Recognize the trauma of childbirth, as a result of the experience during childbirth

Being a parent seems like a big stepping stone that is both challenging and fun. However, for some parents, especially mothers, there are challenges that may occur in the postpartum period, namely childbirth trauma.

What are the symptoms and causes of trauma in childbirth or childbirth that need to be treated as early as possible? Dive into the complete information here, let's!

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What is childbirth trauma?

Apart from being preoccupied with new activities to take care of the baby, there are several challenges that mothers sometimes experience in the postpartum period.

Baby blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis are mental problems that in some cases occur in new mothers.

However, not only that, there is a mental problem that can also be experienced by postpartum or postpartum mothers.

These mental problems at first glance have similar symptoms to postpartum depression, but they are different.

This condition can be caused by childbirth trauma or labor trauma.

The medical term for childbirth trauma is postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), aka post-traumatic stress disorder.

Childbirth trauma is a mental health condition that is triggered by a frightening event, either experiencing it or witnessing it firsthand.

Perhaps you are wondering how something so common as childbirth creates a physiological reaction in the mother?

The short answer is, for some mothers "natural" processes such as childbirth can also trigger severe trauma.

Mothers with postpartum trauma generally experience nightmares, severe anxiety, flashbacks of events (Flash back), and thoughts about the event.

Sometimes, attention to the delivery process is more focused on the baby, while the mother's condition is less attention.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, mothers with childbirth trauma still have memories of the traumatic experiences they have experienced or witnessed.

Most mothers who have had traumatic experiences may find it difficult to readjust.

However, over time, proper PTSD postpartum care can improve the symptoms the mother is experiencing.

What are the symptoms of childbirth trauma?

Symptoms of childbirth trauma in mothers generally include nightmares, severe anxiety, continuing to remember traumatic events, and experiencing flashbacks of events (Flash back).

As with other traumatic experiences, mothers with postpartum PTSD often experience flashbacks of events (Flash back) which continues to remind him of the trauma he has experienced.

Symptoms of postpartum PTSD or childbirth trauma are as follows:

• Experiencing one or more events that involve the threat of serious injury or death (to themselves or their babies).
• Respond to feelings of fear and helplessness each time you remember the experience.
• Flashback terror (Flash back), nightmares, disturbing memories, and hallucinations that recur and return from time to time.
• You feel depressed, anxious, or have a panic attack when you remember a traumatic event.
• You tend to avoid anything reminiscent of a traumatic event during childbirth, such as people and places.
• You avoid talking about the traumatic experience or are temporarily reluctant to interact and / or see the baby.
• You have trouble sleeping and have trouble concentrating because you remember bad memories that have been experienced or seen related to the birth process.
• You may feel angry, irritable, very alert, and always feel restless.
• You overreact when you are in a state that reminds you of a traumatic event, such as when you are startled by sound or touch.

If you experience childbirth, it is as if you are in a state of constant distress.

This is what causes you to experience the above physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral symptoms.

Symptoms of postpartum PTSD or childbirth trauma are usually temporary and treatable.

It's just that, if diagnosis and treatment are not immediately carried out, you can experience the effects of difficulty in carrying out daily activities.

What causes trauma to childbirth?

The cause of childbirth trauma is due to a traumatic event related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Sometimes, a combination of the baby blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis is associated with postpartum trauma.

Of course, the combination of these maternal mental health conditions can exacerbate one another.

Launching from the Postpartum Depression page, the causes of childbirth trauma or postpartum PTSD are:

• Labor is too long, difficult, and painful
• The use of forceps implements both birth and vacuum extraction
• The baby has umbilical cord prolapse at birth
• Having to undergo an emergency caesarean section when the normal delivery process runs into obstacles
• Experiencing conditions such as hysterectomy, preeclampsia, eclampsia, severe perineal tears (the area between the veins and anus), to postpartum hemorrhage
• Mother or have problems that threaten health during the labor process
• Infant mortality during childbirth or after birth
• Babies are in the neonatal intensive care unit, aka neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
• The mother feels a lack of support during childbirth

Various complications of childbirth can cause the mother to experience traumatic experiences that cause the appearance of postpartum PTSD symptoms.

These things can happen, no matter how physically and mentally prepared the mother-to-be, as well as the medical personnel concerned.

That is why it is very important for you to immediately seek appropriate treatment to deal with the trauma of childbirth or postpartum PTSD.

What are the risk factors for childbirth trauma?

Just because you experienced trauma during childbirth doesn't mean you will definitely develop postpartum PTSD symptoms later.

There are several risk factors that make mothers more prone to experiencing symptoms of real birth trauma after childbirth.

Various risk factors for postpartum trauma, namely:

• Have a history of past trauma such as sexual violence, accidents, and rape
• Have a history of both anxiety and depression

In some cases, reminding the mother of the traumatic experience of childbirth can trigger postpartum PTSD symptoms.

That is why, the simple memories that mothers have about trauma can actually trigger symptoms of childbirth trauma.

Are there any impacts from childbirth trauma?

If you don't get immediate medical attention due to postpartum trauma, of course there are real consequences to face.

The following are various impacts when a mother experiences childbirth trauma:

• You are less likely to want to get pregnant and give birth again
• You may find it difficult to receive further medical treatment or action if needed
• You may find it difficult to breastfeed your baby smoothly, for example because of illness, low milk production, lack of confidence, or a memory of a traumatic experience

If you have postpartum PTSD, you are more likely to experience depression. This can affect sex life after childbirth.

What can be done to deal with the trauma of childbirth?

Actually, you don't need to worry because the symptoms of childbirth trauma or labor trauma can be cured.

Yes, trauma after childbirth is temporary and treatable.

It's just that, it takes effort in the form of proper treatment so that the treatment can run smoothly so that the traumatic event no longer brings bad memories for you.

How to deal with the trauma of childbirth or childbirth that you are experiencing are as follows:

1. Consult a doctor or mental health professional

If you have experienced postpartum trauma, it is important to consult a doctor or therapist as soon as symptoms develop.

Typically, your doctor or psychotherapist may recommend that you undergo cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

Both are very effective forms of PTSD postpartum treatment. This treatment can be administered by a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health professional.

EMDR therapy aims to replace the negative emotions that come with the trauma of childbirth with positive thoughts and feelings.

The process of EMDR therapy is carried out by the therapist by asking you to recall the traumatic events that caused childbirth while diverting your concentration by doing a movement.

Usually, the therapist asks you to move your eye to the right and left following the forefinger directed by the therapist.

You can also be asked to tap your hands on the table to the rhythm.

In theory, this movement can gradually reduce the strength of negative memories and emotions that stem from past traumatic events.

Gradually, the therapist will guide you through changing your traumatized thoughts to more pleasant thoughts.

2. Ask for support from people around you

Mothers with childbirth trauma or postpartum PTSD need support to relieve trauma from the delivery experience.

The existence of people around such as husband, family members, and closest friends can help the mother to identify the causes and treat the symptoms she is experiencing.

In addition, being surrounded by the closest people who support and love you is also expected to bring positive energy to you.

If possible, you can also ask for help to care for and look after the baby when you are not at it.

3. Take medicine

Your doctor or therapist can give you medication to drink according to your schedule as a last resort in the treatment of childbirth trauma.

Medication aims to help you to be more focused and comfortable in managing symptoms, caring for babies, and carrying out daily activities.

Doctors or therapists usually provide drugs in the form of antidepressants that are safe to drink during breastfeeding and do not interfere with milk production.

Not to forget, it is important to understand that your thoughts and feelings about the baby as well as the traumatic experiences in the past can gradually change for the better.

The key, give yourself time to slowly white.

This is because the process of becoming a mother is a beautiful change or transformation as well as a challenging challenge.