Join us on today's podcast as we delve into empowering strategies aimed at ensuring a positive and uplifting birthing experience. We explore ways to foster agency, amplifying both our voices and choices in the process.
Have you or someone you know faced the challenges of birth trauma? My heart aches whenever I encounter stories or witness situations as a doula where a woman's voice is not heard, and birthing individuals and their partners do not feel the support, respect, and involvement they deserve in decision-making.
Birth trauma is any physical or emotional distress you may experience during or after childbirth. During the birth, you may feel afraid, helpless or unsupported by those around you. After the birth, you may be left feeling guilty or numb due to events beyond your control. You could even suffer from panic attacks.
If this happens, know that you’re not alone. According to the National Institutes of Health, up to 45% of new mothers experience birth trauma—and the effects can continue long after the birth itself. A day that I know can and should be orgasmic birth everyone is becoming traumatic for too many. This does not have to happen.
Please take good care of yourself as you listen today. If you have had a traumatic birth please seek care - many therapists specialize in helping you to process and heal from birth trauma. There are online resources too, one of my favorites is https://pattch.org/birth-trauma-resources/
Listen on our blog or via your favorite podcast platform
Love and pleasure,
Debra
P.S. My online childbirth course, Pleasurable Birth Essentials will empower you in your own powerful birth too, learn more here, and use code essential20 for 20% off - my holiday gift to you.
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Debra Pascali-Bonaro is a world-renowned inspirational speaker, podcaster, filmmaker, doula trainer, childbirth educator, and author. Debra’s podcast, Orgasmic Birth heals barriers and opens the door to share secrets to more love and intimacy in birth and parenting. She brings together her passion for pleasure in every aspect of life with her Jersey-Girl attitude of talking about what no one is talking about! Debra is a mother, grandmother and featured expert in parenting journals and media around the world. Debra is also Co-Chair of the International Childbirth Initiative and Chair of the International MotherBaby Childbirth Initiative both of which promote safe, respectful maternity care. She is a Lamaze International childbirth educator, birth and postpartum doula trainer with DONA International, Director of the award-winning documentary Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret and co-writer of “Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth”, Author of The Ultimate Guide To Sex After Baby: Secrets to Love and Intimacy and the Founder & President of the revolutionary online childbirth class Pleasurable Birth Essentials which prepares expectant mothers, fathers, and partners to be positively prepared for birth and focuses on the intimate and sacred nature of birth. Debra’s passion comes from her over 30 years of working with women, men, midwives, doulas, physicians and nurses in over 40 countries bringing comfort, love, and pleasure to birth and life!
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