The idea of “Birth Trauma” is relative; it is different from person to person. What happened to me may not have traumatized you and vice versa. It is also important to understand that nothing out of the ordinary needs to occur during childbirth for there to be psychological, maternal birth trauma. Case in point: It is common for mothers who were sexually abused prior to the birth of their own child to find that birth traumatic regardless of how that birth took place. I receive many messages asking, “Is this Birth Trauma?” Or even, “Do you think I have Postpartum Depression (or insert other disorder here)?” See, here’s the thing. I can’t answer any of those questions. I answer every message I receive with honestly and empathize with the person on the other end, because I have been in their shoes. Perhaps not in the same exact situation, but the premise is surely the same. I remember doubting myself, and not trusting my own ability to self-regulate and realize there was a problem. I remember writing those e-mails, too. Is this birth trauma? Holy cow… am I depressed? Is this anxiety? What is going on with me?? Yep, I have been there. The next logical question is: If you have been in my shoes, Momma Trauma, why can’t you answer my questions? I can help you work through your experiences so that you decide for yourself what is going on in your own mind. I cannot tell a woman who went through my situation that her birth was traumatic. Only she knows that for herself. Same goes birth workers who have witnessed traumatic births. Some carry on with no problem, others pause and need to decompress before they can continue on to another birth. As for the diagnostic issue at hand, this is one time I will pull the “I’m just a mom” card. Or in this case, just one girlfriend to another. I do not have a degree in psychology or counseling, so I am not able to diagnose anyone as depressed, anxiety prone or a myriad of other issues, and frankly, I don’t want to do so. What I can do, however, is lead you to resources and give you information on key signs to look for so you can empower yourself with knowledge and make decisions based on that information. That’s one of several major goals for this blog. I know that sometimes we have to be told or lead to the right answers because perhaps we're in denial. That's why we have fantastic counselors and support groups right in our own communities. If you need help in diagnosing a medical or mental situation, you should consult your care provider or counselor for more information. I hope, through this blog and other ventures, I can help give women resources for healing and empowering that they can use above and beyond counseling. I trust in life processes and that women know their own bodies better than anyone else. Was the birth of your child traumatic to you? Do you feel you have something more than Baby Blues going on here? If you’re asking me these questions, you probably already know the answer. When did you realize what you experienced was birth trauma or that you now that PPD, PTSD, etc? Did you seek resources before going to a counselor? Related Posts Acceptance: It actually happened, and it wasn't cool Does rape during childbirth make it not rape at all? Decluttering birth trauma to understand your own story More than Baby Blues: Postpartum Mental Illness Symptom Guide
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AuthorWelcome to Momma Trauma's Blog! Thoughts, empowering posts and stories straight from Momma Trauma herself, Birth Trauma families & birth professionals. Archives
July 2015
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