Support By Email
Information Last Updated:
22-Sep-2011
We have several women (and men) who are prepared to listen and offer support.
They are not trained counsellors but they do have a willingness to show you
that you are not alone. They have also suffered personal experiences which
enable them to sympathise and understand your situation. All our supporters
offer their time voluntarily and not in any professional capacity. Please email us
if you would like to become a volunteer supporter yourself. Eventually, we
hope funding will support a telephone helpline so we can help even more people.
Birth
Trauma Association - West Midlands Branch
The West Midlands Birth Trauma Association (BTA) has been set up to support women
and their families who have suffered traumatic experiences in childbirth.
Helpline Number 0800 046 9263 (Monday-Friday between 4 and 6pm). |
Contact other Mums
You can also contact other mums who might have suffered
in the same way as you (perhaps with a physical injury from birth or with
a problem with baby’s health).
Our volunteer supporters include:
- Ann-Marie developed PN PTSD after
the traumatic birth of her first child (now 10), but
symptoms of this did not appear until her second pregnancy
last year. However, due to a very committed team of Obstetricians,
Midwives and a Clinical Psychologist, Ann-Marie went
on to have a very relaxed and stress free birth. She
wants to reassure women that you can have the birth you
want, in many cases. Contact Ann-Marie at annmarie.cunningham@btinternet.com
- Anna is trained Counsellor who has
experienced Postnatal Depression. She is willing to offer
free face to face counselling. Please contact Anna at: annamstorey@gmail.com
- Brian's wife experienced a traumatic
birth with Brian present for the entire process, he is
feeling the effects of the trauma and wishes to speak
to other fathers who are feeling the same way. Contact
Brian at bgent@rz.uni-leipzig.de
- Julia is happy to have email contact
to support mums who have had traumatic experiences with
premature babies. Julia can be contacted on: juliahames@yahoo.co.uk
- Kal developed pre-clampsia and had
a long traumatic, induced birth with her first child
which ended in an emergency c-section, her second pregnancy
also resulted in a failed vbac and traumatic emergency
c-section due to complications in the surgery. She has
since trained as a Doula to help her come to terms with
her own birth experience and now offers birth debriefing
to help women understand and work through their birth
experience and offers support for women suffering from
postnatal depression. She is happy to offer support via
e-mail kalcomp@live.co.uk and
telephone 07722 710780.
- Karen is a psychotherapist and uses
hypnotherapy techniques for detraumatising. She also
experienced a very difficult birth experience in 2001
and is now also a HypnoBirthing practitioner, seeing
many women who have had negative birth experiences go
on to have positive ones. Karen is based near Brighton
and is happy to offer telephone and email support - plus
provide discounts for face to face sessions if necessary.
Contact Karen at karen@hypnobabes.co.uk
- Lisa is a qualified nurse with a
diploma in counselling who had an extremely traumatic
birth with her first daughter but then had three further
and very positive birth experiences. She is eager to
offer support to women currently going through a difficult
time and can be contacted at: lisatanner@tiscali.co.uk
- Martha suffered trauma after birth
- PTSD - and she is happy to offer support for women
who wish to share their experiences. Email Martha marthajesty@yahoo.com or
telephone her on 020-82413483.
- Nick’s fiancée developed
pre-eclampsia which progressed to HELLP Syndrome when
being induced. Eighteen months later they are still coming
to terms with both post natal depression and birth related
PTSD. Nick is open to any form of contact at nick.cook@use.ac
- Rosalind had a long and traumatic
first labour, ending in an emergency caesarean section. As
a result, she suffered tokophobia (fear of childbirth)
throughout her second pregnancy, which she overcame over
time, particularly following a stress-free planned caesarean.
She can be contacted at rosalindconnor@gmail.com
Contact other mums
Many women email us asking to be put in contact with women
who live close to them or with women who might have suffered
in the same way as them (perhaps with a physical injury
from birth or with a problem with their baby’s health).
In addition, researchers might want to contact women directly
for help in connection with the study they are carrying
out.
If you would like to appeal for help directly to other
women, let us know and we will put your request on this
page.
- Lisa: I had a long traumatic birth
starting with induction and ending in emergency c-section.
I'd really appreciate talking to other mums who found
induction or emergency c-section traumatic, those who
were forced to spend part of labour on their own because
it was outside of visiting hours and those who had a
negative experience being flooded with visitors immediately
after a traumatic / exhausting birth. Please contact
me on: missmolson@hotmail.com
- Have you experienced Symphysiotomy? This
is a surgical procedure to effect an immediate dramatic
increase in the size of the pelvic outlet to permit delivery
of a baby. The cartilage of the symphysis pubis (where
the pubic bones come together) is surgically divided
in the procedure which can be a life-saver for the baby.
If you would like to others who have experienced symphysiotomy,
please contact Helen at enquiries.
- I'm 25 and have a six year old boy with cerebral palsy,
he was born after a very traumatic birth (my 2nd traumatic
birth), we live in Dartford, Kent and haven't got any
other children as yet and I would like to make contact
with other mums in the same position. Please contact Kelly via enquiries.
- I am 37 and following a difficult delivery am left
with bad vaginal and
uterine prolapses. I have already had surgery, within 18 months of the
birth, and expect to have more operations in the future. I would love to
chat to others who have developed a prolapse at a young age. Contact enquiries to
get in touch with Susannah.
- If you would like to make contact with someone else
who has experienced faecal incontinence following childbirth
please email enquiries.
- Trudi would like to meet other mothers
who have suffered PTSD in the Southern area. Contact
her at enquiries.
- Do we have any mums in Northern Ireland?
We have 2 mums looking to find others so please get in
touch with enquiries.
- Lisa is suffering from Tokophobia
(fear of childbirth) and would like to make contact with
other women who have this problem. Contact Lisa at enquiries.
- Rebecca is suffering from Tokophobia
(fear of childbirth) and would like to make contact with
other women who have this problem. Contact Rebecca at enquiries.
- A couple of mums who have had hysterectomies as
the result of a very traumatic birth experience have
asked to be put in touch with others in the same situation.
Please get in touch with enquiries.
- We have 2 mums who would like to get in touch with
other mums who have had a baby that suffered brain
injury during birth. Please get in touch with enquiries.
- Rebecca would like to contact other
women with tokophobia and speak to women who have had
tokophobia but been through a normal delivery. Contact Reb@birthtraumaassociation.org.uk
- Charlotte's first labour involved
a long and distressing induction
which eventually resulted in a traumatic emergency caesarean. She
hired an independent midwife for her second birth and despite doing
everything possible to achieve a home vbac she ended up with another
emergency caesarean and developed PTSD. Charlotte is happy to be
contacted by anyone who has experienced a traumatic birth, especially
women who have gone on to have subsequent traumatic deliveries despite best-made
plans. She can be contacted at: charlotteleonard@gmail.com
- Amy suffered PTSD after her first
daughter was born by emergency
c-section. Her epidural was not fully effective during surgery and she also
haemorrhaged requiring a transfusion. During labour with her second daughter,
Amy had a uterine rupture resulting in another c-section and blood transfusion.
Amy would like to get in touch with other women who have experienced uterine
rupture, particularly during a VBAC attempt. Please get in touch with enquiries.
- Have you experienced a 4th degree
tear? Hamsa would like to speak to other
women who have experienced the same thing. You can email
Hamsa at: hamsa@birthtraumaassociation.org.uk
|
