One of the most difficult parts of motherhood can be becoming a mother. Giving birth is not for the faint-hearted and even the easiest of births can be tough. However, there are a lot of women who have experienced traumatic births. If you are one of these women, then there are some things you can do to cope with the aftermath.
Madlen Deutschenbaur from Pixabay
Call a lawyer
This might sound like a big jump but giving birth is not supposed to be traumatic. It will be difficult as you are bringing a new human being into the world, but it should not be traumatic. Speak to a medical malpractice lawyer and see if what happened to you is considered “normal”. If it isn’t, then the hospital and the team that delivered your baby might owe you some compensation. This cannot undo any damage but it might help to cover any fees for medical issues in the future.
Talk to someone
Dealing with trauma, no matter where it comes from needs to be dealt with. You might need to speak to a professional to see if they can help you work through your feelings. There will be a lot of unpacking, becoming a parent is a big lift change in itself. Throw in some added trauma, and you might have the beginnings of some big issues. If you feel that you need to speak to someone, you could speak to your loved one or find a support group of new mothers that might have gone through the same thing as you. There are plenty of general mother and baby groups but there are others that specialise in various traumatic births such as stillbirth or the birth of multiple babies.
Rest
If there is one thing that new mothers are not in the habit of doing, it is resting. After giving birth, you need to rest your body a bit. If you have endured a difficult labour or have ended up with extra stitches, you will need to take it extra easy. This can be a tough thing to do but your body will thank you in the long run so that you can recover better. Don’t be afraid to put your feet up and take a nap if your day becomes too much, and don’t forget to sleep while the baby sleeps.
Ask for help
This is another thing that new mothers have issues with, and it is asking for help. There is an idea that if you ask for help just after giving birth, that you have failed at parenting already. Please, do not think like this. In those first few days and weeks, you might need some help to navigate this new world of parenting. There is nothing wrong with getting the grandparents around to give you a hand. This is a great chance for them to bond with the baby and will allow you to get some rest. Don’t make yourself more ill by assuming that you have to do it all.