Have You Suffered From Birth Trauma? | Loose Women 

It's not just childbirth, this is happening all the time with surgeries, especially on women who end up getting dismissed as if they're pretending there is a problem!

Yes there absolutely needs to be a maternity minister that solely handles maternity care and neonatal care in the NHS. My sister could have died from blood loss after delivering her son in 2017

I have a similar story to Colleen's sister. I had a 36-hour labour before everything went frantic and I was whisked off for an emergency c-section. I was having contractions for all that time but wasn't dilating. I felt something wasn't right, but I wasn't listened to. Then, just before starting the op, I heard the surgeon say, "I don't like the look of this" to a colleague. I think he thought I wouldn't hear him, I don't know. I was then worried that my baby was going to be born dead. Luckily, he was ok. For weeks afterwards I kept crying for no apparent reason. I now believe that I was traumatised at the time. But, as you say, you're just left to get on with it afterwards.

I’m definitely traumatised, I was in labour from Saturday afternoon and gave birth Wednesday morning, I was lucky to have my family with me for support.

As a student midwife, I'd like to point out that there IS actually help out there, but the problem is that women aren't signposted to it properly. All hospitals now do something called a 'Birth Reflection', which is where you can book an appointment to go into the hospital - if you feel you can, phone call also available - and sit down with someone who will go through your notes with you, and tell you what happened, when and why. Notes are kept for 25 years, so it doesn't have to happen straight away. As a student, I make a point of mentioning this service to the women before they are discharged from hospital, or postnatally in the community, but sadly many other midwives do not. SO if you're struggling with birth trauma, please contact your hospital about Birth Reflection!

I lost my son when Dr and nurse said I couldn’t be in labor at 32 weeks. They wouldn’t scan me and sent me home. They said “first time mum, overreacting “ two days later I was giving birth to dead son. The report/paperwork said in retrospect I was in labor and they should have acted. I had to give birth in labor ward with other mums and babies. Dr said “these things happen “

I think if you want a c-section for your mental health, I think you absolutely should be allowed to have one.

I was misdiagnosed 4 different things during the course of 5 days at 35 weeks pregnant. My body was actually triggering labour. The idiots wanted to induce me but i was already 2cm dilated. They sent my anxiety sky high for fk all and i won't ever trust them again. My second child is due in August and because of the first experience, im worried already. Im going to pour my heart out to my midwife... Hopefully she listens! Fingers crossed for a better experience.

I also have birth trauma. I was made to feel like an over reacting first time mother, I was completely disregarded - it resulted in a 55 hr labour, an emergency c section, huge blood loss and transfusion, life support and a hysterectomy. I’ve not been the same since. It was due to clinical negligence although an internal serious incident review said otherwise, but I fought it and we were successful - I saw we as my husband and I have both been left with PTSD! I’m furious about how we were treated and how different things could have been had I been listened to. It turns out I was failing to dilate past 4cm and they induced me, but even after the NICE guidelines for reviewing progress they wouldn’t operate and continued to give me oxytocin. Even when they finally agreed to give me a c section, they continued to give the induction drug. My daughter’s head was impacted and stuck. When the surgeon operated there was a huge argument within the surgical team, it was chaotic, the surgeon appeared covered in blood, speaking frantically and incoherently, my baby did not cry and I did not know if she was ok, I wasn’t even told if I had a girl or a boy until one of the team said ‘She’s beautiful’. I was put to sleep and woke up 7 hours later to see members of my family at the foot of my bed and immediately knew something serious had happened. My husband then had to tell me I had had a hysterectomy - I was hysterical and was asking if the baby was ok - she wasn’t next to me. The nurses had cared for her as my husband wasn’t in a good place. He had had to make the decision about my hysterectomy and had been told to prepare for the worst. I have had EMDR but I still have flashbacks. No one prepares you for when it goes wrong. The hospital couldn’t offer a birth reflection at the time and gave us a number for a miscarriage counsellor!

That was the same with my labour in 2007, midwife had her back to me writing notes throughout. I ended u having a traumatic birth ended up in emergency C-section.

I became disabled from having my son in 2015 now I’m getting my 3rd serious op next week

Two babies, two birth traumas. I can never do it again. It truly nearly broke me in every sense.

I got maternal sepsis which was completely preventable and I still have ptsd till this day

I had an incredibly traumatic birth. The hospital in east london where i delivered has a horrible reputation. My placenta burst which is fine it happens but i wasn't given any care or attention i literally remember a midwife saying there won't be anyone available and to come the next day. My mothers a doctor and said I should have been on IV antibiotics so they kept me and didn't do anything. Long story short I had an emergency c- section and was told i could have potentially died from an infection and my daughter as well cause of staff shortages and negligence.

Yes I have my first I had a miscarriage and my second was traumatic he now 4 years old ❤

My daughters owed 63 million due to severe clinical negligence and couldn't get legal aid so I've had to represent myself in the high court

One simple answer Yes I suffered

It’s really odd that in both America and the UK that black women have higher risk than anyone else. I’m not talking about the obvious, I’m wondering if anyone has ever really delved into the science of it. Im American so we don’t have anything like the NHS although my husband was in the military so we did have really good healthcare. The hospital we were at had a policy of basically “we don’t believe in pain” so they kept me more than comfortable. I am what’s called a borderline free bleeder. Just means I bleed a lot more than normal but not to the point of danger usually. So I had some issues after birth but again, really really good drugs so I was calm and that kept my husband calm.

My son nearly died due to medical negligence. He was starved of oxygen for 8 minutes, he has damage to part of his brain and we were told it was 50/50 as to whether he would even survive or not 😢 something needs to be done about this

Hearing all of this I want kids but I’m now terrified and not sure I want to go through all of this. It’s so sad that the healthcare system is failing women like this 😢

I was so lucky to have my mum I got septis and had to stay in for a week after a very traumatic birth. She had to sleep on the floor for 4 days until they gave her anything to sleep on while I was in the bed recovering from emergency c section and Septis. I was left each day for hours for any painkillers I'm blessed to have my baby girl but I am scared for life from it

I had two c sections, with 1st one everything was horrible, 3 days of labour then an emergency c section, followed by infection and on top of that when it was infected they told me it’s allergy. The next time when it start oozing lot of pus I went to triage n waited 4 hours n there was a puddle of pus gathered in my feet yet no one to see me instead they were putting tissues on it. When got admitted again for antibiotic IV the midwifes there treated me so bad. On the first night at hospital after c sec I ask a midwife to help me by passing me the baby as baby was hungry and crying I try to reach the crib but I couldn’t she told me to do it myself otherwise how will I do it at home, spent all night struggling.

I had the most horrific experience 2 and a halfweeks ago. Useless people, and empathy ...oh 0% coming from each member of staff i encountered

There is an old saying in my language that a woman in labour has one foot in a grave.

they left me for 2 days at the end i lost the conciest

The Conservative government have so much to answer for 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼

I know so many women and also men who have truama from birth. I do not personally, there were things that were traumatic, but i wouldnt say i was traumatized afterwards and then weeks and months after. I barely saw my midwife unless they were doing checks or i was actually having to push but my mum got them when my body pushed on its own and burst my waters. But ive had people saying to me, please do not tell me about your birth. I know it was lovely for you but mine wasnt and when you bring yours up it brings mines up inside mt head and i cant think about it. Personally i wouldnt put that on another person. Id be seeling help for the trauma rather than telling someone not to share something thst brings them joy.

Alot the midwife in the hospital are young. Although they are trained some might not had kids themselves

Why does Brenda often get left till the very end when there’s fork all time for her to say anything? Poor woman didn’t even get to talk.

you say we need more midwives but it takes 3 years to train one. doesn't happen overnight! how about making entry requirements to training easier? i am sure there are people who would love to do the course but dont have that opportunity

Midwives used to go to uni for free, work at a medical placement throughout their qualification, in other words, work for free to qualify. Now they’re being charged tuition fees to work for free, with an awarenesss that their salary will never be good… the conservatives are not just actively destroying the nhs, they are destroying the stock of nurses that will be able to qualify in the future

Child free seems to be the best option for women moving forward 💯

Victoria Atkins interview go to us always about money,not enough and not making a difference.

Giving birth itself is trauma, in my eyes.

Another thing to put me off having kids.

Charlene🙄🥴🙉

All gynae care is shocking

Why does,brenda have an eye patch on

Judi doesn’t seem to know what to do with her hair 🤦🏿‍♀️

Now Colleen Nolan is getting paided for speaking about her pets . Attenion seeker 😮