Up to 1 in 3 birthing parents will experience birth trauma, yet many people don't know what it is or how it can affect them.
Birth trauma can have ongoing physical, psychological and emotional impacts, and it's important that we know what birth trauma is, how it presents, and most importantly how best to prevent it. Birth Trauma Awareness Week serves as an important reminder that if your birth experience felt traumatic to you, then it was, and support is available.
What is birth trauma?
Birth trauma is a trauma or injury – whether physical or psychological – that occurs at any time in connection with pregnancy, labour, birth, or the postnatal period.
The most common types of physical birth trauma include perineal tearing, emergency caesarean sections, use of interventions (like vacuum or forceps), and postpartum blood loss.
Physical trauma may also not be noticeable straight away but may leave you with ongoing symptoms of pelvic floor damage, pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence and persistent pain.
But birth trauma isn’t just physical. Psychological birth trauma can be caused by many things, including a feeling of not being in control, fear for baby’s health, high intensity of physical pain, a lack of communication from care providers or a lack of involvement in the decision-making process.
Experiences of trauma are unique, and what may be traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another. If your birth experience felt traumatic to you, then it was.
How do you know if you have birth trauma?
Recognising birth trauma can be tricky, particularly when you’re in the depths of the newborn trenches and trying to figure out your new life with baby by your side.
PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia) states that parents may experience birth trauma as:
Ongoing physical pain and injury
Feelings of disappointment, shame, anger or grief
Lack of confidence in their ability to birth and parent
Hypervigilance or intense preoccupation with the baby’s health
Teary, low mood, tired
Feelings of failure
Flashbacks to the birth
Avoiding people and places that remind them of birth
Brain fog or feeling unable to remember what happened during the birth
Severe anxiety and panic attacks
Difficulty bonding with their baby
How can you prepare for birth and help reduce the risk of birth trauma?
Prevention of birth trauma is all about preparation, education, and support throughout your pregnancy.
You want to go into birth feeling well informed about the process and your options, so that you feel like you are making the right decisions for yourself and your family.
We know that nothing birth related can be 100% planned for, so gathering knowledge about all possible birthing outcomes and having a wide-ranging toolkit to help manage this can make the world of difference when it comes to your feeling of control and ability to make informed decisions.
Having the birthing partner involved in the education process is also really helpful, as they can help to advocate for the wants of the birthing parent.
Some ways to prepare include: attending birth education classes, learning about common labour interventions and birth scenarios, discussing your preferences and values with your healthcare team, building a support network around you and working with health professionals who help you feel informed and heard.
What role can a pelvic floor physiotherapist play in birth preparation?
Many people think of pelvic floor physiotherapy as something you do after birth, but it can also play an important role during pregnancy.
A pelvic floor physiotherapist can help you:
Prepare physically for labour and birth
Understand your pelvic floor and how it functions during birth
Learn strategies for pushing and birth positioning
Address pregnancy-related symptoms such as pelvic pain or incontinence
Feel more informed and confident about your labour and birth options
At The Healthy Peach Physio, we would love to be a part of your birth preparation team – not only to help you with your physical preparation and recovery, but also to help you make informed choices around your labour and birthing experience.
How common is birth trauma?
Statistics show that up to 1 in 3 birthing parents will experience birth trauma.
While physical birth injuries are often recognised, the emotional and psychological impacts can sometimes go unnoticed or be dismissed as a normal part of becoming a parent.
Birth Trauma Awareness Week, run by Birth Trauma Australia, aims to raise awareness of these experiences and ensure parents know they are not alone.
Where To Get Help
If you or your partner are experiencing symptoms of birth trauma, help is available through:
Talking to and debriefing with your health professionals
Birth Trauma Australia
COPE (Centre of Perinatal Excellence)
PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)
The Gidget Foundation
For immediate crisis support, call 000, Lifeline (13 11 14), or attend your local hospital emergency department.
Other Blogs in the Pre/Post-Natal Series
Deep dive into education written by our pelvic physiotherapists, all about your pregnancy and post-natal journey – including symptoms across a range of pelvic health areas, support & management options & emerging research in the pelvic health space.
Pregnancy & Hypermobility
Birth Trauma Awareness & Prevention
