Trauma

The Prison Birth Project shares the unfortunate situations of incarcerated mothers and their “inherently traumatic” birth experiences. Fortunately, the doula care PBP provides has had such an effect on these women that the cycle of violence is stopping in some of their lives.

 Read more…. Adapting Birth Services for Incarcerated Mothers

Although many women experience coercive and traumatic hospital births, others fully trust their OB/GYN and prefer to birth in a clinical setting. Women must choose their allies in birth carefully while remaining mindful that castigating all OB care providers does a great disservice to those medical professionals who observe and respect human and childbirth rights.

 Read more…. More on Human Rights for Childbearing Women

Posttraumatic stress disorder affects a growing number of women, impacting the transition to motherhood in negative ways. This article questions current medical models and suggests that maternal trauma may be avoided by addressing dehumanizing birth practices.

 Read more…. Acute Distress and PTSD Following Childbirth: A Complex Longitudinal Case Study

Birth caps are seemingly ubiquitous, at home and in the hospital, but why? Nicole Deelah questions the use of these caps and considers how a thin layer of polyester can create a considerable barrier between mothers and newborns.

 Read more…. Knitted Noggins—Rethinking the Newborn Cap

A touching portrait honoring the memory, legacy and life of midwife Elizabeth Gilmore.

 Read more…. Elizabeth Gilmore Remembered: Through the Eyes of a Friend

How prepared is your birthing community to provide care in the wake of a natural disaster? Lorna Davies takes you back to the days following New Zealand’s Christchurch earthquake, uncovering some insightful answers.

 Read more…. Did the Earth Move for You?: Lessons from the Christchurch Earthquake

A traditional midwife recounts her journeys to a newly post-soviet Russia, taking us on a tour of a changing birth culture, from the Roddoms of the cold war era to pioneering birth camps at the Black Sea.

 Read more…. From the Roddom to the Black Sea: My Experiences in Russia

The adverse affects of birth trauma on infants are explored, along with preventative practices and suggestions to help both midwives and parents heal birth trauma.

 Read more…. Preventing and Healing Infant Birth Trauma

One of the authors of the new Motherbaby Press Book, Survivor Moms: Women’s Narratives of Birthing, Mothering and Healing after Sexual Abuse, provides a snapshot of types of trauma exposures reported by first-time mothers in the Midwest and how they relate to risk of PTSD.

 Read more…. Survivor Moms: Multiple Trauma Exposures and the Development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder