Are You Experiencing Birth Trauma?

Trauma, put simply, describes persistent protective responses of your body and mind to overwhelming situations which occurred in the past. This is more likely if things happened too fast or unexpectedly, and you felt trapped with no choice or the kind of support you needed.  Trauma is not defined by how things seemed to someone looking at the situation from the outside, but rather, how you felt on the inside. Pregnancy, birth and the post-natal time can certainly bring up these moments of major challenge. 

Your conscious and body memories may then link you back to the original event and your nervous system continues to react as if it were still happening.  This often leads to symptoms such as anxiety and depression or behaviours aimed at avoiding and suppressing the uncomfortable feelings and sensations. 

If you are not sure whether you are experiencing birth-related trauma, use this questionnaire as a guide to reflecting on your situation.    

Important note:

Some people may become triggered by any reminders of their traumatic experiences. If completing this short questionnaire is likely to bring up uncomfortable feelings, be sure to have a way of supporting yourself so that you don’t feel too unsettled.