Birth Trauma and Its Impact on the Postpartum Period with Shelley Freeman, MS, LCMHC

In this episode, we explore the complex layers of birth trauma and its lasting impact on new mothers. Host Sarah Stasica and therapist Shelley Freeman, MS, LCMHC, dive deep into how birth trauma can affect a mother’s postpartum experience, from physical pain and emotional numbness to difficulties bonding with the baby. Shelley shares her insights on how trauma-informed care and co-regulation with a trusted support person can help mothers heal, including using therapies like EMDR to process traumatic experiences.

They also discuss intrusive thoughts and hypervigilance in the postpartum period and how they’re often compounded by birth trauma. We show up with compassion and validation for the overwhelming challenges many mothers face and highlight the importance of building a postpartum support team that includes therapists and doulas to help navigate the emotional and psychological impacts of childbirth.

Whether you’ve recently given birth or experienced trauma years ago, this episode offers hope and practical guidance for healing. Healing is possible, and it’s never too late to start.

Subscribe to my channel for more insights on birth trauma, medical trauma, and somatic healing, and don’t miss the final episode where Shelley and Sarah will discuss ways to heal from birth trauma.