NHS - BIRTH IN MIND SERVICE

Emotional Wellbeing After Childbirth
In the first few weeks after having a baby you may find that you are constantly going
over what happened during labour and birth as you try to make sense of it all.
Sometimes remembering what happened can be distressing, you may experience
unusual feelings, flashbacks and nightmares. This can be quite normal as your body
and mind adjust after childbirth; these feelings usually diminish or resolve by 4-6
weeks.
Talking about your birth experience with family and friends, or your Community
Midwife or Health Visitor can be helpful. These conversations help to naturally
process what has happened; you may find this is enough to help you make sense of
your experience.
If you find that your feelings about the birth have not resolved, or you need to
understand what happened and why, you can speak to a Specialist Midwife about
your experience. Following this, if you need more support we can refer you to our
psychology service or other specialist services.
If you:
• Live in or birthed your baby(ies) in the Barnsley area
• wish to talk about your birth experience, fill in gaps and make sense of events
• feel distressed as a result of your birth experience and are concerned about your
feelings
You can refer yourself by contacting us.