EMDR for Birth Trauma – Postpartum Mental Health

The concept behind the therapy is that our minds can be allowed to process the trauma efficiently through bilateral stimulation (which is a technique used during the therapy). In essence, EMDR lets you revisit and process the traumatic experience, which, in turn, helps end any associated symptoms.

Mothers who experience traumatic birthing can develop serious mental health issues. Psychotherapies like EMDR can help address those issues and help them feel the joy of motherhood once again.

Let’s Talk About Birth Trauma

Birth trauma refers to physical or emotional pain during childbirth. But it’s not limited to the birthing experience. It can also happen before and after the birth of the child.
Examples of birth trauma include life-threatening delivery or surgery, or long and painful labor.

It’s essential to recognize that birth trauma can also happen in medically normal births, whether vaginal or surgical. Because there’s an emotional element to birth trauma, even seemingly normal pregnancy and childbirth can take a toll on the mother’s mental health.

Emotional birth trauma may also be caused by medical issues with the baby, for example, premature birth or the baby being born with a medical condition. Similarly, the death of the child before, during, or after birth can also be an extremely traumatic experience for the mother.

Birth trauma, whether physical or emotional, may cause issues like postpartum PTSD or depression.
So, many dimensions to childbirth trauma must be recognized, diagnosed, and of course, treated with the help of experts in the field.

Signs of Childbirth Trauma

Not every mother that goes through physically or emotionally painful childbirth may have childbirth trauma. However, it’s important to look out for signs, even in case of normal childbirth. These signs can be psychological or physical.
You may not experience all or even most of these signs, but even if a few are there, it’s worth talking to your primary healthcare provider, or better yet, with a mental health specialist.

Emotional and Psychological Signs

Re-experiencing the trauma:

• Vivid, intrusive memories of the birth
• Disturbing dreams related to the experience
• Unwanted and distressing thoughts about the birth

Avoidance:

• Avoiding places, people, or situations that remind you of the birth
• Feeling detached or disconnected
• Avoiding talking about the birth

Hyperarousal:

• Feeling constantly on edge or alert
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability or anger
• Being easily startled

Other emotional symptoms:

• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Depression
• Feelings of guilt, shame, or blame
• Difficulty bonding with the baby
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Feeling a loss of control
• Difficulty with everyday tasks
• Relationship problems

Physical Signs

• Chronic pain
• Sleep disturbances
• Physical symptoms of anxiety (e.g., increased heart rate, sweating)

Should You Do EMDR for Birth Trauma? Does It Work?

EMDR is a viable therapy for treating PTSD or other mental health conditions that may be linked to trauma. The therapy follows a well-defined protocol spanning over eight phases, where you work with a therapist to target the memories and perceptions of the traumatic event, which, in the case of birth trauma, could be the events during your child’s birth.

In EMDR, you’re provided with the tools and techniques to cope with the traumatic memories and the impact they have on you emotionally or physically. Once you’ve identified and assessed the target memories, i.e., the memory of the traumatic experience, you begin the desensitization process through bilateral stimulation.

Slowly but surely, you begin to process the trauma and understand the bodily and psychological responses to the trauma.

In short, at the end of the therapy, your brain is completely rewired and the trauma has been fully processed. And you’d have learned a positive coping mechanism to handle any triggers and address your symptoms.
The entire treatment process can take 6 to 12 sessions, sometimes more, depending on your progress and severity of symptoms (and whether you have existing mental health issues).

So, can EMDR work for postpartum PTSD and depression? Recent research has explored EMDR as a treatment option for birth trauma and supports the use of it for early intervention.

A randomized clinical trial compared the effect of a single EMDR session with that of treatment-as-usual (TAU). The study found that most of the women who were given EMDR showed improvement in their postpartum PTSD symptoms. It suggests that EMDR is a promising therapy for treating childbirth trauma.

How to Get EMDR Therapy for Birth Trauma

A licensed, trained therapist typically delivers EMDR therapy. However, you can also self-administer it through OpenEMDR.

At OPEN EMDR, we provide individuals an easy and safe way to go through EMDR using recorded video tutorials and instructions. While therapy, in general, is often very personalized, EMDR follows a strict protocol. As a result, it’s possible to follow it on your own and begin working on processing childbirth trauma and learning coping mechanisms.

On the other hand, working with a therapist can be easier, as you just need to follow their directions. You can get EMDR therapy for birth trauma symptoms from a therapist either in-person or online.
The process will begin with an initial consultation where the therapist will take your medical history and ask questions about your symptoms. If they confirm you have postpartum PTSD or depression, they’ll present you with a treatment plan, which may include EMDR.

It’s up to you and your therapist, whether to conduct the EMDR sessions in-person or virtually. Both protocols have their advantages. Online EMDR therapy is, of course, more convenient and in many cases, more affordable.

Begin the Healing

EMDR has, in recent years, become a treatment option for treating childbirth trauma-linked symptoms and conditions. It may be combined with other psychological or medical treatments determined by your doctor.