Birth trauma stories
If you’ve been through a traumatic birth, it can help to read other people’s stories. Over the past few years, many women, and a few men, have kindly shared their stories with us.
Category
- Birth injury
- Blood transfusion
- Bowel incontinence
- Bowel malrotation
- Brain injury
- C-section
- Caesarean
- Consent
- Episiotomy
- Erb's palsy
- Fenton's procedure
- Forceps
- Fourth-degree tear
- General anaesthetic
- Haematoma
- Healing birth
- Induction
- Infection
- Kidney failure
- Long labour
- Medical negligence
- NICU
- PND
- PPH
- PTSD
- Placenta accreta
- Placenta praevia
- Planned caesarean
- Postpartum haemorrhage
- Prematurity
- Retained placenta
- SCBU
- Sepsis
- Shoulder dystocia
- Ventouse
- caesarean
- induction
Katie’s story
This baby was the little miracle our families had been waiting for. Pregnancy didn’t give me the ‘glow’ I was hoping for. Some people make it seem like it should be enjoyed every second of every day. However, mine was treated with a few scares right from the get go and numerous trips to triage, along with a low-lying placenta that thankfully, well maybe not so thankfully after all, moved at the last minute.
Sara’s story
It’s ironic that I was once a lawyer on One Born Every Minute. I watched loads of births; unedited. I looked aghast at the ones that went wrong; the worst of which became my first birth experience: shoulder dystocia. A process not unlike a calf being extracted forcibly from its mother by a strong-armed vet, and with as little dignity.
Lizzie’s story
After a traumatic first birth with a 3b tear and operation I was petrified of giving birth again. I opted for an elective c section to try and get more control. My elective c section went badly wrong.
Daisy’s story
My partner and I decided to start trying for a baby and were very lucky to fall pregnant quite quickly. I had morning sickness but I was never sick – a very normal and healthy pregnancy. I never made a birth plan to save disappointment and my midwife fully supported this.
Our support services
Talk to our peer supporters, join our Facebook group, or sign up for our fortnightly Zoom drop-in.
Zoom drop-ins
Our peer support team holds a fortnightly Zoom drop-in on a Thursday evening. You can find the details on our Facebook group, or email us for information.