PTSD Professional Perspective: Solace for Mothers

Tweet

This weekend is Mother’s Day, so it’s only fitting that today’s Professional Perspective is all about the moms. For millions of women, motherhood and the gift of giving birth is truly one of the most magical experiences of their lives. But for some women, it is nothing like that. A myriad of reasons cause them to experience trauma. It is for them that today’s  post is written by Jenne Alderks of Solace For Mothers.

Solace for Mothers

Every year, one in three new mothers experience something during the birth of their children that traumatizes them. The threat of a mother or baby dying is real, although not common. The pain of childbirth can be overwhelming. A baby may need the services of the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). A mother may need a Cesarean Section to save her or her baby’s life. Experiences such as those are understandably traumatic. A mother keenly feels and experiences the threat to her and her baby’s safety and life. Witnessing the threatening situation to his partner and child can also traumatize a father.

Less obvious are the feelings of being forced to accept unneeded or unwanted medical treatment during childbirth. Frequently medical interventions are not needed as often as they are used. Some women feel that their right to refuse unneeded treatment is taken away from them or they are bullied into accepting something that they do not need. Sometimes the procedures are needed but the way in which they are administered are rough, insensitive and hurtful. Women who describe experiencing these situations state feeling like things are done to their bodies without consent, sometimes despite their protests. 

Birth trauma is not a widely acknowledged form of PTSD, although research states that between 1-6% of women experience it after their child’s birth. Associated trauma symptoms are reported to occur at rates closer to 1 in 3.  A traumatic response that does not fit the PTSD criteria completely can also be debilitating and interfere with daily life. During the transition to parenthood is an especially difficult time to be coping with emotional trauma.

Solace for Mothers (www.solaceformothers.org) is a non-profit organization that exists to provide support to individuals who have been traumatized by experiences with childbirth. The organization hosts a discussion board for mothers who have experienced a traumatic birth for whatever reason.

The strength of the Solace for Mothers Online Community for Healing Birth Trauma is the peer support and understanding that exists between women who have experienced similar situations in childbirth. Just finding that one is not alone in their emotional response is often helpful in healing. Solace for Mothers also provides resources and information on the topic of birth trauma.

Jenne Erigero Alderks, M.Ed. is Project Coordinator and Online Community Moderator for Solace for Mothers, an international non-profit organization based in the United States which provides support and resources to women who have been traumatized by their childbearing experiences. Jenne blogs at descentintomotherhood.blogspot.com and is a stay at home mother to her two children.

The opinions in this post are solely those of the author. To contribute to ‘Professional Perspective’ contact Michele.

Tags: birth trauma, childbirth, ptsd, symptoms