All parents struggle at times. Parenting is the hardest job we’ll ever do, but it doesn’t come with very clear instructions. Children can also have strong emotional needs which can be hard for parents to read, let alone understand. Some parents find it very challenging when their child is very upset and feel uncomfortable with … Read more
Only a limited number of research studies have examined treatment outcomes for PTSD following traumatic birth in the postnatal period. There is even less research documenting outcomes for treatment of PTSD during during pregnancy. However, in private practice and maternity settings woman are frequently referred during pregnancy with symptoms of PTSD arising from a previous … Read more
Joan Raphael-Leff (1993) Raphael-Leff is a well-known psychoanalyst with extensive experience working with pregnant women and mothers. In her practice and her writings, she has observed a range of approaches to baby care routines. She has described these different approaches along a spectrum of what she called “facilitator to regulator” and she makes the connection … Read more
The psychoanalyst Bion described the theory of containment. This concept can help us understand what happens in the mind of a parent whilst holding a distressed baby. There are also important parallels for the therapist working with a distressed patient. When an infant is distressed, their anxiety is felt to be intolerable and thus it … Read more
In perinatal clinical practice, especially in maternity settings, women are frequently referred during pregnancy for treatment of PTSD. The symptoms of PTSD are often the result of a previous traumatic birth. But this raises questions such as….. Is it safe to provide PTSD treatment during pregnancy? What about the possible adverse effects on the baby … Read more
PTSD occurs when a person develops rigid, unhelpful beliefs about why a traumatic event occurred. When something frightening and distressing happens, people search for explanations for why. We construct stories to create meaning. We crave a sense of coherence and control. Sometimes we also lay blame, on ourselves or others. Yet sometimes there are no … Read more
The Transition to Motherhood – Psychological Factors Associated with Pregnancy, Labour and Birth By Dr Emma Symes, MAPS, CCLIN. The Centre for Women’s Mental Health, The Royal Women’s Hospital The ‘ordinary miracle’ of pregnancy and birth is a time of enormous physiological, social and psychological change for women. How a woman and her significant others … Read more
Assessment Considerations Birth trauma is increasingly gaining attention. Women are beginning to speak more honestly and openly about their experiences in childbirth, and in the case of traumatic birth, to share their stories of pain, anxiety and also recovery. However, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is still too often overlooked as a mental health condition affecting … Read more
The experience of having a very preterm baby admitted to NICU is enormously challenging for families. An infant admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is critically unwell and may face a serious, long term health complications such as brain injury or lung disease. Parents can find themselves catapulted into the complex new world of … Read more
It is a frightening experience when a baby is born prematurely. Parents describe a terrible fear of not knowing if their baby (or babies) will survive birth. After birth, the baby may be seriously or even critically unwell, and the family are suddenly facing an uncertain future. For the mother, the pregnancy is felt to … Read more