Giving birth has the potential to be a traumatic experience. We’ll explain more about birth trauma below, but for now, it is important to recognize how birth trauma can impact a family, especially the person giving birth.
When a moment you expect to be joyous turns out to be scary and difficult, it can shape your entire perception and experience of pregnancy and birth. Many women who have experienced birth trauma end up feeling extreme anxiety when they contemplate having another child.
This fear often impacts the relationship with their significant other and can create conflict. One partner may not fully understand the impacts the negative birth experience may have had on their birthing partner. Although partners may want to grow their family, the painful memories can put a damper on that dream.
What Can Cause a Birth Trauma?
There are some common reasons why birth trauma occurs. Many of them involve hospital procedures and practices that leave the expectant mother feeling powerless during the process. The person giving birth may feel all control has been taken from her — right down to which tools are used by the practitioners. In addition, an expecting mother may not be able to have her support team with her.
Of course, there’s always the risk of a medical emergency that can threaten the life of the baby and/or mother. It can be quite traumatic to undergo an unplanned c-section or to witness your newborn being taken to the NICU.
Beyond the procedure itself, birth trauma can occur when the woman is in severe pain, is undergoing conflict with their partner, or has unrelated but serious outside events that impact the situation. It’s understandable why any of the above scenarios can lead to anxiety related to future pregnancies.
How to Calm Your Anxiety of Having Another Baby After Birth Trauma
Impose Your Will
Engage in some birth-related self-education. Get a deeper sense of what is possible and how to secure the most support for your informed choices. Each birth is a unique experience, and thus, you can decide what feels best for you. Write down your wants and be just as clear about what you don’t want. Share this birthing support guide with your healthcare team, of course, but also share it with your partner and other trusted folks.
Learn From the Earlier Experience
You are under no obligation to engage in revisionist history. If your previous birth was traumatic, you should not deny this reality. However, you can examine that experience to identify your strengths. You can plan in advance to make certain that prior letdowns are not repeated. Most of all, don’t blame yourself for the actions of others.
Cultivate Calming Strategies
Long before you get close to another birth, create some anti-anxiety self-care rituals in your life. Calming techniques like meditation, deep breathing, and visualization can help you at any time. Get comfortable with these options so you can confidently call on them when it’s time to give birth.
Ask For Help
You may have felt alone and abandoned during the birth trauma. This time, be sure to communicate with your partner and other loved ones about how they can help. Be honest and clear with them so they can be relied upon when the big moment arrives. Giving birth is not a solo act. Every mother needs a team of supportive friends and family. Ask for help — early and often.
Getting Treatment For Anxiety & Birth Trauma
Whether the cause is birth trauma or anything else, anxiety disorders are common and treatable. While you take steps to regain calm confidence about the birthing process, you can connect with a skilled mental health professional at Onyx to help with anxiety of a second pregnancy and processing the past birth trauma experience.
Therapy is a proven and effective method for relieving the daily discomfort of anxiety, worry, and fear. So, let’s connect and talk soon to get you on a path toward full recovery with one of our skilled and competent therapists at Onyx.
