Coping with trauma triggers after birth trauma
When you’re trying to get through the day with symptoms of PTSD, it can be hard to keep yourself in the here and now, to find calm or even think clearly when you’re overwhelmed by distress. Trauma symptoms are so difficult to cope with in part because your nervous system can be easily triggered, alerted to threat or danger, even when the threat is not currently present.
A trauma trigger is anything that reminds you of a traumatic event. Triggers can come from many different sources and are unique to each individual and their experience. Very often, a trauma trigger is sensory- a sound, smell, or sight that causes a disturbing memory to resurface. Other kinds of reminders of a trauma can also become triggering-an emotional state, an intrusive thought, the place where the trauma took place, common physical experiences such as your period, or a certain time of day. Encountering a trauma trigger can cause traumatic stress responses or PTSD reactions such as panic attacks, flashbacks, extreme emotional reactions, or dissociation.
Common Triggers During Pregnancy and Postpartum
your baby (or any baby)
birth stories, news of a baby’s birth
your baby’s birthday
significant dates such as embryo transfers or losses
your own body
pain or discomfort
breast/chest feeding
emotions
intrusive thoughts/memories
doctors/medical appointments
sex/physical intimacy/touch
being alone
becoming pregnant again
Why are grounding skills important in Healing birth trauma?
Traumatic memories get “stuck” in our nervous system and are not fully processed the way “normal” memories are processed. A trauma memory doesn’t have a beginning, middle, and end and continues to affect you after the traumatic experience. As April Steele explains in her Imaginal Nurturing series, it’s as if the part of you that experienced that event isn’t really clear that it’s over. For this reason, trauma therapy begins by helping to build up tools to help you calm and soothe yourself, and help you stay oriented to the present moment. Here is a simple grounding skill to try out:
After a trauma during pregnancy or postpartum, avoiding triggers may be impossible. But there are steps you can take to help yourself cope with the distress of trauma:
Identify potential triggers so that you can make a plan to support yourself through difficult moments or situations.
Learn about the signs and symptoms of traumatic stress and PTSD so that you understand what's happening to you (this can help you feel a bit more in control).
Use grounding skills which can help you stay in your body, in the present moment.
Know that perinatal trauma and PTSD are treatable. Getting support through therapy or a support group can help you make a full recovery.
Let me know when you’re ready to talk.
Reaching out for help is a big step and I want to make the process as comfortable and easy to understand as possible. To get started, just call or email me to schedule your free consultation. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
