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Helping people traumatised by childbirth
Who are We?
What is Birth Trauma?
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Birth Stories
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List of Counsellors
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Birth Trauma Association
PO Box 671
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 9AT
 

Who are we?

The Birth Trauma Association (BTA) was established in 2004 to support women suffering from Post Natal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or birth trauma. We are not trained counsellors or therapists or medical professionals. We are mothers who wish to support other women who have suffered difficult births and we aim to offer advice and support to all women who are finding it hard to cope with their childbirth experience.

The BTA is the only organisation in the UK which deals solely and specifically with this issue. We aim to tackle the problem with work which is focused on three main areas:

(1) Raising awareness of birth trauma
(2) Working to prevent it
(3) Supporting families in need

We have four leading experts on our Board, a Board of Trustees and an Executive Committee of committed activists. In addition, we have many active professional and lay volunteers whose skills range from administration to obstetric and psychological expertise.

The BTA believes that too little is known about the psychology of childbirth and this means that the mental health consequences of it are all too often and, all too easily, ignored. We also believe that, on occasion, the emotional needs of women are sidelined or forgotten. We are very keen to have the support of health care professionals for our work so that we can campaign effectively to change any current practices that contribute to traumatic birth experiences. If you are a health care professional and you would like more information about birth trauma or you would like to help raise awareness of this issue then please contact us.

Executive Commitee

The Executive Committee runs the BTA. It is made up of a core group of committed activists whose duties stretch from support to press and publicity. Without this hard-working body of individuals, supported by our many wonderful volunteers, the BTA would not be able to continue its work. If you would like to become active at this level, please contact us.

  • Debbie Sayers
    Debbie was a co-founder of the BTA. She is a qualified Solicitor and PhD student with a particular expertise in human rights law. She has worked on issues of prevention, hospital training, support, website and newsletter development. She has also written many of the BTA publications.

Our current committee includes:

  • Julie Orford - CHAIR
    Julie Orford is a part-time website co-ordinator for local government and a freelance graphic designer. She has a background in commercial web design and project management. She had a traumatic birth in August 2004 with her son and joined the BTA as a volunteer shortly after that. Jules is Chair of the BTA and also has responsibility for the BTA website and publications.
  • Maureen Treadwell
    Maureen Treadwell is a co-founder of the BTA. She previously worked as a lecturer setting up her own company. Maureen is currently working on the Intrapartum Care Guideline Development Group of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Maureen is co-founder of the BTA. She also runs the media team.
  • Emma Cuppini
    Emma has been working with the BTA since summer 2004. She suffered PN PTSD after the traumatic birth of her daughter in 1994. Emma is working with Maternity Services at the East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, with the aim of improving services for women and preventing traumatic birth experiences. She is also one of the BTA’s press team.
  • Nilmini de Silva
    Nilmini currently works for a financial company and has a background in political work including working for a Member of Parliament and for a charity. She suffered a traumatic birth in 1993. Nilmini is responsible for the political awareness and Government relations work of the BTA.
  • Anna Davidson
    Anna Davidson is a mother-of-two and lives in Essex. She suffered a
    traumatic birth with her first child in 2003 which led to her becoming
    involved with the BTA from the time it was launched. An NCTJ-trained
    journalist and part-time reporter, Anna is one of the BTA's press team.

Trustees

Our trustees are responsible for ensuring the organisation is properly and effectively run. You can find out more about the role of a Trustee from the Charity Commision website.

  • Paul Alway
    Paul is a design engineer/project manager for a large refrigeration contractor and is also a part-time session drummer. Paul agreed to become a BTA trustee after witnessing traumatic events in the delivery room in 2004 at the birth of his son. He wishes to ensure that the good work of the BTA continues to go from strength to strength and helps as many people as possible.
  • Helen Cole
    Currently working as a freelance harpist in the UK, Helen has played with many orchestras including the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, BBC Scottish, City of Birmingham Symphony, Academy of St Martins-in-the-Fields, London Mozart Players, Philharmonia, Orchestra National de Lyon, City of London Sinfonia and was principal Harp with Northern Ballet Theatre for a number of years.

    After reading music at Clare College, Cambridge, Helen became a scholar at the Royal College of Music. She was awarded funding by the Countess of Munster Fund and the Martin Musical Scholarship Fund. As a chamber musician she is active with the multi instrument group CHROMA, the trio Helianthus and the duo Entr'acte, as well as guesting regularly with the Contemporary Consort. She also as an active teaching practice which includes the position of harp teacher at the Centre for Young Musicians at Morley College. In her spare time she enjoys coxing on the River Thames.

    Helen's interest in childbirth related issues began when a close friend had a traumatic birth. Helen supported her through this and was her birth partner for her subsequent child.

Board of Experts

Our Executive Board includes leading figures in both research and practice relating to birth trauma. We are able to turn to them for professional advice and information on recent developments and we are indebted to them for their invaluable voluntary contributions. Our Board Members are:

  • Helen Allott
    Helen is a consultant obstetrician with a special interest in helping women who have suffered from a traumatic birth experience. She runs a Post Delivery Counselling clinic at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
  • Dr Susan Ayers
    Susan is a Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology at the University of Sussex. Her main interest is the development of post-traumatic stress disorder after health events, particularly childbirth. She has undertaken qualitative and quantitative studies of traumatic birth and published widely on the topic.
  • Judy Crompton
    Judy Crompton is a trained midwife and trauma therapist, specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
  • Sandra Gidley MP, LibDem Spokesperson for Women’s Issues
    Sandra originally qualified as a pharmacist and it was her interest in the Health Service that originally led her to become active in politics. Sandra has been an antenatal teacher and is actively involved with her local constituency hospital. Her parliamentary work includes being co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health.

 

 
 

 

   
 
NB: We are willing to add links to research projects/surveys on our website but due to the high volume of requests
we get, we will only consider links if the BTA is able to view the findings of the survey. We fully respect confidentiality
and do not need to see the identifying details of the participants of the survey.