If you experienced birth trauma after…

...your providers didn’t trust your body to go into labor on its own and you were induced, your trauma was likely avoidable.

...your providers didn’t trust your body to birth your baby in a “timely manner” and your labor was augmented, your trauma was likely avoidable.

...your providers convinced you that you couldn’t handle the pain, and coerced you into an epidural instead of trying natural comfort methods first, your trauma was likely avoidable.

...your providers told you that you needed surgery because your pelvis was too small/your baby was too big/your baby was safer on the outside/you had a c-section last time… your trauma was likely avoidable.

Every time trust in your body is undermined, your risk for trauma increases.

Every time someone besides you makes decisions about your birth, your risk for trauma increases.

The cascade of interventions is real (I’ve lived it).

Postpartum PTSD is real (also lived it).

If we were trusted to birth our children without outside help, so much trauma could be avoided.

And here’s where I insert the disclaimer that yes, not all trauma is avoidable or caused by interventions. But a lot (and I mean a LOT) of it is, and it’s totally unnecessary. This post is about the avoidable.

For those of you who are reading this as “shaming”, you are 100% missing the point. It is the exact opposite. This post is saying most birth trauma is caused my providers and unnecessary interventions, which makes it the fault of those providers and a system that treats women like they’re incapable. The person to blame in most cases of birth trauma is the provider that caused the issues in the first place, rather than supporting the mother.