Birth Trauma Scotland

16/02/2022

All feelings are valid and welcomed in the treatment of birth trauma. Being able to recognise and give a name to the feelings can help you process them.

We’re incredibly proud of testimonies like this one from Emma. Not only do they show incredible bravery and honesty but also that change is possible. That you don’t have to ‘put up’ with negative feelings or ‘deal with’ low mood or anxiety. If you’re feeling concerned about yourself or a loved one after a traumatic birth please do reach out to us - many people feel the benefit of therapy after just a few sessions. Click the link in our bio or drop us a DM.

11/02/2022

It is so saddening to see in this day and age that mothers are STILL repeatedly misdiagnosed with Postnatal Depression (PND) when what they are actually suffering from is Postnatal PTSD (PN-PTSD).

The reason this is so worrying is that the treatment for both conditions is different, being misdiagnosed means not receiving the right treatment in a timely manner. And when the treatment doesn’t work, mothers are left feeling like it’s THEIR fault, like there is something wrong with THEM for not responding to treatment, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Part of the reason for misdiagnosis lies in the fact that the two conditions can have similar symptoms, such as:

- Loss of interest
- Self blame
- Anxiety
- Feeling unable to cope
- Poor sleep
- Low mood
- Thoughts of self-harm

If you’re concerned that you or a loved one has been misdiagnosed, if you feel you’re not progressing or that treatment isn’t working, please contact us for confidential support - it can take as little as 4 sessions to recover from perinatal and postnatal trauma and most people feel a huge sense of relief and progress after just one session. Help is out there, we are here for you.

01/02/2022

Triggers.

When we have experienced birth related trauma in the past, the sights and sounds of a hospital ward or medical equipment can bring that trauma flooding back. These are referred to as triggers - the things that reawaken the feelings of fear and panic associated with a traumatic experience.

It can be particularly painful to experience these triggers in subsequent pregnancies - bringing the fear right back to the forefront of your mind. If you’re experiencing fear or anxiety related to past birth experiences this can be a sign of postnatal PTSD. Luckily you are not alone, there is help out there and you can learn to live with the past without it crippling your present.

Visit our website (link in bio) for more information on the support available for postnatal PTSD.

18/01/2022

Knowing when to seek help is vital to recovery.

After the birth of a child we become flooded with a wide range of emotions and sensations - some good, some not so good. This can be completely normal, but sometimes those feelings and emotions are signs of deeper trauma.

I’ve put together a non-exhaustive list of some of the signs that may indicate perinatal trauma. If you feel that you or someone you love is experiencing perinatal trauma please seek help, there is more information and resources available at our website.

Please like and share this post to spread the word.




@ Edinburgh, Scotland

10/01/2022

TW: Infertility

Recently I've been working with clients who report feelings of anxiety linked to testing for COVID and doing regular lateral flow tests. Their experience of taking the tests can trigger memories of pregnancy testing - waiting to see if/when those lines will appear can be particularly traumatising if you have struggled to conceive.

If you're feeling the same way please no that you're not alone in those feelings and that it can be a sign of perinatal trauma. Please head to the Birth Trauma Scotland website for more details on the signs of birth trauma and for information on the support available.

10/10/2021

Sadly 25% of pregnancies end in loss.

It is baby loss awareness week, but for those who have lost a child, every week is baby loss week. Loosing a baby is one of the hardest things anyone can go through and life after the loss of a baby is painful and confusing. We are always in awe of the strength we see in our clients who have experienced this loss.
We want to send love to everyone whose lives have been touched by the traumatic loss of a baby.

If you know someone who is going through, or has gone through the horror of loss it can be hard to know what to say or do. Often simply saying you are sorry but do not know what to say or do is a good start. Here are some things you can think about doing too-

-be there for them
-send a card, or flowers
-if their child was named, say their name, a lot. Saying their name does not remind them of their loss (they can never forget that) it reminds them that they lived.
-send 'thinking of you' messages on anniversaries.

What things did you find helpful when you went through loss? Please do share so those who want to offer support but don't know how to can learn.

29/09/2021

Trauma-informed Hypnobirthing for trauma or loss.

Hypnobirthing is so useful for anyone after previous trauma. Be it a previous traumatic birth or trauma from physical or emotional abuse or attack. Childbirth is daunting enough, but so much more so when you have experinced trauma in the past.

The Hypnobirthing we offer is also not just for live babies (sadly). We passionately wish that all parents who tragically experience loss had access to the supportive techniques that it offers.

Anisha contacted us for Hypnobirthing and trauma support when she was faced with the loss of her third baby; she had already been turned away by a number of Hypnobirthing teachers who felt they did not have the experience or knowledge to support her. In addition to this, after having experienced profound previous trauma she was desperate for support and understandably terrified. She and her partner did a private Hypnobirthing workshop to prepare for the birth and loss of their baby girl and we also recorded a personalised hypnosis and meditation track to guide her through the birth.

We offer trauma therapy to ALL parents to prepare them for their next birth which includes personalised Hypnobirthing tracks. We also offer bespoke and sensitive, trauma-informed Hypnobirthing packages to ALL parents regardless of the circumstance in which they give birth.

www.birthtraumascotland.com

10/05/2021

is so wonderful to receive this lovely feedback and a reminder why we do what we do at .

What worries me is that this brave and wonderful mama, who had thoughts of ending her life due to the debilitating effects of Postnatal PTSD, could have been like the vast majority of those effected by birth trauma. She could have been either misdiagnosed with depression, not received the correct treatment, receive a treatment that takes months or years or no treatment at all. This is due to a lack of awareness and trauma training for healthcare professionals, and also I believe due to a heirarchical structure of pychological services that means certain treatments are simple not available within the NHS.

Luckily this woman got in touch with us and has fully recovered from PTSD after three session. Please get in touch if we can help, you do not need to suffer when there is fast, safe and effective treatment out there.

“I feel calmer, stronger, more capable. I hadn’t realised how unhappy i was when i woke up in the morning until that was taken away. It really worked well for me- there was a bus door to door, so the location was super convenient. The space was calm and clear. I hadn’t expected the results to be so instant- but if i’d known that in advance i don’t think it would have changed anything, except maybe made me more anxious in case it didn’t work. Thank you so much for helping- it has been a game changer for me” — Viccy

www.birthtraumascotland.com

05/05/2021

It is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2021.

We are often given such an unrealistic image of childbirth (swipe right for what google told me 'motherhood' looks like) that when things get hard it can be hard to admit it.

1 in 5 mothers will experience mental illness in pregnancy or in the first year after their baby is born. Sadly 1 in 3 will leave hospital traumatised. This can sadly be the precurser for many mental illnesses. At Birth Trauma Scotland we are passionate about removing the stigma around perinatal trauma, preventing it and helping anyone effected by it.

Birth trauma is a type of anxiety disorder which can develop in to postnatal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, lack of concentration, intrusive thoughts, hypervilience, outbursts of anger, insomnia, nightmares & flashbacks. It can be debilitating however with the right treatment recovery can be very effective and fast.

For more details about causes, signs, symptoms and treatment DM us or visit our website www.birthtraascotland.com
@ Scotland

26/04/2021

"The University of Western Sydney’s Australian Birth Experience Study (BESt) has attracted 4800 stories from women who have had babies in Australia within the past five years; sadly, nearly one-third of them report they felt traumatised by their birth experience."

https://www.theage.com.au/national/sophie-had-gold-standard-births-but-many-women-want-to-talk-about-birth-trauma-20210423-p57lye.html

A research project has in just three weeks attracted 4800 mothers wanting to tell their stories.

23/10/2020

"Bonds between mothers, who had shared traumatic birth experiences, resembled those of soldiers who had fought together on the front lines."

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-10-21-band-mothers-childbirth-female-bonding-experience-oxford-research

Camaraderie and social bonds among mothers are strengthened by common experiences of a difficult childbirth, according to a new study from the University of Oxford.

21/09/2020

This is such an incredible reflection that any of the fiercely independent amongst us may resonate with ♡

Sis, the inability to receive support from others is a trauma response.

Your “I don’t need anyone, I’ll just do it all myself” conditioning is a survival tactic. You needed it to shield your tender heart from abuse, neglect, betrayal, and disappointment from those who could not or would not be there for you.

From the parent who was absent by choice or by the circumstance of working three jobs to feed and house you.

From the lovers who offered sexual intimacy but no offered no safe haven that honored your heart.

From the friendships that always took more than they gave.

From all the situations when someone told you “we’re in this together” then abandoned you, leaving you to pick up the pieces when isht got real, leaving you to handle your part and their part, too.

From the lies. The betrayals.

You learned along the way that you just couldn’t really trust people. Or that you could trust people, but only up to a certain point.

Ultra-independence is a *trust issue.*

You learned: if I don’t put myself in a situation where I rely on someone, I won’t have to be disappointed when they don’t show up for me, or when they drop the ball... because they will always drop the ball sooner or later, right?

You may even have been intentionally taught this protection strategy by generations of hurt women who came before you.

Ultra-independence is a preemptive strike against heartbreak.

So, you don’t trust anyone.

And you don’t trust yourself, either, to choose people.

To trust is to hope, to trust is vulnerability.

“Never again,” you vowed.

But no matter how you dress it up and display it proudly to make it seem like this level of independence is what you always wanted to be, in truth it’s your wounded, scarred, broken heart behind a protective brick wall.

Impenetrable. Nothing gets in. No hurt gets in. But no love gets in either.

Fortresses and armor are for those in battle, or who believe the battle is coming.

It’s trauma response.

The good news is trauma that is acknowledged is trauma that can be healed.

You are worthy of having support.
You are worthy of having true partnership.
You are worthy of love.
You are worthy of having your heart held.
You are worthy to be adored.
You are worthy to be cherished.

You are worthy to have someone say, “You rest. I got this.” And actually deliver on that promise.

You are worthy to receive.
You are worthy to receive.
You are worthy to receive.
You are worthy.
Worthy, sis.
You are worthy.

You don’t have to earn it.
You don’t have to prove it.
You don’t have to bargain for it.
You don’t have to beg for it.

You are worthy.
Worthy.

Simply because you exist.

I love you. 🧡~J.

Credit: Written by Jamila White - Psychic, Life Coach, Author (FB: http://fb.me/inspiredjamila, IG: .jamila) Original image by Rising Woman, reposted from The Womb Sauna.

Permission to share/repost is gladly granted as long as:
1. It is kept in its original, unedited form; and
2. Full authorship credit is given with my name. A link/tag is appreciated.
Thank you!

17/09/2020

This is a very important post for our colleagues working tirelessly in maternity services.

Sadly we are treating quite a few midwives and doctors for trauma due to their job.

This post is an insightful read and may be helpful 💙

Thanks for sharing Make Birth Better

https://www.facebook.com/1773477616064218/posts/3333145326764098/

Afternoon all 👋 Jan here posting today - I'm Clinical Lead at MBB
The past 6 months have been a pretty rough ride for lots of people. As well as families, I support staff affected by stress, trauma, burnout & something called moral injury. It’s a term coined from the military but one that totally affects healthcare staff. They’re trained to provide care to anyone irrespective of their condition, culture, or background. This is their moral code & often their professional values. However, our health system isn’t set up to enable staff to provide the care they’re trained to. Often services are under resourced & overstretched. With gruelling off duty rotas, bullying cultures, & feeling undervalued we expect them not to be impacted, but to knuckle down & carry on. Not being able to provide the care you’ve been trained to, deeply wounds some staff (moral injuries) & haunts others, to the point where some consider leaving their profession, or tragically, take their own lives.
What if, it were different. What if, staff were shown kindness by the system & nurtured. What if, work related wounds didn’t leave scares, but were healed in an environment of safety & compassion. What if, when something went wrong, the response was understanding, rather than blame. What if...
Please check out our support resources for professionals at www.makebirthbetter.org 💜

16/09/2020

This is something we hear a lot. There becomes an additional trauma, about the trauma.

A consequence of the trauma experienced during the birth is often mums feel nothing when their baby was born and missed out on the 'moment.' The moment is a hugely important rite of passage and missing it is traumatic in itself. This torments many mothers and creates feelings of guilt, anger, shame and very often we hear these mothers say that they don't feel like a mothers.

'I wanted to feel something, anything. I wanted to be head-over-heels in love with my baby.'

13/09/2020

I have heard women recount words they heard during their babies birth they will take yo their grave. Word of fear and dismissal, as well as word of kindness, words they will never forget. Words create feelings. Let every word we say to a birthing parents be words of love and belief. Love prevents trauma.

from
Language matters as a way of respecting women’s views and ensuring that they are empowered to make decisions.

Our language is key to effectively being able to communicate options, recommendations, and respectfully accept the woman’s fully informed decision.

I’ve heard too many stories of women being left traumatised by the way they were spoken to or made to feel.

Kind, clear and compassionate communication even in an emergency situation is vital as we know women who feel lack of control during birth or who have poor care and support are more at risk of developing PTSD

Art by

13/09/2020

So incredible awareness being shared in this way 👏

TRIGGER ALERT!!

This week is Birth Trauma Awareness Week. Thousands of women and their partners suffer from the affects associated to a traumatic birth. Please don’t suffer in silence. YOU are not alone.
Love

04/09/2020

C- S E C T I O N G U I L T

P.s. for a start can we also please stop calling it 'C-Section' & start calling it CAESAREAN BIRTH?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-53969231

Three women who had Caesarean deliveries describe their feelings of having 'failed' at childbirth.

04/09/2020

A new study shows a quarter of mothers say their choices were not respected during childbirth, with some left with life-changing injuries as a result, despite Britain’s highest judges establishing women should be the primary decision makers during labour five years ago.

A poll of 1,145 women, carried out by leading pregnancy charity Birthrights and shared exclusively with , also found that a third said healthcare professionals did not even seek their own opinions on the childbirth process, while 14 per cent said their choices were overruled.

This breaks our hearts and is so sadly what we are hearing from the parents who come to us for healing, again, and again. This is happening somewhere nearby you now in Scotland.

This needs to stop and we feel sad that when is teaching antenatal education part of what she shares is how to navigate and avoid this situation.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/women-childbirth-choices-respect-pregnancy-a9703336.html