Birth trauma

Something happened during your birth.

Perhaps it was life-threatening. Perhaps you were frightened for yourself or your baby. Or perhaps you're not even sure whether it "counts" as trauma — you just know you haven't felt like yourself since.

Birth trauma is real.

One of its cruellest losses is that it doesn't only change the birth — it can change the beginning of motherhood.

There's the birth you hoped for and didn't have. The golden hour that never came. The first moments with your baby becoming tangled with fear, urgency, or loss instead of the memories you imagined carrying forever.

And there's the quiet grief of being expected to feel grateful when you're still trying to make sense of what happened.

You're not imagining this

Many parents tell me they no longer recognise themselves after a traumatic birth. They feel anxious, constantly on edge, emotionally numb, overwhelmed, or disconnected — from themselves, their partner, or their baby.

Trauma can make it difficult to feel present in those early weeks, and that can leave parents wondering whether something is wrong with them or with their relationship with their baby.

It isn't.

Supporting the relationship, not just the trauma

One of the central focuses of my work is supporting parents and babies to find each other again after a difficult beginning. Together, we gently nurture connection, rebuild confidence, and create opportunities for your relationship to grow — without pressure, guilt, or unrealistic expectations.

You don't have to wait until every part of the trauma has been resolved before supporting your relationship with your baby.

Both can happen together.

Because healing doesn't only happen within us. It also happens between us.

Specialist trauma processing

For parents seeking specialist trauma therapy to process the birth itself — including EMDR — I warmly recommend colleagues who specialise in this work. Birth trauma deserves specialist care.

I do not provide EMDR therapy, but I can support you through the recovery process and help strengthen your relationship with your baby alongside any trauma-focused work you're doing elsewhere.

Together, we can

• Process the birth experience safely, without reliving it
• Reduce flashbacks, avoidance and hypervigilance
• Make peace with a birth that didn't go to plan
• Rebuild connection with your baby after a difficult start
• Work alongside specialist trauma therapy if needed