Why Birth Trauma Matters (Pinter & Martin Why it Matters: 15)

When we think about trauma and PTSD we tend to think about war and conflict. But around a third of women feel some part of their birth was traumatic. This experience can impact on their mental and physical health, their relationships and future plans.

In Why Birth Trauma Matters, Dr Emma Svanberg, clinical psychologist and co-founder of Make Birth Better, explores what happens to those who go through a bad birth. She explains in detail how birth trauma occurs, examines the wide-ranging impact on all of those involved in birth, and looks at treatments and techniques to aid recovery. By drawing on her own research and the work of experts in the field, and sharing the first-hand experiences of women, she shows how it is possible to begin to move on.

Dr Emma Svanberg is a clinical psychologist working in private practice in London, as well as co-founder of Make Birth Better CIC.

She works with parents and parents to be, offering support during pregnancy, birth and the early years of parenthood. She helps people make the transition to becoming a parent – which can be a time of particular joy as well as vulnerability. Emma also uses social media to raise awareness of the common mental health problems that can occur at this time and campaigns for better support during pregnancy and the early years.

Emma lives in London with her partner and two children, who are her greatest educators. Why Birth Trauma Matters is her first book.