their guard all the time).
The mind try’s to make sense of an extremely scary experience and PTSD is a normal response to a traumatic experience. The re- experiencing of the event with flashbacks, anxiety and fear are beyond the sufferers control, they are not a sign of ‘weakness’ or ‘inability to cope’.
Who gets birth trauma?
Birth trauma is in the eye of the beholder
How can you reduce the risk of a woman and her partner experiencing birth trauma?
Communicate
Try to maintain a woman’s dignity
Keep them informed- be completely honest from the beginning
Gain trust of woman and partner and make it clear that you have her and her baby’s best interest at heart
Include the partner in communication
Other than sensational or dramatic events what else can trigger birth trauma?
Loss of control
Loss of dignity
Hostile or difficult attitudes of the people around them
Feelings of not being heard
Absence of informed consent to medical procedures
Effects of birth trauma on the woman?
Detached from other mothers
May feel very guilty that they did not find the experience as fulfilling as other mothers.
Makes them feel ‘weaker’, they are unable to ‘put it behind them’
Relationships with family and friends can deteriorate
Torn between wanting another baby and wanting to avoid pregnancy and childbirth
Loss of interest in sex or sexual life impacted
Avoid medical tests such as cervical smears
Difficulties with bonding baby as it’s a constant reminder of the birth trauma they experienced
Can often be mistaken for PND and therefore misdiagnosed and mistreated
What are the risk factors for having birth trauma?
Length labour or short and very painful labour
I.O.L.
Poor pain relief
Feelings of loss of control
High levels of medical intervention
Traumatic or emergency deliveries (emergency/crash C.S.)
Impersonal treatment or problems with staff attitudes
Not being listened to
Lack of information or explanation
Lack of privacy and dignity
Fear for baby’s safety
Baby’s stay in NICU
Poor postnatal care
Previous trauma (in childhood, with previous birth or domestic violence)
How is birth trauma treated?
Most commonly by psychotherapy:
Allowing the mother to revisit the traumatic birth in a safe and secure environment so that she can deal with her emotions in a positive manner and begin relieving some of her anxiety from the trauma
