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We talk openly about emotional and mental health.

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What is medical gaslighting, and how does it show up in maternity care? birth trauma gaslight gaslighting maternity care medical gaslighting May 15, 2024

The term gaslight comes from the 1944 film of the same title, whereby the main character seeks to have his wife committed to an asylum.

He tampers with the gaslight, making it flicker and then denies that he sees this, making his wife question first her senses and then her sanity. This is just...

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Birth trauma shame birth trauma birth trauma recovery birth trauma shame Nov 02, 2023

Shame is often experienced by parents who had a traumatic birth.

Shame arises out of a perception that we are wrong, unlovable, bad or unacceptable in some way. 

Sadly, it’s all to obvious why modern, medicalized birth is so often shaming of parents.

Experiencing birth as a series of...

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How to support a healing birth after a traumatic one better birth birth trauma birth trauma recovery tbr 3 step rewind traumatic birth Sep 21, 2022

Being pregnant again after a traumatic birth is for many parents an anxious time.

It might also be the first time that they have experienced trauma symptoms, even though their birth may have been years ago.

Often parents recover well after a difficult or traumatic birth experience, busy...

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‘Mothers pitted against midwives’ birth trauma birth trauma recovery covid perinatal mental health tbr certificate in perinatal emotional health & wellbeing Aug 04, 2022

Last month a London Assembly health committee review of Covid maternity care in the capital heard that over 75% of the 110,000 women who gave birth in London in 2020 laboured alone, without their partner's support.

Mothers were frequently left to labour, birth and recover alone as staff shortages...

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The Biggest Taboo birth injury birth trauma birth trauma recovery perineal tears prolapse traumatic birth Jul 21, 2022

This week has been Birth Trauma Awareness week in the UK and the theme this year was birth injury.

I am grateful to BTA UK, Australasian BTA and Make Birth Better who have collaborated to publish the results of their survey which echoes what TBR College has heard from parents with birth injuries...

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I couldn't be a parent and an addict birth trauma certificate perinatal emotional health & wellbeing mental health perinatal health Jul 14, 2022

It’s easy to get distracted from our BIG why.

The reason why we are so passionate about supporting parents at different stages through their journey 

Why did we decide to train as doulas, midwives, antenatal teachers, health visitors, breast feeding counsellors, lactation consultants...

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Perinatal Mental Health Maths anxiety birth trauma birth trauma recovery certificate perinatal emotional health & wellbeing perinatal mental health perinatal trauma pnd trauma symptoms Jun 27, 2022

I am still surprised that many perinatal professionals are unaware of how many parents struggle with their mental health and wellbeing.

Here are some statistics you might find surprising:

  • 1 in 5 parents experiences perinatal anxiety.
  • Depending on what study is used between 10% and 20% of parents...
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When bad things happen..... birth trauma mental health perinatal trauma ptsd tbr 3 step rewind Jun 10, 2022


Did you know that when bad things happen, when we experience trauma because we felt a threat to our life, the brain’s biology changes to protect us from experiencing the same threat again.
 
We become hardwired to react with the fight, flight or freeze response whenever a similar...

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How is perinatal trauma different from other kinds of trauma? birth trauma birth trauma recovery certificate perinatal emotional health & wellbeing tbr 3 step rewind May 24, 2022

I have always believed that perinatal trauma is nuanced and different from other kinds of trauma, such as motoring accidents or natural disasters.

Perinatal trauma can impact parents health on all levels; physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

The lasting effects can be devastating for both...

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My mixed feelings about trauma birth trauma healthcare traumatising May 12, 2022

When I think about trauma, which I do often, all the paradoxical feelings come up.

On the one hand I think we are lucky to be living in an enlightened age where evidence about how trauma has far reached effects on our health is gradually becoming common knowledge. 

But when I consider...

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Traumatic Birth Recovery’s response to the full Ockenden report 30th March 2022 birth trauma ockenden report traumatic birth Mar 30, 2022

Reading the full Ockenden report today has been tough going. My heart goes out to all the families impacted by the Shrewsbury & Telford maternity trust’s poor care.

I was also, however surprised by the report.

I had expected there to be more damning evidence blaming midwives who were...

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What is the future for our broken maternity system? birth trauma march with midwives maternity midiwfery nhs Mar 10, 2022

This Sunday I will dusting off my placard again to join midwives, other perinatal professionals and parents in Parliament Square in London. I will be there to show solidarity with midwives who are increasingly seeing their profession eroded, their working conditions untenable and their futures as...

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