Episode Details

In this episode of The Motherwhelm, I sit down with Tori, a mother of two and PE teacher, to talk about birth trauma, postnatal depression and anxiety, and the profound difference between her two experiences of birth and early motherhood.

At 32 weeks pregnant with her first baby, Tori broke her leg in an accident that left her unable to walk. Just three weeks later, she went into premature labour. What followed was an exhausting and traumatic birth involving a hospital transfer, prolonged labour, an emergency caesarean during which she experienced pain despite having an epidural, and a difficult physical recovery.

The challenges continued after she brought her daughter home. Months of unsettled nights, feeding difficulties, severe sleep deprivation and isolation contributed to significant postnatal depression and anxiety. Tori speaks candidly about how difficult this period became, the impact on her relationships, and the importance of the professional support she eventually received.

Together, we explore motherhood's impact on identity, body image, friendships, and marriage, the importance of informed decision-making and compassionate maternity care, and the complicated reality of loving motherhood while finding it incredibly difficult.

This is a conversation about what happens when birth doesn't go as planned, the lasting impact of how women are treated during childbirth, and the possibility of finding confidence and joy in motherhood after a deeply challenging beginning.

Resources mentioned:

Australian VBAC Stories podcast

The Great Birth Rebellion

Topics discussed: birth trauma, premature birth at 35 weeks, pregnancy injury, emergency caesarean, epidural failure, feeling dismissed during childbirth, maternal autonomy, informed consent, medical trauma, breastfeeding, infant feeding difficulties, sleep deprivation, postnatal depression, postnatal anxiety, suicidal thoughts, seeking psychological support, birth debriefs, VBAC, vaginal birth after caesarean, breech presentation, external cephalic version (ECV), birth preparation, positive birth experiences, postpartum recovery, maternal identity, body image, exercise after motherhood, friendship changes, isolation, marriage after children, partner support, parenting two children and self-advocacy.