Who I am and why you matter.
Meet Daniella
I'm an HCPC accredited art psychotherapist, and EMDR trained therapist. I have a background working with complex dynamics in families, including trauma, loss, attachment difficulties and child bereavement.
I'm a volunteer for PANDAS, the UK's leading perinatal mental health charity, advising and supporting anyone affected by perinatal mental health. I stay up-to-date with leading research and developments in the field, to best support my clients make lasting change.
Alongside my private practice, I work with local authorities providing therapy for adopted and looked after young people. I am also a visiting lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, speaking on loss and repair after trauma.
Why you matter.
How birth trauma can affect you.
What can make birth feel traumatic?
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Feelings of loss and control.
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Feeling unsupported by staff.
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Frigthening or distressing events.
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Experienicng a labour completely different from what you had expected.
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Lack of pain relief.
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Induction.
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Forceps birth.
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Emergency caesarean section.
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Loss of blood after birth.
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Still birth.
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A baby who has been injured as a result of problems in birth.
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A baby who needs medical attention and time in specialist care.
What are the symptoms of birth trauma?
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You may relive the worst parts of the birth, over and over.
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You may have flashbacks or nightmares.
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You feel intensely anxious or jumpy.
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You may find it difficult to bond with your baby.
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You may have difficulty sleeping.
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You may feel over protective of your baby.
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You may find it hard to remember parts of your birth.
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You may feel irritable, stressed or anxious.
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You may have found it hard to breastfeed.
This is not an exhaustive list, and you may still feel traumatised if you have experienced or one or two of these.
Why can't I seem to get over it?
It may be that your labour was very recent, or it may have been years ago. When a memory is experienced as traumatic, time away from the event doesn’t mean the distress will go away.
PTSD symptoms are involuntary, and you cannot rationalise yourself into feeling better. Which is why comments like, ‘All that matters is your baby is here now,’ or, ‘It’s all over and everyone is OK,’ don’t bring reassurance, but actually often lead to you feeling invalidated about what happened to you.
This is why specialist therapy like EMDR can really help relieve distress. It is recommended within the NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) guidelines for birth trauma.