Traumatic Birth and Maternal Mental Health
The Atlanta Center for EMDR strives to be a local leader in addressing traumatic births and related conditions.
We accept all health insurance.
*Please note that we also include fathers, partners, coparents, and other family members in this category
Traumatic birth, or birth trauma, can refer to the experience of any significant physical or
emotional distress during or after childbirth. This trauma can be the result of a difficult or
dangerous birth process or as a result of psychological stress. It is important to note that the
mother’s perception of trauma is what determines the condition,
regardless of the healthcare providers’ perceptions.
Birth trauma can be mental and/or physical.
The trauma may stem from fear for the baby or self,
lack of support, feelings of helplessness, or a loss of control during labor and delivery. Birth
trauma is often referred to as birth-related PTSD and impacts nearly 30% of postpartum
parents. The trauma may come up immediately for some and may develop over the birth experience for others.
Stress from traumatic childbirth can greatly diminish an individual’s ability to emotionally cope
and maintain one’s well-being.
What can make birth traumatic?
Several circumstances or factors can contribute to a traumatic birth.
Complications during delivery
Emergencies such as unplanned C-sections or heavy bleeding
Lengthy and/or intense labor
Need for medical interventions such as vacuum extraction
Feeling unsupported by medical staff or birth team
Inadequate communication from healthcare providers
Feelings of helplessness and fear
Feelings of loss of agency and control
Having preferences be disregarded
Temporarily fearing baby’s or mother’s life
Fear of death or permanent injury
Baby spending time in special care
Long-lasting physical pain through birth injuries
Lack of pain relief
What does birth trauma look like?
Birth trauma may manifest itself in physical or emotional symptoms.
Intrusive thoughts
Flashbacks and vivid, involuntary memories
Difficulty remembering some parts of birth experience
Avoidance of trauma reminders (talking about experience, visiting hospital, interacting
with other babies, etc.)
Heightened anxiety and reactivity
Difficulty bonding with the baby
Difficulty breastfeeding
Difficulty sleeping
Difficulty concentrating
Persistent exhaustion or physical pain
Emotional distress
- Feelings of sadness, frustration, shame, or anger stemming from birth experience
The most common symptom among individuals who have experienced traumatic birth are intrusive thoughts.
Intrusive thoughts consist of going over the birth in your mind over and over again,
either awake or asleep.
Even if you are only experiencing a couple of these symptoms, they have the power to impact
your daily life. You may find yourself avoiding things with themes of pregnancy or birth. You may
feel irritable with medical professionals outside of labor, birth, and delivery. All of these
experiences are valid.
What is the difference between birth trauma and postpartum depression?
Birth trauma and postpartum depression (PPD) can share some overlapping symptoms such as
anxiety, mood disturbances, and difficulty bonding with the baby, among others. While there are
similarities, traumatic birth and PPD are distinct conditions.
Birth-related trauma is specifically related to the distressing events of the childbirth experience
itself. It refers to the feelings of fear and helplessness that follow the childbirth experience.
Women may feel an overwhelming sense of fear, loss of agency, and may find themselves re-
living the birth. Birth trauma may manifest itself as PTSD, and individuals experiencing birth trauma
may feel dominated by intrusive memories or emotional numbness.
PPD on the other hand is a mood disorder that can arise regardless of whether a person
experienced a traumatic birth. PPD consists of persistent feelings of sadness, fatigue,
hopelessness, and/or a lack of interest in activities or the baby. PPD can develop weeks or
months after delivery, whereas birth trauma tends to be more directly related to the events of
childbirth.
If you find yourself reliving the trauma through flashbacks, experiencing intrusive thoughts, or
feeling constantly anxious or irritable, it is more likely that you are experiencing birth trauma.
What resources are available?
If you are having trouble processing your birth experience, you are not alone. Many resources
exist to offer support and advice.
It is recommended that you reach out to your general practitioner and/or midwife about the
feelings you are experiencing. This may be a difficult conversation; the HEAR HER campaign
provides a guide and tips for discussing your concerns with your healthcare provider. You can
also consider sharing your experience with other women who have experienced or are
experiencing birth trauma through peer-support groups, Facebook communities, etc.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) is a global non-profit committed to alleviating the
impacts of perinatal mood disorders. The Georgia Chapter of PSI provides a mental health
support line and free online support groups. They can also help you find a trained provider to
connect with and discuss your concerns.
You can call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-943-5746 (1-833-9-
HELP4MOMS).
Mental health professionals experienced in treating trauma, especially those familiar with
postpartum care, can serve as a source of support.
How can we help?
The Atlanta Center for EMDR provides multiple treatment modalities, including Cognitive
Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
CBT seeks to emphasize the connections between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Our
licensed mental health professionals assist clients in recognizing and replacing unhelpful
thought patterns with more adaptive, positive thought patterns. CBT is time-limited and
structured, and has shown efficacy in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental
health conditions. Regarding traumatic births, CBT explores the traumatic event and your
perceptions and thought processes. CBT promotes a safe environment for you to process your
birthing experience.
EMDR is another recommended treatment for traumatic birth. EMDR is designed to mitigate
distress associated with traumatic experiences. EMDR seeks to help clients process and
overcome experiences that are causing significant emotional distress. During EMDR, the mental
health professional will alternately stimulate both hemispheres of the brain with a variety of tools
while discussing presenting problems. The goals are to help clients desensitize intense
experiences and thoughts and adapt their beliefs. Regarding traumatic births, EMDR can help
reduce and/or stop your feelings of fear and experiences of flashbacks, as well as help you
process your birthing experience.
How do I contact you?
To get in contact with The Atlanta Center for EMDR, you can email us
(welcome@atlantaemdr.org) or call us (770-421-5271) for more information or to schedule a
therapeutic or educational session. We have offices in Decatur, Marietta, Lawrenceville,
and Athens. Virtual EMDR is available as well.