Giving birth is not always as simple, easy, and beautiful as it is portrayed in the movies or on TV. Birth, commonly shown as being painful, can also be highly traumatic. A mother waits nine months to finally give birth to their child. It is a highly awaited moment that requires an incredible amount of strength and determination. When a child is born, a mother waits anxiously a few moments more until they can finally hold their child in their arms. Birth complications can get in the way of a mother being able to hold their child. During the birthing process, there can be threats to a child’s life, out of a mother’s control, that are terrifying. Immediately after a child has left the body, health complications can also take place. Instead of immediately being able to hold and meet her child, a mother might have to endure the torture of watching her newborn baby struggle and fight for their life. Some babies go into intensive care and parents have to witness their child tied up with tubes, undergo surgeries, and more. Trauma during and after birth can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, which can stay with mothers long term. The Birth Trauma Association cites that 200,000 women experience trauma after childbirth. 2,000 of those women develop symptoms of PTSD as a result of their experience with trauma.
Judy Crane, author of The Trauma Heart: We Are Not Bad People Trying to Be Good, We Are Wounded People Trying to Heal–Stories of Survival, Hope, and Healing defines trauma as “any life event or series of life events or ongoing life events that create a negative impact on your life that changes or distorts your vision of yourself and your place in the world.” Trauma changes the way we perceive reality. Post-partum depression changes the way a mother sees her child. Post-partum PTSD changes the way a mother lives. A mother might have flashbacks, nightmares, and paranoia about the safety or health of her child. Becoming obsessed with protecting and caring for her son, a mother might inhibit his development by clutching to him too tightly, stay awake all night watching him sleep, and go to other extreme measures to make sure that their baby is going to be alright. This behavior can last as the child grows, causing emotional and social complications during critical stages of development.
Symptoms of pervasive guilt are also common with PTSD after childbirth. Guilt can manifest in feelings of being a bad mother, being a bad woman, or having something wrong with them because they cannot move on. Moving on from trauma takes time and commitment, care and compassion. Mothers need to take the time to heal, receive treatment, and develop a plan for care. In time, they can heal, have a healthy relationships with their child, and themselves.
Call The Guest House Ocala today for information on our residential treatment programs for traumas, addictions, and related mental health issues: 1-855-483-7800