GOLD Learning Speakers

Survivors of trauma are at an increased risk not only of experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms during their pregnancy, but also birth trauma and postpartum PTSD. Yet too often survivors’ needs are ignored and traditional childbirth preparation is neither trauma-informed nor supportive of survivors’ emotional experiences. This presentation envisions what childbirth preparation looks like from a trauma-informed perspective. It will explore how to create safety in our relationships with birth givers, how to help survivors feel their power, and how to hold space for their emotional journey to parenthood. I discuss the impact of previous trauma on birth givers in pregnancy and birth, and explore what can be done prenatally to prevent birth trauma. Participants will gain practical skills for supporting survivors’ emotional wellbeing and for helping them to plan for a safe birth experience. This involves rethinking the birth plan. Instead of merely articulating a birth givers’ preferences for or against interventions, a birth plan should be rethought as a Birth Support Plan: that is, it should communicate what a birth giver needs to feel safe, understood, and in control of the decisions they make around their care whether their birth goes to plan or not.

This presentation explores the mental health impact of breastfeeding journeys that do not go to plan and sets out practical steps perinatal professionals can take to better support parents who feel a deep sense of loss when they cannot feed their babies in the way they had hoped. Combining personal narrative, professional insights and research findings, this presentation sheds light on the emotional toll of lactation difficulties. Many parents who initiate breastfeeding are invested in its success and deeply conscious of its benefits, leading to feelings of grief, frustration and guilt if their plans are disrupted. Moreover, some causes of breastfeeding challenges, such as birth trauma, a period of maternal/infant separation after birth, medical issues, pain, and lack of support can contribute to parents reporting their breastfeeding journey was traumatic. And even though the cessation of breastfeeding can bring a mix of emotions from relief to a deep sense of loss, these challenges can leave their scars that parents often bear alone. This presentation describes the protective power of trauma-informed emotional support for parents whose breastfeeding journeys do not go to plan. Participants will learn how to listen to stories of breastfeeding grief/trauma, how to hold space for parents going through feeding challenges and how to help parents navigate hard choices around infant feeding.