When Birth Leads To Trauma: DR. REBECCA MOORE

BLUE MUMDAYS

Dr Rebecca Moore joins me for a Blue MumDays special discussing birth trauma. Rebecca is a perinatal psychiatrist, mother and co-founder of 'Make Birth Better', a collective of experts who offer support and training and campaign for better understanding of birth trauma and vicarious trauma.

*TRIGGER WARNING: BIRTH TRAUMA*

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

[00:00] Teaser quote.

[01:29] Introduction to Dr Rebecca Moore.

[04:37] Definition of birth trauma.

[10:17] The inequality of care and discrimination faced by black and ethnic minority mums - this needs to change.

[12:49] The importance of validation and advocacy during your birth.

[17:54] Partners can be affected by birth trauma too.

[18:20] Birth debriefs - first port of call after trauma.

[21:30] Sources of support - including PANDAs, AIMS and Make Birth Better.

[25:43] Doulas (see Episode 16 with Doula AJ Silver).

[26:09] Rebecca's own birth experiences - feeling alone in her first labour.

[32:03] Parents considering another pregnancy after a traumatic birth.

[36:27] You should have choices in the positions you birth in.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. Trauma is a completely unique, subjective experience. Birth trauma is your experience of your birth, irrespective of whether you or your baby were in actual danger.
2. Birth trauma is largely about interpersonal factors - being left alone, dismissed, being subjected to racism, lack of consent or lack of compassion.
3. Birth by nature is unpredictable. Try and have conversations beforehand about the support you may need during birth, but trust your instincts and accept that things may change during the course of the birth.
4. FiveXMore is a grassroots organisation committed to changing Black women and birthing people’s maternal health outcomes in the UK. Also Motivational Mums Club and The Motherhood Group.
5. Christina Brown's episode on the experience of black mums
6. 'Daddy Blues' episode: Mark Williams pt 1 / 'Daddy Blues' episode: Mark Williams pt 2
7. Elliott Rae's episode on vicarious birth trauma
8. The Doula Episode with AJ Silver.
9. AIMS for better birthing.
10. Make Birth Better - Rebecca's organisation for supporting parents and healthcare professionals suffering from birth trauma or vicarious trauma.
11. City Birth Trauma Scale

If you enjoyed this episode, please share, rate and subscribe. It really does make the difference in helping others find it – which means helping more parents in need.

Follow us:

Instagram

Twitter

Join our Facebook Group

Email: [e-mail]

NEXT WEEK’S EPISODE:

In Episode 18 I chat to academic psychologist Dr Andrew Mayers, who specialises in and campaigns around maternal and paternal mental health.

SUPPORT:

If you are struggling right now, please know that it’s okay to talk and reach out for help.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND WILL NOT FEEL THIS WAY FOR EVER.

We hope these support services are helpful (please note we do not check or monitor them individually).

Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP)

Moderated Forum, click here to find out more.

Email: [e-mail]

Tel: [phone]

AIMS for better birthing.

Email: [e-mail]

This email will go to a group of AIMS volunteers and someone will respond as soon as possible.

Telephone: [phone]

You will be able to leave a voicemail message which will be sent to all our Helpline Volunteers. Please include your name, phone number and brief details of your enquiry. A Volunteer will try to call you back as soon as possible.

Andy's Man Club

A non-judgemental talking group for men

https://andysmanclub.co.uk/club-information/clubs/

Email: [e-mail]

Association of Postnatal Illness

Helpline: 10am – 2pm – 0207 386 0868

Email: [e-mail]

Live chat online facility

Best Beginnings

Free NHS-accredited Baby Buddy app offering

evidence-based information and self-care tools to help parents during pregnancy

and early stages of parenting.

App users also have access to a confidential, text-based Crisis Messenger which provides

24/7 support for new and expectant parents who are feeling extremely anxious or overwhelmed.

Bi-Polar UK

email: [e-mail]

Birth Trauma Association

Email: [e-mail]

CALM

Contact CALM

on their national helpline: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-midnight)

Cedar House Support Group

Email: [e-mail] (Liz Wise)

Mobile: [phone]

Contact: for families with disabled children

Support, advice and information for parents with disabled children.

• helpline: 0808 808 3555
• website: https://contact.org.uk/

DadsNet

Offers support and knowledge through a community of dads on practical parenting and fatherhood.

Family Lives

An organisation providing immediate help from volunteer parent support workers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• helpline: 0808 800 2222
• website: www.familylives.org.uk

Family Rights Group

Support for parents and other family members whose children are involved with or need social care services.

• helpline: 0808 801 0366
• website: www.frg.org.uk

Fathers Reaching Out

https://www.reachingoutpmh.co.uk/

Run by Mark Williams, campaigner, speaker and writer, offering support to dads.

FiveXMore

A grassroots organisation committed to changing Black women and birthing people’s maternal health outcomes in the UK.

[e-mail]

Gingerbread

Single parents, equal families. Help and advice on the issues that matter to lone parents.

• helpline: 0808 802 0925
• website: www.gingerbread.org.uk

The Hub of Hope

A directory of mental health support around the UK.

LGBT Mummies

Supporting LGBT+ women & people globally on the path to motherhood or parenthood.

Email: [e-mail]

Make Birth Better (Birth Trauma Support)

Email: [e-mail]

Maternal OCD

Peer support available, email [e-mail] to

arrange

The Motherhood Group

Dedicated to sharing and supporting the black maternal experience through peer support, projects and advocacy.

[e-mail]

Motivational Mums Club

Offering Trauma, Mindfulness and Meditation sessions for Mothers and Mums to be with an NHS Mental Health Specialist, who’s also a Mother.

Music Football Fatherhood

Open conversations around fatherhood, including blogs, peer support and podcasts.

[e-mail]

Muslim Women’s Network

Helpine: 0800 999 5786, open Mon-Fri 10am –

4pm with support offered in English, Urdu, Punjabi, Mirpuri, Putwari, Hindko,

and Bengali.

Email: [e-mail]

Online chat: www.mwnhelpline.co.uk

Text: 07415 206 936

Netmums

Netmums offer peer support via their Maternal Mental Health Drop-In

Clinic.

NHS

Contact your local GP surgery.

Call the NHS on 111

or contact a local NHS urgent mental health helpline

If you are in crisis, visit Accident & Emergency at your nearest hospital.

PANDAS

Helpline open from 9am-8pm every day – 0843 2898 401

Email support available – [e-mail]

Petals

Petals offers free-of-charge specialist counselling to anyone who has experienced pregnancy

or baby loss.

Web: petalscharity.org/counsellingcontact/

Email: [e-mail]

Tel: [phone]

Samaritans

Tel: 116 123

(this is a free telephone number and will not appear on the phone bill)

Web: www.samaritans.org

Email: [e-mail]

Shout

Text SHOUT to 85258 to start a confidential conversation with a trained Shout volunteer.

Twins Trust

Twinline is Twins Trust’s listening service for parents of twins, triplets and more. All

the calls are answered by volunteers who have multiples themselves.

Twinline is open Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm and from 7pm to 10pm. 0800 138 0509,

alternatively email [e-mail].

Web: twinstrust.org/let-us-help/support/twinline.html

Tommy’s

Tommy’s has a team of in-house midwives who offer free support and information for women and their families at any stage of pregnancy and after the birth.

Web: www.tommys.org

Helpline: Tommy’s

helpline has been closed temporarily but their midwives are answering questions

via email, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Email: [e-mail]

MUSIC by Joseph McDade