Birth Trauma and Psychological Problems in Humans

Findings have proven that psychological trauma leaves a lasting effect on human beings. These effects appear in the lives of children up until they become adults. There is a connection between injuries at birth and long-term psychological problems. Keep reading for more on birth trauma and psychological problems in humans.

Birth Trauma and Psychological Problems

Some people could have trouble healing from and readjusting to life after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic incident.

 

Birth Trauma

War, assault, or an accident are what come to mind when considering an instance of an event that may have such a long-lasting emotional and psychological impact.

However, giving birth might also have that outcome. Birth trauma can happen when a parent giving birth feels physical, emotionally, or psychologically unsafe just before, during, or just after labour or giving birth. This in turn affects the child.

 

The Experience at Birth

How a child is born matters a lot. A baby grows comfortably in the mother’s womb, with her heartbeat reassuring it as it floats in warm fluid covered by darkness.

The baby must push and squeeze through a tiny channel in the mother’s adrenaline-charged body during birth.

 

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The Many Birth Traumas

Traumatic birth experiences can take many different forms, one way someone could suffer birth trauma is if they have a physical medical emergency during, right before, or right after giving birth to their child.

These situations might require a big medical team right away in a way that wasn’t recognised before labour or delivery.

They could also involve induction, an emergency C-section, bleeding after delivery, eclampsia, placental abruption, or haemorrhaging after birth.

Inadequate pain treatment during a C-section, the impression that the birthing environment is not emotionally secure, or the experience of perpetually feeling invisible or unheard during the birthing process are some examples of birth trauma.

The infant is in danger of dying, there is a stillbirth, or the baby passes very soon after birth. These situations fall under the second category of birth trauma.

Preterm labour, a postpartum finding that necessitates urgent medical treatment, the identification of an unexpected medical condition, a lengthy stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, or a baby’s injury during labour and delivery can all result in birth trauma that affects the baby’s health.

It can be upsetting for both parents when their child needs to be taken away for unplanned medical attention.

 

Long-Term Psychological Effects and Early Trauma

A baby is born with an unconscious mind. As such, the early experiences of a traumatic birth leave room for future psychological development, which affects the child as they grow up.

According to psychologists, children with difficult births are likely to get angry and anxious more than those with easy births.

Babies who suffer complications during birth are usually placed in a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). It gets even worse because the baby is being separated from the mother at this point

This early effect on mother-child bonding has a significant impact on the child’s psychological development later in life.

When this doesn’t happen, there is bound to be a detrimental effect on psychology. According to psychologists, there is a clear relationship between rebellious children, angry or nervous adults, and a bad birth experience.

 

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Traumatic Birth and Developmental Delay

According to studies, there is also a connection between a traumatic birth and developmental delay. This also involves attention deficit disorder and autism.

It is not a surprise that at least 80 per cent of children who suffer from developmental delays are traced to childbirth.

That is because the child’s spine and skull are exposed to force at death.

When a mother experiences difficulty during labour, the outcome could have effects on the baby’s body, which can affect the nervous system.

Timely action is crucial when it comes to reducing the psychological repercussions of birth trauma. As the child matures, behavioural, intellectual, and developmental difficulties will need to be addressed.

For such children, a proactive approach can go a long way in preventing more significant psychological disorders.

 

Managing Birth Trauma

You could experience symptoms such as anxiety, hypervigilance, a sensation of disconnection, overwhelming thoughts, or panic in the days, weeks, or months following birth trauma.

You’re not alone if you’re experiencing any of these emotional or psychological side effects of post-birth trauma, and there are many things you can do to feel better.

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