Unfortunately, there are a few women who experience great difficulty during childbirth. Their experiences may be traumatic. This sort of experience is accompanied by a lot of shame and guilt in the mind of the mother, in her post pregnancy life and it leads to high levels of stress. This post traumatic response(PTR) can become the cause of a failed marriage, phobia of further pregnancies, failed bonding with the new born infant and other physical and emotional ailments. Mothers are known to suffer from nightmares for decades after, in life post pregnancy and sometimes, they are never able to bond with their offspring.
The symptoms of PTR
The symptoms of Post Traumatic Response include nightmares, anxiety, depression, a heightened startle response and lack of sexual desire. Sometimes, these symptoms may be caused by a physical problem such as a fractured pelvis or peritoneal tears during childbirth.
Here Are Some Questions the Doctor Should Ask You If He Thinks You Are Suffering from PTR
Do you not feel safe any more?
Do you have a heightened startle response?
Do you avoid talking about pregnancy or avoid anything that may remind you of pregnancy?
Do you get affected by certain smells? Do they bring back unhappy memories of the labor room? Are you unwilling to go back to the hospital where you delivered?
Do you experience a feeling that something is wrong, suffer from night mares, feel depressed and anxious, and feel a lack of bonding with your infant and spouse, numbed emotions, indifference, feelings of anger, sadness and mood swings?
If your answer is yes to any of these questions about PTR and post pregnancy life, you should get help from a specialist doctor, who after understanding your situation, will be able to advise you on steps to take, to make you well again. After all, motherhood is meant to be enjoyed. It should not cause trauma.
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