The truth about BIRTH TRAUMA

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S HIDDEN PAIN REVEALED IN NEW SURVEY

- Brigid Auchettl

Welcoming a child into the world is supposed to be W one of life's most beautiful moments, but new research shows the experience is leaving parents traumatised.

The Australasian Birth Trauma Association (ABTA), recently conducted a survey of more than 1000 women.

It found that one in three Australian women identify their births as traumatic.

Brisbane mother Sam Hall tells New Idea she is still coming to terms with the distressing birth of her son Koah on March 6, 2022.

Sam, who went through an Indigenous birth program, says issues were picked up early in her pregnancy, eventually leading to an emergency caesarean.

"Koah was born not breathing he had swallowed some meconium, they said he had a collapsed lung," says Sam, 34, grateful to have fiancé Ian by her side.

"He had to be resuscitated, just about every organ in his body was affected. I think he had a seizure... it was traumatic. I was scared, I just wanted my son to be OK." There were no first snuggles with her little boy, with Koah rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit. He was diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which occurs when not enough oxygen or blood goes to the baby’s brain.

“I didn’t get to hold Koah for like four days … scrolling through Facebook and seeing photos of women holding the baby on their chest gets a bit upsetting, because we didn’t get that,” Sam says, wiping away tears.

“I always wanted three kids. I don’t see myself having more.” Amy Dawes, the CEO and co-founder of ABTA, tells New Idea that education for parents and health professionals about birth trauma is essential.