Postpartum depression has become a more recognized mental illness over the past decade as a result of education and increased awareness. Traumatic childbirth, however, is still often overlooked, resulting in a scarcity of information for health professionals. This is in spite of up to 34% of new mothers reporting experiencing a traumatic childbirth and prevalence rates rising for high risk mothers, such as those who experience stillbirth or who had very low birth weight infants. This ground-breaking book brings together an academic, a clinician and a birth trauma activist. Each chapter discusses current research, women’s stories, the common themes in the stories and the implications of these for practice, clinical case studies and a clinician’s insights and recommendations for care. Topics covered include: mothers’ perspectives, fathers’ perspectives, the impact on breastfeeding, the impact on subsequent births, PTSD after childbirth and EMDR treatment for PTSD. This book is a valuable resource for health professionals who come into contact with new mothers, providing the most current and accurate information on traumatic childbirth. It also presents mothers’ experiences in a manner that is accessible to women, their partners, and families.

Second edition of a leading book on birth trauma, explaining everything you, your family and friends need to know about birth trauma: what causes it, how it affects your relationships, how to treat it, where to find support and how to make a complaint or take legal action. Written by the CEO of the Birth Trauma Association.

​This book aims to address all degrees of perineal trauma as well as interventions to reduce the risk of their occurrence and management of future pregnancies​. Perineal trauma affects a significant number of women worldwide every year. The inadequate assessment and management of perineal trauma can cause significant complications to women at a very critical time of their life. These can consequently lead to serious long-term problems.

An array of healthcare services are available to pregnant women from the prenatal to the postnatal period. Over many years, the implementation of risk approach strategies and the confidential inquiry into maternal deaths have been used and have enhanced clinical care. Maternal mortality has decreased, but the declining trend has plateaued, with maternal deaths continuing to occur at a constant pace. New strategies must be sought to resolve the current situation. Sustainable Development Goals continue to have priorities relevant to maternal health. The attention on maternal mortality has grown, nevertheless maternal morbidity has remained a silent issue. Although maternal morbidity can quantify and evaluate maternal well-being, it has been neglected. Standardization in the assessment of severe maternal health conditions would eliminate issues that arise from the diverse descriptions and measurements in maternal research at present. This book presents a multifaceted perspective of maternal morbidity. It provides an outline of regulations and a means for gauging maternal well-being when used with maternal mortality and morbidity. It offers a review of local research on maternal health aspects, including physical and psychological elements, which have received insufficient attention to date. The clinical and public health practice implications and recommendations for healthcare providers and policymakers in the field of maternal health are included.

When we think about trauma and PTSD we tend to think about war and conflict. But around a third of women feel some part of their birth was traumatic. This experience can impact on their mental and physical health, their relationships and future plans. In Why Birth Trauma Matters, Dr Emma Svanberg, clinical psychologist and co-founder of Make Birth Better, explores what happens to those who go through a bad birth. She explains in detail how birth trauma occurs, examines the wide-ranging impact on all of those involved in birth, and looks at treatments and techniques to aid recovery. By drawing on her own research and the work of experts in the field, and sharing the first-hand experiences of women, she shows how it is possible to begin to move on.

Birth ought to be a joyful experience: for some women, however, it is anything but. Women who have experienced a medical emergency during birth often find that the memory of it doesn't go away just because a healthy baby has been delivered. They experience the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder: flashbacks, sleeplessness, nightmares or extreme anxiety. Some go out of their way to avoid being reminded of the birth, and they may find it difficult to bond with their baby. Post-traumatic stress disorder after birth, known more simply as 'birth trauma', affects at least 10,000 women every year in England and Wales. Yet the condition is poorly misunderstood and women suffering from birth trauma often do not receive the treatment or support they need. They may be misdiagnosed as suffering from postnatal depression, and many find that friends and family, instead of being supportive, simply tell them to pull themselves together. This valuable and fascinating book explains everything you and your family and friends need to know about birth trauma: what causes it, how it affects your personal relationships, how to treat it and where to find support. Using the powerful personal stories of women who have suffered birth trauma and overcome it, this book shows that it is possible to go through this difficult experience and come out the other side. A percentage of all royalties is donated to charity.

In No Perfect Birth: Trauma and Obstetric Care in the Rural United States, Kristin Haltinner examines the institutional and ideological forces that cause harm to women in childbirth in the rural United States. Interweaving the poignant and tragic stories of mothers with existing research on obstetric care and social theories, Haltinner points to how a medical staff’s lack of time, a mother’s need to navigate and traverse complex spaces, and a practitioner’s reliance on well-trodden obstetric routines cause unnecessary and lasting harm for women in childbirth. Additionally, Haltinner offers suggestions towards improving current practices, incorporating case models from other countries as well as mothers’ embodied knowledge.