𝗔 𝗠𝘂𝗺'𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱

So true!!! 👩‍⚕️

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗨𝗠𝗔 𝗢𝗥 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛-𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗨𝗠𝗔?

The delivery of a baby is a positive event for many parents, but for some, it can be a mixed experience or even very negative, resulting in physical and/or psychological injuries (trauma) with lasting negative impacts on their lives. We are here to help women, birthing people, fathers and non-birthing parents who are struggling with ongoing problems related to the birthing experience..

Birth-related trauma can be physical or psychological or a combination of both. Birth-related trauma impacts mothers, birthing parents, fathers and non-birthing parents.

𝗣𝗛𝗬𝗦𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛-𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗨𝗠𝗔

Physical trauma (birth injuries) may or may not be identified straight away. You may be the first to notice that something isn’t right. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is important to understand that physical birth injuries may require you to seek expert medical advice and assessment.

𝗣𝗦𝗬𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛-𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗨𝗠𝗔

Birth can be wonderful, but sometimes it is frightening and even traumatic; this is known as Psychological birth-related trauma. Some people think trauma feels like too big a word and, that they shouldn’t be traumatised. We want you to know that if your birth experience felt traumatic to you, then it was.

The shock of what actually happened during your birth experience can bring about a number of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and other disorders.

Some people experience severe emotional distress after a traumatic birth, even though there was no physical trauma. It’s important to know that trauma can continue long after the birth, with many people not seeking support for months or even years after. 


Resources for support in Australia - https://birthtrauma.org.au/downloadable-guides/

Credit - Australian Birth Traumas - see link above for resources to help.

𝐀𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠

In the first few months, newborns usually wake several times a night for feeds.

Between one and three months, your baby might start waking less often and have a longer period of sleep at night.

By the time your baby is around three months old, they might regularly be having a longer sleep at night – for example, around 4-5 hours. But you can expect that your baby will still wake at least once each night… maybe more and then they hit 4 months old and they start to become unsettled at night again.

We call this the 4 month sleep regression because for the first 3 months, it’s known as the 4th trimester - that’s where baby thinks he/she is still part of mum and hasn’t worked out they are an independent individual at this stage.

If your baby is premature or low birth weight, your paediatrician or child and family nurse
might recommend that you let your baby sleep for only a certain amount of time at night before you wake them for a feed.

𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩: 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧?

Babies need sleep to grow and develop well. For newborns this is usually 14-17 hours in every 24 hours. But sleep patterns can vary a lot.

Newborns usually sleep in short bursts of 2-3 hours each. Some newborns sleep for up to four hours at a time. Newborns wake frequently to feed because they have tiny tummies. Your newborn might go straight back to sleep after feeding or they might stay awake long enough for a short play. To avoid being overstimulated, learn the signs of when your baby has had enough mental stimulation through engagement (starts when their eyes look away - this is your cue to give them a break).

Some newborns get tired after being awake for 1-1½ hours. Some stay awake and alert longer.
Newborns sleep during the day and night. They don’t know that people sleep at night. The parts of their brains that control day-night sleep cycles haven’t matured yet.

𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦

About 4% of babies are not "head first" by 36-37 weeks of pregnancy. If a baby is breech, it can make labour more complicated. For this reason, most women in Australia with a breech baby will have a planned Cesarean birth.

𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

Turning baby around by lifting baby's bottom out of a woman's pelvis and encouraging baby to do a "somersault" is called an "external cephalic version" or ECV. The success rate for ECVs at is about 50 (about half of all attempts).

An ECV is more likely to be successful if:
(i) you have had a baby before,
(ii) there is plenty of fluid around your baby,
(iii) baby’s bottom has yet to engage in your pelvis
(iv) your uterine muscles are relaxed.

An ECV is a procedure where certain precautions are taken before and during an ECV to minimise risks.

A fetal heart rate monitoring (CTG) before and after the ECV should be done. Also an ultrasound should be performed to check the amount of fluid around the baby, the size of your baby and the umbilical cord position and blood flow before deciding whether it is safe to proceed with the ECV.

𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 -

ECVs are usually safe, but there are some risks. In rare cases, it can cause changes in your baby's heart rate, tearing of the placenta, and preterm labour. The procedure is usually done near a delivery room in case you need an emergency C-section.

Serious complications are extremely rare but can include the need for emergency C-section, vaginal bleeding, loss of amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord prolapse.

Some providers will administer an epidural for an ECV so that mum is more comfortable and relaxed.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗡 𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗬 𝗖-𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

For many women with uncomplicated pregnancies, a lot of time is spent planning for a vaginal delivery. Unfortunately, as part of this planning, discussions about what an emergency C-section is, what it involves and why it may be needed is often not discussed with women. Consequently, an emergency C-section can be an unexpected outcome.

In this moment, women experience of a difficult and complicated vaginal birth that results in being rushed into an operating room, and being given a spinal or epidural anaesthesia, and in some cases a general anasthaetic.

Women often feel powerless and are unaware of what is occurring to them as doctors are needing to work quickly. As a result, some women can experience emotional trauma in addition to physical trauma following an emergency C-section, including feelings of guilt, failure, disappointment in the healthcare system and disappointment in their body.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common experience for women following an emergency C-section, with research suggesting that approximately 1 in 5 women develop PTSD even when the baby is delivered safely.

If you feel like you are not coping emotionally following an emergency C-section, it is important that you reach out to your support network- friends/family and healthcare workers, including your GP.

Signs include:
❧ Guilt
❧ Anxiety
❧ Nightmares
❧ Difficulty going to or staying asleep
❧ Social isolation or withdrawing from pleasurable activities
❧ Hyperarousal
❧ Intrusive traumatic memories of the event

𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠

Let's start with the obvious here. A baby doesn't have many means to communicate, so he or she uses the best method that she has to let the mom know about his needs. That means crying.

A cry can be a signal that the baby has a wet or dirty nappy, that he's hungry or sleepy, or that he is sick or teething. It could mean he is too hot or too cold or that he is simply having a hard time and needs some comfort. Crying is a mum’s cue to figure out the puzzle and figure out how to keep the baby healthy and happy.

Sometimes a baby develops its own language through his cries, and a mum can hear the difference and figure out how to help. But sometimes it's harder to figure out the issue. In those times, some other cues can help.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴

The most common cause for a baby’s crying during the first 3 months is to alert you that they need to re-establish close, physical contact with you.
When your baby cries they do not just cry for physical needs, they also cry for social-emotional needs.

The more distressed your baby gets the harder it is for baby to calm down. When you respond to your baby’s cries quickly with reassurance, warmth and affection they’ll feel safe and secure and usually calm down more quickly. Then your baby can enjoy a feed, cuddle or play.

Unfortunately during the first 4 months there will be times when you won’t be able to calm or soothe your baby no matter what you do, and your newborn won't stop crying. This sort of crying is part of what’s called “Normal developmental crying.”

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫?

The fourth trimester is the 12-week period immediately after having baby. Not everyone has heard of it, but every mother and newborn baby will go through it. It’s a time of great physical and emotional change as baby adjusts to being outside the womb, & you adjust to your new life as a mum.

The term ‘fourth trimester’ suggests that you should try to recreate, for another 3 or 4 months, the kind of environment baby had in the womb.

𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩?

𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘄𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴
Babies spend 9 months in a confined & constantly moving environment. You can re-create the sense of security baby felt before birth. By swaddling your baby when you put them down to sleep, they will feel secure, & you might find they wake less frequently & sleep for longer.

‘Wearing your baby’ in a sling across your chest can feel familiar to them. Make sure you use the sling correctly, as they can cause injury if not properly fitted.

Movement is a great way to calm your baby. Gently sway from side to side, walk whilst carrying them or even a quick car trip can settle baby.

𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁
Skin to skin contact is always encouraged in the moments after giving birth, & should continue long after you have left the birthing room. Cuddling baby on bare skin is a great comfort to them. Your smell & the sound of your heartbeat is warm & familiar.

𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, if your baby is hungry, don’t wait for a scheduled time to feed them. Combine feeding your baby with skin to skin contact to reinforce close contact & comfort.

𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲
A warm bath is often a comforting experience for newborns. Floating in the water is like being in the womb.

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲’𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 – 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐲?

𝗥𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

Newborns have a natural reflex to root, and if a parent watches for the cue, you will know that it is time for feeding. The rooting reflex causes babies to turn their heads toward the breast and try to get at it. Sometimes, they will even root at a chest that is not the mother's — even a male one. It's not because they are near it but because they are hungry and it is their natural reaction to root for food.

While lots of parents keep baby on a schedule, sometimes a baby wants to eat sooner than expected — especially during a growth spurt. And sometimes if a baby is overly hungry and starts crying, it can be hard to calm down enough to eat. That's why it's important to look for the rooting cue before baby is too hungry so that a mom can meet his needs right away.

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲’𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 – 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐲?

𝗥𝘂𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀, 𝗘𝗮𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴

It may seem obvious — after all we do it ourselves — but some parents don't pick up on a cue when their little one starts rubbing their eyes. It becomes a lot more obvious when they are older, but even newborns tend to rub their eyes when they are tired.

Some babies start with the face and they make a few swipes at the eyes and rub at their cheeks or ears to try to soothe themselves, especially when overstimulated.

Sometimes they rub at their eyes when they are fighting sleep and trying to stay awake. Sometimes it's just a sign that sleep is on the way soon.

When a mum notices her baby rubbing her eyes, pulling at her ears, or baby is pulling her own hair (hair grabbing), it's probably a good time to take the baby into a quiet, dark room, swaddle them up and rock them to sleep. It's definitely bedtime when the eye rubbing starts.

🙏🏼 for sharing this….

A letter to my partner who just birthed our baby.

You look different, not what I expected you to look like after birthing our baby.

You're more tired than I thought you would be. Your hair is messier than before. And you don't smile as much.

But in complete honestly, you've never been more beautiful. What a privilege it is to see you in your most raw form.

I watched you roar through the pain of labour, and held your hand knowing there was nothing more I could do; that this journey was yours, and I was simply a passenger supporting you on the ride. And at the end of the tunnel, I saw the pain wash away and transform into love and light as the Midwife introduced us to our newest little love. And even now, I see you up at night with our bub, trying to feed her quietly, so you don't wake us all. I see you change her, dress her, bathe her with the most delicate touch, and I want you to know...

You took on a new role when you became a mama, and I've never loved you more.

One day we won't be smiling at each other over washing piles that look like molehills and stealing quick kisses while walking down opposite sides of the hallway, dodging the lego all over the floor. A day will come when you feel more like yourself again, and we won't be running on coffee after 6 hours of broken sleep. One day my shirt will be ironed, and you'll be in a dress on our way out the door for a spontaneous dinner. And someday, these babies we have will be all grown up, and all we'll have left in this big house that feels so small right now, is each other.

So I know things are hard right now, but you're doing a great job, I'm so proud of you, and I love each and every version of you, even when you don't.

Tag your partner in this post, and share the love below. ❤️

📸