Why am I so upset when I think about my delivery?

Is it even possible to have PTSD after birth?

Why do I keep thinking about the moment everything went wrong if I now have a healthy baby?

Your birth was unexpectedly traumatic. You thought it would be a beautiful experience and spent days working on a detailed birth plan. And then, it all went wrong. Something happened and the doctor told you your sweet baby was in danger. Your birth plan went out the window and you didn’t have time to think anything through. The fear you had about losing your baby was real and intense.

​Now, the birth itself is over. But the fear is still there. You find yourself thinking about, almost reliving, the scary moments. You want to be focused on your baby and feel joyful, but the pain, fear and sadness are still there. Sometimes, you even have trouble sleeping.

The truth is that your birth experience was so traumatizing that you’ve developed PTSD symptoms. Counseling for PTSD after birth can help you find a way to heal so you can focus on enjoying time with your newborn.

Do I need counseling after a traumatic birth experience?

Many women dream of having a blissful delivery experience, but for some, giving birth is actually a traumatic experience. Unwanted medical interventions, emergency procedures, nasty nurses or doctors, and frightening life-threatening moments can and do happen while giving birth. This can leave new moms with psychological pain alongside the physical discomforts.

New Mothers Speak Out, a report commissioned by not-for-profit maternity care group Childbirth Connection looked at birth trauma. They found that nearly one in 10 U.S. women who have given birth meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of their childbirth experience. Other research has shown that up to 6% of postpartum women are experiencing PTSD after birth. It’s more common than you might expect!

​Childbirth can be scary. Your worried about your baby’s safety as well as your own. When something happens during pregnancy or the labor process that leaves you afraid for one or both of you, it can be traumatic. It is your perception of danger that is important. When doctors, nurses, and other people around you are too busy to take the time to explain what is happening at the moment, then it can raise your anxiety level.

Fortunately, women are resilient and can recover from traumatic childbirth. Many women who experience PTSD after childbirth are mistakenly told that they have postpartum depression (PPD). Although women can experience PTSD and PPD at the same time, they don’t always go hand in hand. A proper diagnosis by a mental health therapist who has experience working with both trauma after birth and postpartum mood disorders is important for treatment to be effective. The caring and expert counselors at Postpartum Wellness are here to help support you through your motherhood journey.

How will counseling help me move on?

You may feel acute disappointment that childbirth was not the experience you were hoping for. You also might feel angry with the medical staff if you felt that the delivery wasn’t handled well. If you develop PTSD, you’re likely to also experience flashbacks or unwanted memories of the traumatic birth. You may even feel anxious about having another baby.

​The truth is that you can’t change your birth experience now. However, you can process it and find healing. Coming to terms with a negative birth experience is a process that can take months. Do not be discouraged if it doesn’t happen overnight. You can overcome this! A skilled postpartum therapist can help.

​The therapists at Postpartum Wellness have received specialized training to process your feelings about your birthing experience. Our caring therapists understand the complex emotions you are feeling. They can help you sort through your experience and validate your emotions.

​You Deserve Support

You may have been in survival mode for yourself, your child, and your family for a long time. Depression and anxiety following delivery can be so exhausting.

You deserve a break.

Counseling for birth trauma is all about helping you learn to deal with your fears and stressors in an effective and healthy manner. Here at Postpartum Wellness, we strive to help women just like you learn to let go of uncontrollable stress, practice self-care strategies that actually work, and find freedom from the worry. Contact us today to learn how, together, we can get your life back on track.

What does therapy for your traumatic birth experience look like at Postpartum Wellness?

At Postpartum Wellness, we give you space to process through your traumatic birth. We listen closely and affirm that your experience is valid. You might feel alone after hearing so many beautiful birth stories. Sitting in the pain of your own experience won’t help you move forward. Our team of skilled therapists can help you find peace after a traumatic birth. Your relationship of the birth experience can shift towards acceptance over grief.

You can’t stop thinking about all the events that happened at your delivery. You try not to think about what you could’ve done differently, but just keep replaying the scenes over and over in your mind. You’re thinking, “It’s so unfair!” You don’t have to manage the memories of your birthing experience alone. The skilled therapists at Postpartum Wellness understand how difficult it can be. Contact us today to begin counseling for your delivery experience.

Other Services at Postpartum Wellness
in Florida, Virginia, Maryland, and DC

The skilled counselors at Postpartum Wellness specialize in many areas other than birth trauma. They help with all aspects of the journey towards parenthood, whether you need counseling or just a little support after birth. Some of our specialties are prenatal massage, birth and postpartum doulas, postpartum anxiety treatment, military moms, and postpartum depression therapy.