Humiliation - If you had a birth
experience that involved humiliation, please contact research
Belinda Diamond about her research project, "Humiliation in the
Medical Setting and Its Relationship to PTSD". The e-mail
domain is yahoo.com, and her username is diamondbelinda.
Please make sure to put the words "birth trauma" in the subject
line.
Postpartum depression may be caused by a variety of
factors, but nurturing the mother can only help! It's very
important to realize that this does not always mean "taking care
of the baby so the mom can rest". The mom's strongest
instincts are going to be nurtured if she is supported in caring
for her own child. Obviously, if the mother is unable to
connect with the baby during some periods of time, someone else
may need to be caring for the baby. But taking over the
baby's care can worsen a mother's feeling of inadequacy.
A fabulous book - MOTHER NURTURE - A Mother's Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships
Mother Nurture offers
One of my very wise clients said that when she started to feel
any kind of postpartum blues, she would then refocus on her
children and bring the family circle closer together. This
seems like a very good first remedy.
A new study out of the UK finds that moms who give birth to boys are more likely to suffer with post-partum depression (PPD) than moms who deliver girls. Researchers looked at 300 women over several decades and found that boy-moms were 71% - 79% more susceptible to develop PPD than moms of female babies. [Ed: This article postulates a cause, but I wish they had been more explicit about looking at whether this was related to a higher rate of birth complications; studies also show that boy babies have more complications at birth.]
This
summary from Metagenics cites a study from the NIH. - A
dietary supplement containing tyrosine, tryptophan and blueberry
extract showed efficacy in combating common effects of postpartum
depression and sadness.
This study concludes that omega-3 fatty acids are less helpful than supportive psychotherapy, but if you aren't able to get supportive psychotherapy, the omega-3 fatty acids may still be a good idea. And we know they're good for baby's brain development.
Omega-3
fatty acids and supportive psychotherapy for perinatal
depression: a randomized placebo-controlled study.
Freeman MP, Davis M, Sinha P, Wisner KL, Hibbeln JR, Gelenberg AJ.
J Affect Disord. 2008 Sep;110(1-2):142-8. Epub 2008 Feb 21.
CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference between omega-3
fatty acids and placebo in this study in which all participants
received supportive psychotherapy. The manualized supportive
psychotherapy warrants further study. The low intake of dietary
omega-3 fatty acids among participants is of concern, in
consideration of the widely established health advantages in utero
and in infants.
A
new paradigm for depression in new mothers: the central role of
inflammation and how breastfeeding and anti-inflammatory
treatments protect maternal mental health
Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
International Breastfeeding Journal 2007,
2:6 doi:10.1186/1746-4358-2-6
Breastfeeding fights depression
08 May 2007
International Breastfeeding Journal 2007; 2: 6
MedWire News: Breastfeeding can help new mothers fight depression, research shows.
Kathleen Kendal-Tackett (University of New Hampshire) says that depression is common among new mothers, and affects anywhere from 10 percent to 20 percent of postpartum women.
"Since depression has devastating effects on mother and baby, it's vital that it be identified and treated promptly," she adds.
Kendal-Tackett says that new mothers experience an increase in inflammation due to high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Common experiences associated with new motherhood such as disturbed sleep and postpartum pain can also act as stresses that cause pro-inflammatory levels to rise, she says.
Breastfeeding can reduce women's stress levels so that their inflammatory response systems remain inactive. This then reduces their risk of depression.
But Kendal-Tackett notes this is only true when breastfeeding is "going well."
"When breastfeeding is not going well, particularly if there is pain, it becomes a trigger to depression rather than something that lessens the risk."
She concludes: "Mother's mental health is yet another reason to
intervene quickly when breastfeeding difficulties arise."
Dietary
folate and vitamins B(12), B(6), and B(2) intake and the risk of
postpartum depression in Japan: The Osaka Maternal and Child
Health Study.
Miyake Y, Sasaki S, Tanaka K, Yokoyama T, Ohya Y, Fukushima W,
Saito K, Ohfuji S, Kiyohara C, Hirota Y; The Osaka Maternal and
Child Health Study Group.
J Affect Disord. 2006 Jun 29
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that moderate consumption of
riboflavin may be protective against postpartum depression.
Postpartum treatment key for depression: study - Jul 6/05 -- The key to preventing postpartum depression may be individual support provided after birth by a health professional and tailored to a mother's needs, says a University of Toronto researcher.
"The evidence suggests postpartum depression may be preventable, says Dennis. In analyzing the prevention strategies used, Dennis found an overall 19 per cent reduction in postpartum depression. Individual assessment and intensive support provided by a health professional to at-risk women after they give birth was the most successful approach to preventing postpartum depression; group-based strategies weren't as effective. Risk factors for postpartum depression include past psychiatric history, a significant number of life stressors and lack of support."
Contact: Cindy-Lee Dennis, Faculty of Nursing, (416) 946-8608; e-mail: cindylee.dennis@utoronto.ca
Psychosocial
and
psychological
interventions for prevention of postnatal depression: systematic
review.
Dennis CL.
BMJ. 2005 Jul 2;331(7507):15.
CONCLUSIONS: Diverse psychosocial or psychological interventions
do not significantly reduce the number of women who develop
postnatal depression. The most promising intervention is the
provision of intensive, professionally based postpartum support.
Evaluation
of
the
Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale using Rasch analysis.
Pallant JF, Miller RL, Tennant A.
BMC Psychiatry. 2006 Jun 12;6:28.
Psychological
interventions
fail
to prevent postnatal depression - " . . . intensive
postpartum support provided by a healthcare professional showed a
clear preventive effect."
Baby
Blues
Mood
Remedy from Cascade
A midwife's outline of specialized appointment to evaluate
postpartum mood
General outline of appointment for postpartum depression
Evaluate Vitals
Get History
Did she have postpartum bloodwork? Thyroid? CBC? Vit. D?
Review all regular prenatal questions, depending on how many
weeks since the birth
Evaluation of the Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale using
Rasch analysis.
Constipation? Slow transit increases absorption of hormones
GD screen? Could she be having glucose isues?
Thyroid screen? Low energy? Feeling cold?
Clean supplements:
Omega-3s - take double the recommended dosage
B vitamins - some research shows B2 helps
C - keep bowels moving, support liver
D - most women deficient, vit. D is the "happy"
vitamin
Magnesium citrate or other absorbable form -
help relax body
Milk thistle - helps clean out liver
Progesterone - 20-60 mg, pumps are helpful w/dosage, apply to
thin areas of skin twice daily for 3 weeks,
then rest 5 days?
Herbs - Blessed Thistle, Motherwort, special PP mood formulas
Consider homeopathy?
Consider guided imagery?
A new WHO statement illustrates a commitment to promoting the
rights of women and to promoting access to safe, timely,
respectful care during childbirth. It calls for greater
co-operation among governments, healthcare providers, managers,
professional associations, researchers, women’s advocates,
international organizations and women themselves to end disrespect
and abuse during facility-based childbirth.
Beck Depression
Inventory - a sytem of assessing level of depression that is
considered much more accurate than the Edinburgh PDS.
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
(EPDS)
Beyond the Blues by Pec
Indman EdD, MFT is a concise and up-to-date book for women needing
help with prenatal (pregnancy) and postpartum depression and
anxiety.
Handouts
and
Short
Articles on Depression in New Mothers
Resourcess
For
Prenatal
and Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders from Pec Indman
EdD, MFT
Help, information, and support for prenatal and postpartum illness
What Is Postpartum Depression? by Pec Indman EdD, MFT
Pregnancy and Postpartum Myths by Pec Indman EdD, MFT
Support or Postpartum Dad by Pec Indman EdD, MFT
Perinatal Medical Updates by Pec Indman EdD, MFT - With the right treatment, you will be well again.
Omega 3 Fatty Acid for treatment of prenatal and postpartum depression
Articles
by Pec - helping you cope in pregnancy and postpartum
Knowledge
Path:
Postpartum
Depression has been compiled by the Maternal and Child
Health (MCH) Library at Georgetown University.
MedEdPPD - Comprehensive
resources about postpartum depression.
http://www.mededppd.org/default2.asp
Postpartum Stress
Center - The Center was established to provide a better
understanding and comprehensive clinical intervention for any
woman who suffers from the range of postpartum psychiatric
disorders.
postpartumprogress.typepad.com/
- An award winning blog by a surviovor and board member of
postpartum support intl.
Katherine
Wisner discusses some of the medical issues surrounding the
correct treatment for postpartum depression. (video)
Solace For Mothers, An
Online Community For Healing Birth Trauma is for women who
have experienced trauma around the process of giving birth. For
these women, giving birth has left them feeling deeply
disappointed, traumatized, or even violated. We want these
women to know that they are not alone, that birth trauma is very
real, and that other women have had similar experiences and
feelings. We have created an online community as a place for
women to begin or continue their healing journey.
Postpartum
Distress Support from Postpartum Education for Parents in
Santa Barbara.
PRENATAL
? POSTPARTUM 'BLUES', DEPRESSION, STRESS ? ANXIETY from radiantmother.com
PSI: Postpartum Support
International (They used to be Depression after
Delivery)
The Postpartum Depression Center
of San Antonio
Tips
for Addressing the Baby Blues by Lois V. Nightingale, Ph.D.
Notes from a Talk on Postpartum
Depression
Sacred Window Ayurveda for
Mothers and Children, where You May Discover How to Avoid
Depression and Colic And How to Enjoy Profound Rejuvenation!
Women are encouraged to e-mail
a letter of hope and recovery to add to this collection.
Thank you!
Postpartum
Depression - Overview article [12/4/07] [Medscape
registration is free]
PSI: Postpartum Support
International
The Safe Motherhood
Quilt Project is a national effort developed to draw public
attention to the current maternal death rates, as well as to the
gross underreporting of maternal deaths in the United States, and
to honor those women who have died of pregnancy-related causes
since 1982.
What Does Safe
Motherhood Mean? - Safe Motherhood means that no woman
should die or be harmed by pregnancy or birth.
Emotional
Recovery
After
Birth - a homeopathic approach
Pregnancy
blues
worsen
with age [10/12/04] - Older mothers are more anxious
during their pregnancy and less likely to have the social support
younger mothers enjoy, a study has found. But they are also less
starry-eyed about parenthood, and will perhaps make better mothers
for it.
Postnatal
Depression or Childbirth Trauma? - For some women,
childbirth has all the characteristics we associate with trauma.
Professionals should abandon the easy assumption that childbirth
is not traumatic just because it is within the normal range of
experience, and adjust their treatment accordingly.
The Effect of Birth Experience on Postpartum Depression by Michelle A. Bland
The
Effect
of
Birth Experience on Postpartum Depression: A Follow-Up Study
by Michelle A. Bland
Puerperal
Psychosis/Postnatal Depression
The Postpartum Stress
Center in Rosemont, Pennsylvania - Clinical Director is
Karen Kleiman, MSW, author of "This Isn't What I Expected:
Overcoming Postpartum Depression"
This brief article on Deep
Tissue
Vaginal Massage has some really good information for women
experiencing physical or emotional pain in their genitals after
birth.
The
Mystery
of
Postpartum Depression - By Pamela Gerhardt, Washington
Post, Tuesday, March 14, 2000
Great set of links about
birth-related psychology and emotions
1. As a Functional Medicine
oriented Chiropractor, I am seeing more frequent women with pre
and post pregnancy sex hormone, adrenal and thyroid hormone
imbalances. This would in and of itself predispose to
increase PTSD. I do not however attribute correlation with
higher PTSD to un-medicated childbirth, but to imbalances in
measurable levels of 2-hydroxyestrones and
16-alpha-hydroxyestrones, which predisposes and is associated with
depression. This is becoming more common, according to
research because of exposure to hormonal disruptors in the
environment such as pesticides, BPA in plastic exposure, exposure
to GMO foods, and even "hidden environmental" exposures like
outgassing from new carpets and materials in new buildings.
2. I'm seeing more frequent
and previously undetected Hashimoto's thyroid disorders, partially
I suspect from the above environmental and personal exposures, as
well as the fact that often by the time the woman sees me, they
have been frustrated because they have seen their primary care
physician or OB-Gyn who does not have a Functional Medicine
approach, and they have had "all the tests, but they came back
normal", but the doctor didn't test a total thyroid panel
including TSH, totT4, totT3, freeT3, reverseT3, TPO and
Thyroglobulin Antibodies. Therefore they are literally being
"Miss Diagnosed".they are missing the real diagnosis! They
are erroneously being told nothing's wrong, but they know
something is, and then they are put on antidepressants because the
doctor attributes it to being "all in their head" or to
depression!
3. The fact that adrenal
dysregulation problems are associated with depression and at the
underlying cause of many PTSD issues. But again many are
being "Miss Diagnosed". Adrenal gland dysregulation is not
even acknowledged unless the standard methods of blood testing
show up abnormal, but checking adrenal function via standard blood
tests misses all but the most severe disorders of adrenal hormone
dysregulation. And "Adrenal Exhaustion" is still thought of
as not a real condition by most conventional medical doctors
(unless they have been trained in the Functional Medicine
approach). Adrenal dysregulation is becoming more prevalent
for various reasons, including the hormonal disruptors noted
previously. This will manifest often as depression. I
talked about thoughts #2 and #3 in my free e-book available at
http://www.hypothyroidismdiagnosis.com/
4. If the above factors are
not identified before pregnancy, they will often be aggravated by
the toll on a woman's body during pregnancy, and manifest
post-pregnancy, especially in the first few months post-partum!
Douglas Husbands, DC, CCN
Holistic Health
Bay Area (in Rivera Chiropractic Group)
Traumatic birth as Legal
Rape by sheila stubbs
Not
a
happy
birthday - Threatened, intimidated, bullied, violated: this
is hospital birth as many mothers experience it. Amity Reed
reports on the little-recognised crime of birth rape.
See also: Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder
Traumatic
Birth Stories and Support on Facebook - TBSS is for persons
who have physically given birth and experienced birth trauma.
(This could be anything that causes you walk away from a birth
with shock, fear, depression, etc.) We provide a safe place to
talk honestly without judgment about what you have experienced,
and to find the support of other moms who understand.
Birth Story Medicine® grew out of Birthing from Within but is
a separate entity. Birth Story Medicine process may be a good
place to start to process birth trauma (usually only 1-2 sessions,
so not a major investment of time or money). Depending on your
situation and needs, it may not be enough and therapy or some
other support may also be needed.
"More than 25% of women may exhibit symptoms of
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth, a new
study reports."
Overall, 25.9% of women in this study experienced some PTSD symptoms after giving birth. The authors noted that being a first-time mother did not predispose women to postpartum PTSD. A significant protective factor against PTSD was perceived social support.
Although it is impossible to accurately predict which patients will experience symptoms of postpartum PTSD, the authors suggest that obstetricians can help mitigate these symptoms in patients who may be predisposed to this disorder by discussing options for analgesia during delivery early in the pregnancy. According to the authors, this is the first study to link postpartum PTSD with a discomfort with nakedness during delivery.
- Sufficient social support was a protective factor against postpartum PTSD.Parasites
of
the
Mind - A healing blog for PTSD awareness, education,
treatment and self-empowered healing.
Solace For
Mothers, An Online Community For Healing Birth Trauma is for
women who have experienced trauma around the process of giving
birth. For these women, giving birth has left them feeling deeply
disappointed, traumatized, or even violated. We want these
women to know that they are not alone, that birth trauma is very
real, and that other women have had similar experiences and
feelings. We have created an online community as a place for
women to begin or continue their healing journey.
The Pink Kit folks offer an informational CD
for
women
who experienced trauma from giving birth (TABS):
Trauma and Birth Stress - PTSD
After Childbirth
PTSD
After Childbirth Blog by Jodi Kluchar, who is a major
activist in awareness of PTSD after childbirth. She has
published a number of related
articles.
The Birth
Trauma Association supports all women who have had a
traumatic birth experience.
Bad times make for more accurate memories
"Pleasurable experiences are more fun to relive than negative ones, but a new study by psychologists at Harvard University reveals that memories of good times can be less accurate than those of bad times. Not only that, a person with a positive memory is more likely to be more confident of her or his distorted memory than someone who has a negative memory of the same event. "
Research by Elizabeth Kensinger at Harvard.
See also: Effects of Birth Practices
on Breastfeeding
Do you think there is a correlation between problems with being
able breastfeed and traumatic birth/PTSD? For me, breastfeeding
would trigger a replay of the birth experience. I dreaded and
avoided breastfeeding, or at least as much as the mother and
newborn can avoid a hungry infant. I was not able to establish a
good supply, and I've even wondered if this is hormonal, specific
to PTSD, somehow.
Oxytocin is the hormone that is common to all of our reproductive functions: sexual arousal/intercourse; labor and birth; breastfeeding. A trauma in any one of these areas could result in an aversion to increasing levels of this hormone which accompany any of these functions. This could lead to an anxiety that increases adrenaline, which inhibits lactation, so . . . yes, PTSD could cause breastfeeding problems.
This is similar to one of the mechanisms proposed for the relationship between inductions
and autism:
Childbirth and Narratives: How Do Mothers Deal with Their Child's
Birth? by Paola Di Blasio and Chiara Ionio
JOPPPAH 17(2), Winter, 2002, p. 143
"ABSTRACT: This research focuses on post traumatic stress
disorders which arise after childbirth and adds to the literature
on psychological post partum diseases. The hypothesis of
this study was that psychological expression of negative emotions
could reduce the occurrence of stress symptoms after labour and
delivery. A group of 64 women with a healthy pregnancy was
examined. Half of them were asked to express their emotion
experienced during labour and delivery through a written
account. The results indicated a significant difference in
the number of post traumatic stress symptoms between the two
groups, underlining the positive effect of the emotional
disclosure."
How
to
Overcome
a Disappointing Birth Experience By Kristi Patrice Carter
Integrating
A
Difficult
Birth from Karen
Melton's site
What if Your Homebirth Doesn't Happen at
Home?
Grief
within the Miracle Society for Women - This society has been
created to give support and compassion to women who feel they have
experienced trauma and abuse at the hands of professionals during
the birth of their child or children. . . . If you feel any
regret, pain, feelings of humiliation, visions of moments in birth
that you cringe to remember but can't seem to forget...then you
are in the right place.
I have just received a copy of a book titled, "Reclaiming the
Spirituality of Birth: Healing for Mothers and Babies" by
Benig Mauger. It was released in USA in March/00, but was
previously released in the UK in 1998 with the title "Songs
of
the Womb; Healing the wounded mother". I have only read the
intro and 1st chapter so far, but it is quite good.
"Recovery from Childbirth: An Emotional Healing" by Lynn Madsen -
I give it to all my 2nd time or more moms if they even hint that
they were less than totally happy with their prior birth
experiences. [Ed: I'm not sure whether there was ever a book
by this title, but there is a book by Lynn Madsen called Rebounding
from
Childbirth:
Toward Emotional Recovery.]
"Rebounding from Childbirth: Toward Emotional Recovery" by Lynn Madsen is a good book for those wishing to resolve issues related to their birth experiences. Topics include:
Nancy Wainer is occasionally offering workshops on "Grieving and
Healing After a Disappointing, Upsetting, or Traumatic Birth
Experience"
Contact (781) 449-2490 for more information.
Psychotherapy
Services
for
the Childbearing Year - Linda Cozzolino, M.Ed., CPM -
Specializing in counseling for:
Survivors
of childhood abuse, now preparing for birth and parenting.
Women or
couples with traumatic previous birth experiences.
Women or
couples with high levels of fear of childbirth and/or parenting.
BirthWorks
Reading List - books to help women overcome the negative
effects a difficult past can have on pregnancy and birth
See this recounting of Six
Birth Stories for a true testimonial of overcoming birth
trauma.
The VBAC Companion by Diana Korte has a section on
dealing with previous traumatic births.
Cesarean Art - for all the
scarred mothers
Pregnant Feelings by Rahima Baldwin (and a friend?)
Transformation Through Birth by Claudia Panuthos
Keeping journal of your thoughts is one thing. Writing letters (to mail or not) to everyone including yourself in which you share your feelings about the birth.
A few books I like:
Attend a Birth Works class if you are planning another pregnancy or if you are pregnant.
If your emotions about your birth seem to be overwhelming-
consuming you nearly every moment of the day, something that can
be helpful is to begin to confine those feelings and thoughts to
certain parts of the day. For example, say to yourself, you can
worrying and think about this all day, EXCEPT from 9am- 11am.
That's when I am going to think about different stuff, do other
things. If the thoughts start creeping in, you say, "No, I'm not
going to think about that now, that's for later". Then, as time
goes on, you expand your "clear" times, and shrink your grief
time. This is at a pace that is right for you. It may feel good to
feel that you have some control over your emotions. Eventually you
can put them in a small box and deal with them as you need to.
When a bad birth haunts you by Sheila Kitzinger
Notes from Sheila Kitzinger Talk - "Crisis
in the Perinatal Period".
I can't seem to help HATING myself for being "Stupid enough, at
my age", to prevent/stop this from happening to me.
Has anyone else tried to channel these feeling into something
else? Something that may alleviate feelings like this?
I have been so angry for many years concerning my births that I
want to stand at the hospital entrance and tell birthing Mom's
that there is a better way; Inside lies danger! Instead, I
am a student midwife and educate everyone I can on hospital and
medical interventions. I think if I could just save one
woman and child from a horrid birth it would atone for mine.
I always wished someone had told me how it really was BEFORE I
gave birth. Now I make sure I tell who ever will
listen. Don't get me wrong, I don't stand at the mall next
to the Salvation Army guy with his ringing bell, stopping shoppers
to tell them of the horrors of medicalized childbirth, but those
who seem interested in my studies and those who are eager to talk
of their own pregnancies open up a perfect window of opportunity!
Post questions or answers to the "Dear Midwife' forum at Pacific Northwest Midwives - send e-mail to: hdw4@msn.com
For a response from professionals that is particularly sensitive to the emotional issues around childbirth, check out the "Ask the Pros" section of Parenthoodweb.com. Some of the experts there are members of the Association for Pre- ? Perinatal Psychology ? Health (APPPAH).
You can ask questions from The Midwife Pro (Midge Jolly, LM, CPM) (formerly at Moms Online - oxygen.com)
The obgyn.net Women's Health Forum
There are also some midwives and doctors reading misc.kids.pregnancy who occasionally respond about specific cases.
There are other references at Web Florida - Women and Their Health and T-net inc.
On-Line Medical Advice - this is an extensive meta list!
There are also some women's forums where you might be able to get information from other parents:
Labor of Love Message
Boards
We have it worked into our 2-3 week visit to ask similar
questions: "Do you have any questions about what happened at your
birth? How did you feel about your birth experience in general?
What could we have done to improved our services?..." This is a
good time to get initial impressions and clear up any technical
misunderstandings about what really happened during a birth, but I
think a mom's overall feelings about a birth take much, much
longer to process. If the birth has been traumatic the mother is
probably working out her feelings about it long after our last
official contact with her.
Rather than ask the mother specific questions about the birth, I
learned to do a birth review where I just guide the mother to tell
me the whole story of the birth, as if I hadn't been there. It's
amazing some of the feelings that come up when she has control of
the story and where it goes.
Some moms end up dealing with a lot more than they expected. Especially for a hospital transport, the drama doesn't help, even when the transport was warranted. Even unmedicated vaginal births can be a lot to process afterwards. Sometimes "tincture of time" is the best remedy. AND listening to her, so that she gets to tell her story (over and over is great) in order to make meaning out of it.
Sometimes EMDR is helpful; I don't need to see someone more than a half-dozen or so times for that, if that is their preference. Sometimes, "counseling" sounds like it will be traumatic in itself. It really involves what you are already doing - listening with respect. I usually see the process as offering a doula to the feelings or thoughts. [Ed: The August, 2007, issue of the Birth Trauma Association newsletter has a great piece about EMDR on page 2.]
can also teach "mindfulness based stress management" techniques. This can be helpful in sitting WITH the disappointment, regret, sadness, guilt, or whatever until that can be processed. Sometimes the feelings tie in with other life events that moms don't even realize are re-surfacing until they feel "into" the feelings and see what's there. Once again, it's really similar to birthing - riding the feeling as you would a contraction. (Since we are still paying off my student loan - I'm reluctant to say that my birth work has been at least as valuable as my masters - reluctant to say it to my husband anyway...) You are probably already doing that for her. Letting her FEEL what she is feeling, and not pushing it away is often the best remedy. Often then it will dissipate on its own with time. And your being patient while she does that is the gift.
Comments by Sharon Storton,
MA, MFTI, IBCLC
Here are some resources
in
the
Silicon Valley area.
STAR is a profoundly transformative 10-day personal growth retreat, a carefully structured program of accelerated self-healing and transformation.
Resource
Directory Of Practitioners and Programs in Pre- ?
Perinatal Psychology ? Health - Year 2001
I have heard that Phyllis Klaus offers phone counseling sessions
for birth trauma. (She's one of the founders of Doulas of
North America). 510-559-8000, phyllisklaus@aol.com
I was helped by EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and
Reprocessing. Basically, by moving your eyes back and forth
you can stimulate your brain to integrate right brain and left
brain activity, which helps process memories. You can doEMDR
while confronting highly emotional memories and it helps to
release some of the emotion. Also, some counselors do EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique
which has a similar philosophy to accupuncture, except that you
just apply pressure with your finger tips. The idea is that
we are electrical as well as chemical and strong emotions cause
electrical disturbances in the body. Applying EFT while
saying affirmations or working through the trauma can release a
great deal of emotion. I think massage, prayer, yoga, meditation
are all wonderful -- anything that helps the nervous system
relax. I think the major challenge for recovery is that it
is so hard for mothers to find the time/money to take care of
themselves!!!!!
Shekinah
Birthing offers EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES: EFT
TELECLASSES FOR BIRTH TRAUMA
It can be difficult to find a mental health professional who understands the issues of birth trauma. It is essential to avoid working with someone who will deny that you were harmed by a negative birth experience.
Here are some resources that might be helpful:
Finding a
Therapist Outside the San Francisco Bay Area
DrScore is a web site that
collects and displays ratings of doctors. You can contribute
your ratings or read others' ratings.
RateMDs.com is
changing the way the world looks at medicine by providing patients
with the unique opportunity to rate and read about their doctors.
Unhappy
With
Your
Maternity Care? File a Complaint! from Citizens for
Midwifery
Privacy concerns may prevent a professional midwife or doula from
filing a complaint about the quality of care at a birth, or even a
hostile or punitive attitude towards a homebirth transport.
One option is for the birth professional to write a letter of
complaint and then have her client sign it.
In a situation where the parents are concerned about the care
they were or are being provided I suggest speaking with the Charge
Nurse, hospital Ombudsman, hospital chaplain, Head of the
department, (oB or Peds) and also out in the wider world. The
nursing Board and the California Medical board also have
mechanisms of action to complain about care given.
How
Complaints
Are Handled from the Medical Board of California
Childbirth
-
The
Rights of Childbearing Women from the Boston
Women's Health Book Collective, Inc., reposted with
permission from Childbirth
Connection
It is so important to provide feedback to your care providers - how else will they ever learn what helped and what hindered your birth experience?
I know it can be incredibly hard to look back on a difficult birth experience. Who really wants to give another second's worth of energy to thinking about the physical trauma, the emotional trauma, the betrayal by seemingly benevolent care providers? Some women feel violated on every level - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Writing letters of complaint may even feel like a perpetuation of the trauma, much as victims of stranger assault can feel victimized by having to testify against their assailant.
So . . . why bother?
The answer is simple. You're doing it for your sisters, your cousins, your daughters, your nieces, and your eventual grand-daughters. If we don't start working now to change the system, your loved ones are likely to have the same horrible experience when they're ready to give birth.
At the very least, simply write a letter expressing your disappointment that your experience was so different from what you were led to expect.
And don't forget to write thank-you letters to the care providers who treated you well! I especially like to address the letters to an entire practice or to the entire nursing staff, giving honorable mention to those who deserve it. When it's addressed to multiple people, it's often posted in an employee lounge or somewhere where everyone will see it and wish they'd been nice enough to be mentioned. If you address it just to the nice people, they might be reluctant to show it about or post it publicly.
If somebody had walked up to you on the street and done this, you
can bet they'd be interested in pressing charges; being a doctor
doesn't give somebody permission to assault you any more than a
stranger on the street.
In addition to writing a letter of "concern" to the relevant provider, it is essential that you send copies to public boards and medical societies. This is important because it's the only way to make sure the individual practitioner will ever have to worry about any consequences. And, perhaps more importantly, it will help put the fear of god/dess into every other OB who realizes that women really, really don't like having their bodies and their lives messed with against their will.
Please, do use your energy to write letters and to help educate
other women in the e-mail lists, Web forums and Usenet newsgroups
instead of taking it out on yourself or your loved ones!
How to File a Complaint in California
How to Respond to Bad Hospital Treatment
Writing Letters to Caregivers About Your
Birth Experience
These people DO investigate pt complaints. Complaints are taken from any one who wishes to file one, and can be made without giving your name. It is best to give the pt name and date of stay as well as what happened that you think was wrong.
Not all complaints result in a 'punishment'. However, the hospital is put through a 'ringer' every time the JC comes in and the hospital will often 'fix' the problem before the JC comes in and destroy the evidence. This makes it harder top punish, but makes it easier for the next pt.
Not all hospitals are accredited, and a simple call to the
hospital administration receptionist will let you know if they are
or not.
Make sure you have the woman's permission before using her
name in a complaint.
There is a great book by Christopher Norwood "How To Avoid A Cesarean Section" wherein the author suggests what she believes an effective alternative to suing is sending "detailed, written complaints to administration of the hospital, its chairman of obstetrics, the local and state health departments, and to the professional society regulating obstetricians in your area." She suggests that in the end the doctor will feel more pressure to rethink his cesarean decisions than if he/she was sued.
This is a gentle, forthright book about vaginal birthing that is
not outdated even though written in 1987.
Mom Writes Letter to OBs Who Did
Unnecessary Cesareans
One of my favorite mild preventives or treatments for PPD is the
herb, Blessed Thistle. I like the non-alcoholic version from
Tri-Light herbs; it's slightly sweet and can be used as a
sweetener in tea if moms find it too sweet to take directly.
It has the bonus of being a galactagogue, stimulating milk
production. It's worked wonders for second-time moms who had
PPD and difficulty breastfeeding a first baby. Motherwort
may also work wonders for helping to induce a more mellow mood.
Renee Smith's music
is a wonderful combination of more traditional lullaby styles with
more nurturing lyrics. My personal favorite is her Angels ? Mermaids
CD, with her Lullabies
For My Little Angels a very close second. Her Seeds ? Songs To Make
'em Grow is a wonderful collection for "older children",
i.e. toddlers and pre-schoolers, not to mention their
parents! I don't know what it is about this music, but it
always makes me so happy! Cheaper than therapy and lots more
fun; I call it my "audio prozac".
Ellen
Roos - Passion
Flower Music - Songs that see and stir, love and forgive,
lift, bless and free! Her first album is Lavender and
Morning Sun.
Natural Progesterone for Post-partum
Depression and PMS Psychosis - general dose is 20-60
mg/daily (applied anywhere on the body) for 2 weeks each month.
I was surprised that I couldn't find any peer-reviewed studies
about progesterone for postpartum depression. Instead, a
progesterone derivative, brexanolone, is being studied. This might
be so that the company making it and paying for the studies will
be the only one who can market it once it's fully approved.
Anyway, here's the most recent
study I could find. It looks like it's still in clinical
trials. It does seem that it acts more quickly than
antidepressant medications.
So, all I could find was web pages with anecdotal success stories,
but I know a number of reputable people who have recommended it.
The dosage I've seen is 20-60 mg daily. Some
key tips from this web page:
Use twice a day since progesterone lasts for only four hours in
the body.
Take a break from the cream for a minimum of 3-5 days every 2-3
weeks. This rests the receptor sites, minimizing the probability
of dermal fatigue. [Apparently, it's helpful to change the areas
on the body where you use it, so it continues to be absorbed
well?]
This web page also says, "Dosage can vary from 15-20 up to 100-300
mg per day. Therefore, please discuss dosage with your healthcare
provider." So it seems like 20 mg twice daily is a conservative
dose.
Counseling As Effective As Prozac for
Postpartum Depression
Unnecessary
Cesarean
with
General Anesthesia resulting in severe postpartum depression
Jenny's Tale - Saga of a Birth Gone Wrong
or Yes, It Can Happen To You
Jenny Strikes Back - A Set of Letters and
a Meeting about the Unnecessary Cesarean
I went to hear Anne Dunwald (?) speak a few years ago. She's got a book out now available through Cascade's book catalog I believe. She's a psychologist who specializes in women's concerns and does lots of counseling for post partum depression. From what I remember post partum psychosis involves major things like religious or satanic beliefs that are irrational, such as 'my baby was the devil and an angel told me to kill it' type of hallucinating AND the woman is acting on such beliefs. Unless PPD has progressed to acting upon thoughts of harming herself or her baby, the speaker did not recommend hospitalization.
I've known a mother with severe PPD. A hospital birth experience
made her remember being raped many years before and she believed
that triggered her PPD. It is true that PPD is more common in
women who've had interventive births. Also much more common in
women with a history of depression. DHA found in long chain
omega-3 fatty acids is effective in prevention of PPD according to
researchers at the Children's Nutrition Research Center however
their studies are not complete. DHA is found in fish oils, cold
water fish, flaxseed oil, carrots, spinach, and some supplements.
I might be able to copy the tape I have of Anne Dunwald's speech
if you need it. Most all antidepressants can be safely taken by
breastfeeding mothers. St. John's Wort might also be tried.
Child sexual abuse that has been buried deep in the psyche can sometimes be brought up during the powerful physical and emotional feelings in labor and birth. This also explains the "type a " personality traits of wanting to be perfect. This energy is used to keep those nasty memories at bay sometimes. Sexual abuse is so rampant that I'm more likely to believe it has occurred in a woman's past than not these days.
This would be my first suspicion with a woman suffering this type
of psychotic episode.
New - online support group - BirthTraumaSupport
at egroups.com
Resourcess
For
Prenatal
and Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders from Pec Indman
EdD, MFT
Help, information, and support for prenatal and postpartum illness
Postpartum Support
International
www.postpartum.net
Call the PSI Postpartum Depression Helpline: 1.800.944.4773
Postpartum Adjustment Support Services(PASS-CAN)
Canadian Resource
(905)844-9009
The Postpartum Stress
Center
Rosemont, PA Office, 610.525.7527
Voorhees, NJ Office, 856-745-8847
National
Anxiety Foundation
(for both Professional referral list and information resource)
1-800-755-1576
National Institute
of Mental Health
Hot Line about Panic
With info on support groups
1-800 64-PANIC
For information about "safe" anti-depressants postpartum: Medical
Professional Involved in Relevant Research on PPD. MD who is known
for her research on the use of Medication for PPD during
breastfeeding. She is a good resource about Meds.
KATHERINE WISNER -
Pittsburgh Mind-Body Center
Professor of Psychiatry, OB/GYN, Epidemiology, and Women’s Studies
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