Birth Trauma
Birth trauma
is something of a paradox. It is one of the most extensively studied of
all traumas that affect large numbers of people, yet it is an area in
which the majority of the population remain completely unconscious. There
is very little awareness amongst the public as a whole, and amongst health
professionals in particular that the birth journey can be a source of
significant physical, emotional and psychological stress and trauma, not
only for the mother but for the baby as well. It has been estimated, that
in modern society birth trauma affects the lives of the vast majority
of the population, usually without their conscious awareness.
The reasons for this are several-fold. Firstly, the over-medicalisation of birth and subsequent feelings of disempowerment experienced by many labouring women have created an environment in which women either do not trust, or are not allowed to follow, their basic instincts during the birth. As a result of this, many women experience birth as intensely stressful, feel unsupported and have an innate fear of the process. This level of emotional overwhelm is then transferred to the baby, which dramatically increases the likelihood of traumatisation.
Secondly, very few people are aware of just how conscious a newborn baby actually is. We have been led to believe that newborns, and even older babies, are not fully conscious of their environment and are completely unaffected by their early experiences. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. Babies are exquisitely aware of their environment and are deeply affected by not only by their birth experiences but also by stressful experiences that occur in the womb. The effects of these early experiences can range from being quite mild to extremely debilitating, and in many cases can significantly affect our physical, emotional, behavioural and educational development for years to come.
Finally, many obstetrical interventions and routine testing procedures that are used with the best of intentions actually serve to create significantly more complex levels of traumatisation for the baby.
The birth process is more than just the means through which we come into this world. It is a major period of transition in our lives. This transition from our experience of being intimately connected with our mother, whilst in the womb, to gradually separating and individuating, once we leave the womb, has not only physical but also has significant psychological repercussions. Unless treated, these repercussions can continue to affect us throughout our lives., influencing the nature of our health, relationships, behaviour, learning abilities and general development.
For further details on the nature of birth trauma see Birth Trauma - A Baby's View
For further details on the ways in which we re-enact prenatal and birth trauma in later life see Ways In Which We Re-enact Trauma
The following is a list of commonly occurring situations that can be potentially traumatising to a baby:
Pregnancy
- Unwanted pregnancy
- Accident, illness or injury during pregnancy
- Divorce or separation of parents
- Death of a loved one
- Domestic strife, worries or other tension
Birth
- Premature birth.
- Difficult, fast or long labour.
- Forceps or vacuum extraction.
- Use of pain-relief medication and/or anaesthetics
- Premature cutting of umbilical cord.
- Cord around the neck
- Caesarean section
For a more complete list of causal factors in prenatal and birth trauma see Causes of Early Life Trauma
The following is a list of conditions that are either caused as a result of, or are significantly affected by, prenatal and/or birth trauma.
For Babies
Gastrointestinal disorders - "colic"
Attachment and bonding problems
Feeding difficulties
Extensive crying
Sleeping problems
Reflux and regurgitation
Unresolved cranial moulding
Head banging
Tempremental difficulties
Lack of crawling or poorly developed crawling
Developmental delay
For Children
Attention deficit disorder
Developmental delays e.g. late crawling, walking and/or talking,
Either over- or under-sensitive to stimuli e.g. sounds, lights, touch
Emotional problems e.g. tantrums, emotional volatility, emotional immaturity, anxiety, depression
Behavioural problems e.g. aggression, hyperactivity, extreme shyness, clinginess, bullied
Learning difficulties e.g. difficulties with concentration, reading, writing, maths
Co-ordination problems
Poor social skills
Autism/Aspergers Syndrome