Does debriefing about a difficult birth stop it turning into trauma?
September 9, 2026 (Conversation) For some women, the birth of their baby is one of the happiest days of their lives. Others remember it as a frightening, overwhelming or deeply distressing experience. Around one in three women report their birth experience as traumatic. Women can be traumatised during birth when there is a medical emergency such as a caesarean section, heavy bleeding, or a newborn baby needing intensive care. But it’s not always the emergency itself that leaves a lasting impact. Women also experience trauma when they feel they are not being listened to, don’t have enough information, or when