Auteur: Marijn Jorissen

Bringing a child into the world is often described as one of life’s most beautiful moments.

However, for many mothers, childbirth can be a traumatic experience that leaves emotional and physical scars.

Birth trauma can stem from difficult labor, emergency interventions, or complications that impact both the baby and the mother.

Most traumatizing births occur in hospitals, where medical interventions, lack of communication, and high-pressure environments can contribute to a loss of control for mothers.

Many women feel unheard, rushed, or pressured into procedures they did not fully understand or consent to.

If you or someone you love has experienced birth trauma, you’re not alone.

Here, we share real stories from courageous mothers who have navigated this challenging journey and found hope in the healing process.

Emma’s Story: Overcoming an Emergency C-Section

“My first pregnancy was smooth, and I was eagerly anticipating a natural birth.

However, after hours of labor, my baby’s heart rate dropped, and I was rushed in for an emergency C-section.

I was terrified, and the feeling of helplessness lingered for months.

It took time, therapy, and the support of a wonderful mothers’ group to process what had happened.

Now, three years later, I’ve found peace.

I share my experience to remind other moms that they are not alone, and that healing is possible.”

Olivia’s Story: Losing Control During Labor

“My labor progressed so fast that I felt completely out of control. T

he pain was unbearable, and the fear of something going wrong took over.

I remember screaming and begging for help, but I felt like no one was truly listening.

After giving birth, I was left with overwhelming anxiety and sadness.

The hardest part was the months that followed — my baby cried excessively, and I felt helpless.

I doubted myself constantly and struggled with bonding.

It wasn’t until I sought therapy that I realized my feelings were valid and that I needed to heal.

Slowly, with support, I’ve started to regain my confidence as a mother.”

Mia’s Story: Coping with an Inconsolable Baby

“My birth experience was traumatic — I felt ignored, powerless, and in pain for hours.

When my baby was finally born, I thought the worst was over.

But the real challenge began at home.

My baby cried endlessly, and nothing seemed to help.

The sleepless nights and constant stress made me feel like I was failing as a mother.

Reaching out to a postpartum support group was life-changing.

Hearing from other moms who had gone through the same thing reassured me that I wasn’t alone.

With time and patience I learned to trust my instincts.”

Hannah’s Story: Not Being Listened to by Hospital Staff

“I went into labor confident in my birth plan, but the reality was nothing like I had envisioned.

I repeatedly told the nurses and doctors that something felt wrong, but my concerns were dismissed.

They insisted I was progressing normally, even though I knew my body was telling me otherwise.

Hours later, my baby went into distress, and I was rushed in for an emergency intervention.

The feeling of not being listened to haunted me for months.

I struggled with anger, frustration, and self-doubt.

It took speaking with a birth trauma specialist and finding a support group of mothers with similar experiences for me to start healing.

I now advocate for informed consent and better communication in hospital settings.

If you feel unheard, your voice still matters. Don’t stop advocating for yourself.”

Jessica’s Story: Undergoing Interventions Without Consent

“I trusted my medical team to guide me through childbirth, but I was never prepared for how powerless I would feel.

During labor, I was suddenly given medications and procedures without anyone explaining what was happening.

I wasn’t asked for my consent before being given an episiotomy or before forceps were used.

After the birth, I felt violated and confused.

I kept replaying the experience in my mind, wondering why no one had talked to me about what was being done to my body.

It wasn’t until I joined a birth trauma support group that I realized I wasn’t alone.

Now, I speak out about informed consent and the right of mothers to make decisions about their own births.

No woman should have to go through interventions without understanding and agreement.”

Finding Support and Healing

If you’re struggling after a traumatic birth experience, here are some steps that may help:

• Talk about your experience with trusted loved ones or a support group.
• Connect with other moms who understand what you’re going through.
• Practice self-care to nurture your emotional and physical well-being.
• Seek professional help if you experience PTSD, anxiety, or depression.

You are not alone, and your feelings are valid.

With time, support, and self-compassion, healing is possible.

Have you experienced birth trauma?

Share your story in the comments and help other mothers feel seen and supported.

Introduction

Birth is a profound and transformative experience, but for some infants, it can also be traumatic.

Birth trauma in children is an often-overlooked issue that can have lasting physical and psychological effects.

Understanding the causes, recognizing the signs, and exploring recovery options are crucial steps in ensuring a child’s well-being.

In this article, we will explore birth trauma, its potential consequences, and how parents can support their child’s healing journey.

What is Birth Trauma?

Birth trauma refers to physical injuries or emotional stress experienced by a newborn during labor and delivery.

Birth trauma can be categorized into two main types:

1. Physical Birth Trauma – This includes injuries such as fractures, nerve damage, oxygen deprivation, or brain injuries that occur during delivery.
2. Emotional Birth Trauma – Infants can experience psychological distress due to a difficult birth, medical interventions, or prolonged separation from their mother after delivery.

Common Causes of Birth Trauma

Several factors can contribute to birth trauma, including:

• !! Maternal distress and loss of control during labor !! – Emotional distress in the mother during labor, particularly when she feels a loss of control over the birthing process, can increase stress hormone levels. This can lead to physiological responses that may impact the baby’s heart rate, oxygen supply, and overall birth experience. Anxiety, fear, or a lack of emotional support during labor can contribute to prolonged labor and other complications, increasing the risk of birth trauma.
• Prolonged or difficult labor – When labor lasts for an extended period, the baby may experience excessive pressure on the head and body, leading to potential nerve damage or oxygen deprivation. This can also increase the risk of the baby becoming stuck in the birth canal, further exacerbating complications. Prolonged labor can also lead to maternal exhaustion, which may contribute to delivery complications that increase the likelihood of birth trauma.
• Use of forceps or vacuum extraction – In cases where assistance is needed to deliver the baby, forceps or vacuum extraction may be used. While these tools can help in difficult births, they can also cause injuries such as bruising, swelling, nerve damage, or even skull fractures if excessive force is applied. Additionally, improper use of these instruments can lead to facial paralysis or intracranial hemorrhage, which can have long-term neurological implications.
• Cesarean section (C-section) complications – While C-sections can be life-saving, emergency procedures may be performed in rushed conditions, increasing the likelihood of surgical complications, breathing difficulties, or a delay in bonding with the mother, which can contribute to emotional distress in the newborn. C-sections can also lead to an increased risk of respiratory distress syndrome in newborns, particularly if performed before full-term gestation.
• Premature birth – Babies born before full term may have underdeveloped organs, making them more susceptible to respiratory distress, low birth weight, and neurological challenges. The sudden transition from the womb to an external environment can also heighten their stress levels. Premature infants often require intensive care, which may result in prolonged separation from their mother, increasing the risk of emotional and attachment-related issues.
• Fetal distress – This occurs when the baby is not receiving enough oxygen during labor and delivery. Prolonged oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) can result in brain damage, affecting cognitive and motor functions and, in severe cases, leading to conditions such as cerebral palsy. Factors such as umbilical cord compression, placental abruption, or maternal health complications (e.g., preeclampsia or gestational diabetes) can contribute to fetal distress and increase the risk of birth trauma.
• Shoulder dystocia – A rare but serious complication where the baby’s shoulders become lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone during delivery. This can result in brachial plexus injuries, fractures, or reduced oxygen supply, which may require immediate medical intervention to prevent long-term disabilities. In severe cases, shoulder dystocia can lead to Erb’s palsy, a condition that affects arm movement due to nerve damage, potentially requiring surgical or therapeutic interventions for recovery.
• Umbilical cord complications – The umbilical cord can become wrapped around the baby’s neck (nuchal cord), compressed, or prolapsed, leading to oxygen deprivation and potential birth trauma. In severe cases, this can lead to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a serious condition that can cause brain damage.
• Maternal infections during pregnancy – Certain infections such as Group B Streptococcus (GBS), cytomegalovirus (CMV), or syphilis can affect the baby’s development and contribute to complications during birth. If these infections are not properly managed, they can increase the likelihood of birth trauma.
• Multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.) – Delivering multiple babies increases the risk of complications such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and delivery complications like cord entanglement or restricted movement in the womb, which can result in birth trauma.
• Placental issues – Conditions such as placenta previa (where the placenta covers the cervix) or placental abruption (where the placenta detaches prematurely) can cause emergency situations during labor and increase the likelihood of trauma to the baby.
• Excessive birth weight (Macrosomia) – Babies who are larger than average (over 8 pounds, 13 ounces) are at greater risk of experiencing complications during vaginal delivery, including shoulder dystocia, fractures, and nerve injuries.
• Maternal health conditions – Conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, or autoimmune disorders can contribute to complications during pregnancy and delivery, increasing the risk of birth trauma.
• Meconium aspiration syndrome – In some cases, a baby may pass meconium (first stool) in the womb and inhale it into their lungs during delivery, which can cause breathing difficulties, infections, and lung trauma requiring medical intervention.

Signs and Symptoms of Birth Trauma in Children The effects of birth trauma can manifest in various ways, depending on the severity of the injury. Some common symptoms include:

• Physical Signs:
  • Difficulty moving limbs
  • Unusual muscle stiffness or weakness
  • Favoring one side of the body
  • Difficulty breathing after birth
• Neurological and Behavioral Signs:
  • !! Excessive crying or irritability !!
  • Feeding difficulties
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Sensory sensitivities (e.g., aversion to touch, sounds, or lights)
  • Delayed motor skills or developmental milestones

Long-Term Effects of Birth Trauma If left untreated, birth trauma can have lasting consequences. Some children may develop conditions such as:

• Cerebral palsy (from oxygen deprivation or brain injury)
• Developmental delays
• Behavioral or emotional difficulties
• Learning disabilities
• Post-traumatic stress symptoms

How to Support a Child with Birth Trauma

The good news is that many children recover from birth trauma with the right care and interventions. Here are some ways parents can help:

1. Emotional Support and Attachment – Skin-to-skin contact, gentle holding, and responsive caregiving can help infants heal emotionally. Babies can also recover through emotional crying in the arms of their mother, as this fosters a sense of safety and promotes bonding.
2. Physical Therapy – Helps improve muscle function and mobility in cases of physical injury.
3. Craniosacral Therapy and Chiropractic Care – Some parents explore alternative therapies to aid in the baby’s physical recovery.
4. Counseling and Play Therapy – Older children who exhibit signs of trauma may benefit from therapy to process their experiences.

Conclusion

Birth trauma in children is a serious yet often under-discussed issue.

While it can have lasting effects, early recognition and appropriate interventions can significantly improve outcomes.

By fostering a nurturing environment and seeking expert guidance, families can help their children heal and thrive.

Bringing a baby into the world should be a beautiful and empowering experience.

But for many mothers and babies, hospital births can be stressful and overwhelming.

While hospitals are essential for emergencies, their highly medical approach can create fear, tension, and even trauma.

Let’s explore why hospital births can be difficult for both mother and baby.

1. Loss of Control and Choice

Many women expect to have control over their birth experience, but in hospitals, decisions are often made for them.

Medical interventions such as inductions, epidurals, and C-sections are often encouraged without thorough explanations or genuine consent.

This lack of control can be upsetting.

Hospitals follow strict policies that focus on efficiency rather than individual needs.

Many mothers feel rushed, pressured into interventions, or ignored when expressing their birth preferences.

In some cases, medical staff make crucial decisions without fully informing the mother, leaving her feeling powerless.

Additionally, hospital staff are often overworked and unable to provide emotional support.

Hospitals also limit the number of support people allowed, which means some mothers may not have their chosen birth partners.

When concerns go unheard, it can make the experience even more distressing.

Childbirth is a deeply personal event.

When mothers feel like they have no say, it can cause long-term emotional distress and impact their recovery.

2. Medical Interventions That Disrupt Natural Birth

Hospitals follow schedules that may not align with a mother’s natural labor process.

Common interventions include:

• Inducing labor with synthetic hormones like Pitocin, which can cause very strong contractions. This can increase stress for both mother and baby and often leads to more interventions.
• Epidurals, which numb pain but can slow labor and make it harder to move. Limited movement can reduce the effectiveness of natural birthing positions.
• Continuous fetal monitoring, which often means mothers are confined to a bed. This prevents them from using movement, warm water, or different positions to manage pain.
• Unnecessary C-sections, which are sometimes done due to time constraints rather than medical necessity. C-sections come with longer recovery times and potential future pregnancy risks.
• Use of forceps or vacuum extraction, which can cause trauma to both mother and baby, increasing physical and emotional complications.
• Strict labor time limits, where hospitals may expect labor to progress at a set pace. If labor is slow, interventions like breaking the water or adding Pitocin may be used unnecessarily.
• Discouragement of movement, as many hospitals encourage women to labor on their backs, even though upright positions can make birth easier.
• Early cord clamping, which deprives the baby of important nutrients from the placenta, affecting long-term health.
• Limited access to water birth options, despite evidence that water births reduce pain naturally and improve comfort.
• Routine episiotomies, which are often unnecessary and can lead to longer recovery times.
• IV fluids, which can cause swelling and impact newborn weight measurements and breastfeeding.
• Pressure to follow hospital rules, which can make it hard for mothers to advocate for their own birth choices, such as delayed cord clamping or intermittent fetal monitoring.

These interventions often create a cycle where one leads to another, making labor more stressful and increasing the chance of a difficult birth experience.

3. A Stressful Hospital Environment

Hospitals are not designed for comfort.

Bright lights, loud beeping machines, and changing medical staff can make it difficult for mothers to relax.

Stress hormones like cortisol can slow labor and make contractions feel more painful.

4. Separation of Mother and Baby

Many hospitals prioritize newborn procedures over immediate skin-to-skin contact.

Weighing, measuring, and vaccinations often come first, delaying bonding and breastfeeding.

Studies show that skin-to-skin contact reduces infant stress, regulates their heart rate, and improves breastfeeding success.

5. Birth Trauma and PTSD in Mothers

5. Birth Trauma and PTSD in Mothers

Many women feel traumatized after hospital births.

Birth trauma can come from:

• Feeling pressured into interventions.
• Having pain, fear, or concerns dismissed.
• Experiencing an emergency C-section or painful procedure without emotional support.
• Being treated coldly by hospital staff.
• Lack of informed consent, where medical procedures are performed without the mother fully understanding her options or having time to process them.
• Unwanted or forced interventions, such as episiotomies or forceps delivery, which can lead to physical and emotional scarring.
• Verbal mistreatment or neglect, where hospital staff dismiss, belittle, or ignore a mother’s pain and concerns during labor.
• Feeling abandoned or unsupported, especially in cases where a mother is left alone for long periods without emotional or medical assistance.
• Failure to acknowledge trauma, where hospital staff downplay or invalidate a mother’s distress, making it difficult for her to process and recover from the experience.

Birth trauma can have lasting effects on a mother’s mental health.

Some mothers develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can make bonding with their baby harder and increase the risk of postpartum depression.

Symptoms of PTSD after childbirth may include:

• Flashbacks or nightmares about the birth experience.
• Intense anxiety or panic attacks when thinking about labor and delivery.
• Avoidance of medical settings, making future healthcare visits distressing.
• Feelings of guilt, shame, or self-blame about the way the birth unfolded.
• Difficulty bonding with the baby due to unresolved trauma.

Healing from birth trauma often requires emotional support, therapy, and validation.

Speaking with a therapist who specializes in birth trauma, joining support groups, and discussing the experience with a compassionate birth professional can help mothers work through their emotions and regain confidence in their parenting journey.

6. How a Stressful Birth Affects the Baby

For a baby, birth is their first experience of the world.

A stressful birth can have lasting effects on their physical and emotional development.

Babies may experience:

• Difficulty breastfeeding. Stress during birth can affect a baby’s ability to latch and feed effectively, leading to early breastfeeding challenges.
• Higher stress hormone levels. Babies who experience a traumatic birth have elevated cortisol levels, which can make them more irritable and harder to soothe.
• Increased risk of colic or sleep problems. A stressful birth affects a baby’s nervous system, leading to difficulty settling, excessive crying, or disrupted sleep patterns.
• Weaker immune system. Studies suggest that babies born via C-section or with heavy medical intervention may have lower levels of beneficial gut bacteria, which play a role in immune function.
• Sensory processing issues. Babies who experience birth trauma may have heightened sensitivity to touch, sound, or movement, which can impact their development as they grow.
• Delayed motor skill development. Some babies who experience a stressful birth may take longer to reach milestones like rolling over, crawling, or walking.
• Increased risk of anxiety or attachment issues. Stressful birth experiences may make it harder for a baby to feel secure, leading to difficulties in bonding and emotional regulation.

7. Choosing a Home Birth for a More Peaceful Experience

For mothers looking to avoid unnecessary medical interventions, home birth can be a great alternative.

Home births allow mothers to labor in a familiar, relaxed environment, reducing stress and the likelihood of interventions. Benefits of home birth include:

• Greater control over labor and birth positions. Mothers can move freely and choose the positions that feel most natural to them.
• A more peaceful atmosphere. Home births eliminate the bright lights, noise, and unfamiliar faces of a hospital setting.
• No unnecessary interventions. Without strict hospital timelines, labor can progress naturally without pressure to induce or speed up delivery.
• Immediate bonding with baby. There is no routine separation of mother and baby, allowing for uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding.
• Personalized care. Midwives offer continuous, one-on-one support throughout labor and delivery, ensuring the mother’s preferences are respected.
• Lower risk of infections. Hospital settings carry a higher risk of infections due to exposure to multiple patients and staff.

While home birth is not for everyone, studies show that for low-risk pregnancies, it is a safe and empowering choice.

Final Thoughts

Every birth is unique, but all mothers deserve to feel safe, supported, and empowered.

If you’re preparing for childbirth, take time to research your options and advocate for the experience you want.

Birth should be a transformative and special event — not a traumatic one.