14/07/2025
Birth trauma isn’t just about what happened during birth, it’s about how your nervous system responded to what was happening.
Our nervous system is wired to keep us safe. When it senses danger - whether real or perceived - it activates a survival response:
👉🏻 Fight (prepare to confront the threat)
👉🏻 Flight (try to escape)
👉🏻 Freeze (shut down)
👉🏻 Fawn (submit or comply)
These reactions are not conscious choices. They’re instinctive and protective responses. It’s your body’s way of trying to protect you.
In birth, these responses can be triggered by situations like:
🔺 Feeling ignored, dismissed, or powerless
🔺 Being rushed into interventions without informed consent
🔺 Hearing alarming or unclear communication from staff
🔺 Experiencing severe pain without support
Being alone or unsupported during or after birth
🔺 Witnessing a sudden change in your baby’s condition
This is why a “healthy mother and baby” is not enough. You can have a seemingly “normal” birth, and still experience trauma.
How Birth Trauma Can Show Up After Birth:
⚡️ Flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts
⚡️ Anxiety or panic attacks
⚡️ Avoiding triggers that remind you of the experience such as hospitals
⚡️ Feeling numb or disconnected from your baby
⚡️ Hypervigilance or difficulty sleeping
⚡️ Guilt, shame, or a sense of failure
⚡️ Avoiding future pregnancies or birth-related care
Why This Matters:
When we understand trauma as a nervous system response, it helps us make sense of our experiences so we can begin to process how we feel and create space for healing.
If you’ve experienced birth trauma…
🤍 You are not alone.
🤍 You did not fail.
🤍 It wasn’t your fault.
For more info & support:org.au
