A traumatic birth, particularly one which results in an injury to the mother or child, is devastating and life-changing. In too many cases, parents find themselves struggling to cope, so we’re sharing 6 ways to overcome and heal from birth trauma.
For expectant parents, there’s always plenty to worry about as the due date approaches. Top of the list is the possibility of birth injury to mother or child.
When an injury is sustained during the birth, devastated parents can find themselves overwhelmed and struggling to cope. In this article, we’re sharing 6 ways to overcome and heal from birth trauma.
What is a birth injury?
This is a type of injury caused to either the mother or the child during the birth process and, in some cases, is the result of negligence or carelessness by medical personnel. A birth injury can often have life-changing consequences and can result in a compensation claim against the hospital or medical facility to pay for ongoing medical care or equipment made necessary by the injury.
Injuries to the mother can include vaginal tears, ruptured or prolapsed uterus, haemorrhage and post-natal Traumatic Stress Disorder. While some of the physical symptoms are relatively easy to treat, these can also take an emotional toll which can lead to mental health issues.
6 ways to overcome and heal from birth trauma
Following a birth trauma or injury, depression and difficulty in coping are extremely common. In this section, we’re looking at the ways in which you can overcome these difficulties and reclaim your life.
1. Practical support
When a birth injury has resulted in a physical disability, the first thing to do is to seek practical help. This can be as simple as installing equipment in your home to help with day-to-day tasks, to securing the services of a support network and home help. Your local council’s website should be able to point you in the right direction for finding this kind of help. It may be important to seek legal assistance from a birth injury lawyer who can help determine if the injury was caused by medical malpractice or negligence. If you are in need of a birth injury lawyer, you can visit this link for more information and resources.
2. Explore your legal rights
If you have reason to believe that your birth injury has been caused by incompetence or negligence on the part of your medical team, you should consult with solicitors in Stratford to find out if you have grounds to sue for compensation. If your lifestyle has been diminished by your injury, it’s possible that you will be entitled to financial compensation which will help you to pay for the equipment and help that you need to reclaim your life and enjoy your role as a new mother.
Before getting in touch with a solicitor, request information from the medical facility regarding the exact details of what happened, including interventions which were used. This information will help to give your solicitor a head start when building your case.
3. Emotional support
When a mother suffers a birth injury, she will often feel guilty about caring for herself, feeling that she should, instead, be 100% focused on her new child. Support groups and specialist therapists can help to dispel some of this guilt and help the mother to understand that she needs to take care of herself in order to be able to properly take care of her child.
4. A complicated relationship
When a mother suffers a life-changing birth injury, it can affect the way that she feels about her child. It’s absolutely natural to feel slightly resentful toward the child who has, inadvertently, been responsible for your injury. In most cases, this will only be temporary.
It is, however, important to acknowledge the way that you are feeling and, where possible, to speak to somebody about this in order to gain some perspective which will then help you to move on.
5. Relationship support
The aftermath of a birth injury is often when a couple needs each other the most. However, in some instances, the stress of the situation can have the opposite effect and drive a wedge between the two of you.
Many couples find that, during this time, they benefit greatly from relationship therapy which can help them to get back to working together rather than against one another.
6. Go easy on yourself
Following even the easiest of births, new mothers will go through a rollercoaster of emotions; all of which are considerably heightened when an injury is added to the mix. It may be a cliche but taking things one day at a time is essential as you begin to adapt to your new circumstances and get to know your baby while dealing with trauma.
Solicitors and support for healing
When a birth trauma occurs, it can change a mother’s (and a father’s) lifestyle considerably. This can result in emotional trauma which can take time and expert care to overcome.
If you feel that a birth trauma has been caused by an error by a doctor, midwife, or medical facility, it’s essential that you gather as much information as possible and secure the services of a solicitor to find out what your options are.
You should also explore practical and emotional help which may be available to you in your local area. It’s important that you have the support that you need in order to begin the healing process.
Last Updated on June 25, 2023 by Lucy Clarke
