traumaticbirth

What is a traumatic birth?

This sounds like a heavy question. Traumatic birth isn't always just labor and delivery gone wrong. It can be anything a mother experiences that leaves a long-lasting impression on their mental and/or physical state during and after birth.

So many mothers experience this and, for most of them, the trauma is disregarded and left untreated.

Talking with Sharmon Reddington of Mum Well, this episode focuses on the societal stigma surrounding birth trauma. She shares her personal story and how she overcame the pressures of putting her trauma aside to embrace and heal from it.

In our mission to change the perspective around postpartum health, birth trauma plays a significant part. Taking care of our mental health and actively seeking help in our recovery is the first step to becoming better parents and moms.

Topics covered in this episode

1:54 | The definition of traumatic birth
7:55 | Sharmon's birth trauma experience
14:05 | Downplaying our emotions
17:51 | A message to mothers
21:21 | Postpartum support with birth trauma
30:50 | What for you is good?
35:33 | What you wish you knew about postpartum

Extra resources

You can learn more, explore resources, and connect with Sharmon at mumwell.com.

More mental health resources

• What Is a Traumatic Birth? Here Are The Steps to Heal
• Struggling to Adjust to Motherhood? It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
• A Free Mental Health Checklist for New Moms

{Trigger Warning: Birth Trauma}

Nearly twenty years ago, Carlee Russell experienced a traumatic birth. Unfortunately, that was just the first of what would be a total of three difficult birth experiences. Carlee candidly shares about this time in life, and how she's processed that season of life in the years that followed. Carlee also answers deeply heart-felt and raw listener questions: Can a traumatic birth be beautiful? What makes birth beautiful in the light of the Gospel? What constitutes strength during birth? Why does sin come in and seemingly ‘tarnish’ some births, while others experience beauty, laughter, peace during their births? Especially for parents who have experienced a traumatic birth, our hope is that when you listen to this episode you will know you are not alone. Our hope is that you will see the heart of God for you during this time.