Jun 21 2024 61 mins 1
In this episode, Tracy Donegan interviews Alex Heath about the impact of birth trauma on women's health and the recent UK government's birth trauma report. The report, prompted by an MP's experience, aimed to understand why 30% of parents in the UK describe their birth as traumatic.
However, the report failed to address key issues such as obstetric violence and the high rates of induction of labor. The conversation also highlights the medicalization of birth, the fear of litigation, and the lack of evidence-based care in maternity services. The conversation explores the need for more honest conversations about the realities of birth and the importance of supporting parents who have experienced trauma. It highlights the anxieties and vulnerabilities that parents face, especially those who have had fertility issues or previous miscarriages. The conversation emphasizes the need for self-compassion and mindfulness practices to navigate the challenges of parenting and to recover from birth trauma. Alex discusses her work in training professionals in trauma-informed listening techniques and her efforts to provide support for parents who have experienced perinatal trauma.
However, the report failed to address key issues such as obstetric violence and the high rates of induction of labor. The conversation also highlights the medicalization of birth, the fear of litigation, and the lack of evidence-based care in maternity services. The conversation explores the need for more honest conversations about the realities of birth and the importance of supporting parents who have experienced trauma. It highlights the anxieties and vulnerabilities that parents face, especially those who have had fertility issues or previous miscarriages. The conversation emphasizes the need for self-compassion and mindfulness practices to navigate the challenges of parenting and to recover from birth trauma. Alex discusses her work in training professionals in trauma-informed listening techniques and her efforts to provide support for parents who have experienced perinatal trauma.
