PTSD after caesarean....

[nakedfaery.livejournal.com]

Is it possible to get post traumatic stress disorder after a traumatic birth and caesarean section?

x-posted to theladiesloos

Comments

[asunlitrose.livejournal.com]

Absolutely.

In my training as a postpartum doula, we learned just how traumatic birth experiences can be if they don't go as planned, or even do go as planned. Birth can be extremely traumatic because of how painful it is and how invasive it can be, especially if you're an abuse or sexual assault survivor. This can be intensified by a c-section or epidural in which you feel you have no control over or are detached from your body. PTSD can certainly happen because of all of these things, and the best thing to do is see a professional (doula, counselor, therapist) who is trained in listening to your birth story and can help you process things in the safest way possible. If left untreated, you have a higher chance of experiencing postpartum depression, which no one wants. Consider getting professional help. It will be hard to process your birth but you can evaluate the part that bothers you most and focus on how to make things better. Prescription drugs may also be a possibility, but make sure if you're breastfeeding that the drugs are compatible -- Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac are known for that, but I'm sure there are others.

Good luck! The first step in recovery is getting information and admitting that you might need help.

[nakedfaery.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to force myself to do some research, all I've managed to do is log onto ICAN website, and it made me so upset I cried floods of tears.

The thing is, my birth was nearly 4 years ago. So I feel a complete baby for feeling this distressed by it now. But the idea that I want to have more children in the future has made me realise I've got to address this overwhelming sense of guilt/shame and FEAR that surrounds the birthing process.

[asunlitrose.livejournal.com]

But you know what? Crying is ok, and you have every right to grieve about your birth and the trauma you endured. You're not a baby, you are experiencing PTSD, and that's really hard to get past without professional help. I have PTSD myself from sexual assault, and it wasn't until almost three years later that the impact hit me (in the form of nightmares, insomnia, paranoia, crying, and more), so I certainly know how you feel. But our minds are wonderful things. A lot of times our mind knows that we're not in the safest place to process something, so they put it in the back until we're ready. Now that you're in a safer place mentally, your mind brings them back and says "hey! you're bugged by this, remember?"

Giving birth is SO HARD, mothering is SO HARD. Not many people acknowledge that once you've had the baby -- they say, "at least your baby is healthy." Well, sure, but you're not feeling ok. Your feelings matter too. Even though it is hard to get help and admit you need help, it sounds like you truly desire it. The guilt, shame, and fear are all completely valid feelings but they do need to be addressed, whether you have kids again or not, because otherwise this is likely to haunt you for a long time, and you don't deserve to go through that.

[nakedfaery.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your words! They're very supportive to me and mean the world to me when I'm in this dark place.