This is me, almost ten years ago, teaching how to write an essay to an undergraduate class. Its been a long journey from this moment - a journey that includes the birth of my two babies, a Ph.D. and the start of a new career in providing trauma-informed childbirth education and parenting support. 

When I started teaching again, after a break of a couple of years, and I'll be honest, I was rusty! But I'll also tell you that the same familiar feeling was there - the feeling that "yes, I can do this," but more than that, "yes this is important." No one should feel unprepared and unsupported if the ghosts of the past intrude upon this most precious, most vulnerable, most powerful of moments. 

But working with parents is only half the story. Care providers need to be trained to hold space, to prioritize the birthing person's consent, and to reinforce their power. There is so much nurses, midwives, doctors, anesthetists doulas and partners can do to help keep the ghosts of the past at bay, or, if they do enter the room, to act as a lifeline to the present moment. 

The desire to have a positive birth experience is not frivolous - however you give birth, how you are treated matters - I am here to tell you that your experience, your mental health matters 

#childbirtheducation #birthtrauma#perinataltrauma #traumainformed#informedconsent#ghostsinthedeliveryroom#traumainformedchildbirtheducation#needsofsurvivors #whensurvivorsgivebirth#traumainformedchildbirth#makebirthbetter @leach.justine#birthtraumaawareness #healingbirth#empoweredbirth #maternalmentalhealth