Birth Trauma

What is birth trauma?

Birth trauma is any physical or emotional pain you experience before, during or after childbirth. In the U.S., up to 1 in 3 birth parents experience a traumatic birth. Trauma can happen for a variety of reasons, and everyone experiences it a little differently. Things like having a life-threatening emergency during delivery or having a long and difficult labor are examples of events that could lead to birth trauma.

A traumatic birth can impact your quality of life for months or years after. Birth trauma doesn’t just affect the birthing person. It can affect your partner, healthcare professionals or anyone who witnesses a birth. It can lead to postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and be a contributing factor to postpartum depression.

What can cause childbirth trauma?

Childbirth can be traumatic for many reasons. The trauma can be physical or emotional, and the causes can affect either you or your baby (or both). Some trauma can happen during pregnancy, while other trauma doesn’t happen until after delivery.

Physical birth trauma

Physical birth trauma usually relates to an injury or something you can see or touch during the experience, including:

• Birth injuries: Birth injuries don’t happen often, but they do happen. Your baby may have gotten stuck in the birth canal, leading to an injury. Maybe your uterus ruptured during delivery, and you were immediately taken into surgery.
• Birth complications: Some examples of birth complications include needing an emergency C-section or your obstetrician needing to use forceps or a vacuum to deliver your baby. Bleeding too much (postpartum hemorrhage) or having a large vaginal tear could also cause physical birth trauma.
• Life-threatening or fatal emergencies: Childbirth can be unpredictable. While rare, some life-threatening events can turn fatal. These events can be traumatic for everyone involved.

Emotional birth trauma

Emotional birth trauma is psychological and something you feel because of the experience.

• Your baby needed medical attention: If your baby was born with a health condition, your baby’s pediatrician may have taken them to the NICU right after birth. Many caregivers go hours without seeing or touching their baby or are left wondering if their baby is OK.
• You didn’t feel supported: You may feel like you didn’t receive the care you needed during childbirth, either from your healthcare team or loved ones.
• You felt like you had no control: You may feel like things were out of your control despite your hopes or wishes. The unpredictable nature of birth can be difficult because you may not have control over how it goes, when it happens and more.
• The experience wasn’t what you hoped for: Perhaps you built childbirth up to be a peaceful experience and the reality of events didn’t match up to that. It can feel disappointing to not have the birth experience you wanted or to have it go very differently from what you hoped for.

Risk factors for birth trauma

Some factors can increase your risk of experiencing birth trauma. They include:

• Birth trauma from a previous delivery or pregnancy.
• Having a previous stillbirth or miscarriage.
• A history of sexual assault or abuse.
• Mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD and more.

What are signs that you have birth trauma?

If you or a loved one has recently had a baby, there are symptoms you can watch for that may point to birth trauma. People who witness births (like your partner or healthcare provider) can also show similar signs.

Some symptoms of birth trauma are:

• Having nightmares or intrusive thoughts about your birth experience. Reliving the memory could lead to panic attacks or cause emotional distress.
• Avoiding anything that reminds you of childbirth. This could mean taking alternate routes so you don’t pass the hospital or not wanting to see people who are pregnant. Some people may avoid their baby.
• Feeling jumpy, anxious or on edge that something is going to happen to your baby. This is common when your child experiences a birth injury or spends time in a NICU. You may worry your baby is sick and will need special medical care again.
• Having low self-esteem or feeling like a failure because you think you’re to blame for the traumatic birth. Many people with postpartum depression also have birth trauma. You may use coping mechanisms that have a negative impact on your well-being, like drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking cigarettes, using drugs or spending too much money.

What are the long-term effects of traumatic birth?

Not seeking help for birth trauma can impact you for years. It can affect your family and friends, too. Some of the long-term effects on the birth parent include:

• Chronic pain. You may avoid or delay seeking treatment for conditions related to childbirth like pelvic organ prolapse or nerve damage.
• Detachment from or difficulty bonding with your child. Feeling trauma can make it harder to connect to your child. You may even find yourself blaming them, which can lead to further feelings of guilt or shame.
• Depression or having suicidal thoughts. If you have thoughts of hurting yourself, your baby or someone else, call or text 988 immediately.

Birth trauma can affect your baby, too. It can increase their risk for developmental delays or mental health disorders like anxiety.

Some studies show that trauma can be passed down in your genes, which means trauma can permanently affect how your DNA behaves. Research also suggests that when a child grows up in a household where the caregivers have experienced trauma, they may also adopt traumatic responses. For example, if you’re fearful of hospitals and doctors, your child may be afraid to tell you when they’re sick.

Can you have PTSD from giving birth?

Yes, you can have PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, from childbirth. Study results can vary, but up to 1 in 10 people will have PTSD after childbirth.

How do you know if you have birth trauma?

It may be hard to recognize the signs of birth trauma. It’s even harder to seek a diagnosis and ask for help. If you’re repeatedly questioning if you have trauma from birth, chances are you do have trauma. Listen to yourself. Don’t feel shame or guilt about your experience and how it impacts your life. Hiding your feelings and symptoms will only prolong or worsen what you’re going through.

Contacting a healthcare provider is the best first step if you have birth trauma. Share your feelings and experience with them. Let them know what kind of pain you have and how it affects you. They can probably recommend a mental healthcare provider who specializes in birth trauma or PTSD.

What are treatment options for birth trauma?

Recovering from birth trauma looks different for everyone. It depends on what happened during your birth experience and how severe it is. Some steps you can take to cope with birth trauma are:

• Talk to your healthcare provider: Your provider may recommend counseling, medication or other treatments. They can also discuss the events of the traumatic event to help you understand what happened and why. Talk to them about how you feel so they can find the best treatment for you.
• Share your story: As difficult as it sounds, sharing your story is a great first step in coping with birth trauma. If talking about it sounds daunting, try writing about it or recording a video. Try to think of sharing as a way to release negative emotions and thoughts.
• Practice self-care: Prioritize your well-being and your rest. Make time for the things you enjoy and discover new ways to relax and calm your mind. Things like yoga, taking a walk or meditation can be beneficial.
• Join a support group: Find a local or online support group of parents who are in the same situation you’re in. It can be helpful to feel heard and understood by people who’ve also experienced birth trauma.

How long does birth trauma last?

It varies. You may have birth trauma for several months or decades. It depends on factors like if you seek help and what event led to the trauma.

Recovery doesn’t look the same or follow the same path for everyone, and it isn’t always a straight line. You shouldn’t feel bad about your recovery path if it wasn’t as easy or fast for others you know.

How do I take care of myself if I have trauma from childbirth?

Acknowledging your feelings and asking for help are the best things you can do to start caring for yourself. Trauma is real and your feelings are valid. Consider reaching out to a reproductive psychologist or someone who specializes in PTSD to help you recover. It takes time to recover from a traumatic birth, even with the help of a professional. Be patient with yourself as you navigate your emotions.

When should I call my provider about trauma from childbirth?

Contact your healthcare provider if trauma from childbirth is affecting your day-to-day life. Some effects of childbirth are temporary, but others aren’t. You don’t have to live with emotional distress or physical pain from childbirth. There are treatments to help you feel better. If you’re questioning if you should call your healthcare provider, chances are you need to call them. You can also discuss your feelings during your postpartum visit.