The Experience of Birth Trauma: ‘The Machine Just Kept Trundling Me Along’

This study aimed to explore the lived experience of psychological birth trauma using an intersectional feminist trauma lens and interpretive phenomenological analysis. Eleven participants from the Outaouais region in Canada, who self-identified as having experienced a psychologically traumatic birth and have healed from it, participated in in-depth interviews and an optional focus group. The study identified four key themes related to the experience of birth trauma: (a) unexpected and unprepared for traumatic birth, (b) trauma-inducing care and interactions with healthcare, (c) silence: alone in shame and guilt and (d) navigating postpartum mental health while wearing a snowsuit. The intersection of participants’ identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation and ability, contributed to their experiences of birth trauma. The findings highlight the importance of applying an intersectional lens to understand the role of systemic oppression in birth trauma experiences and the need for healthcare providers to provide trauma-informed, compassionate care that acknowledge the diversity of birthing individuals’ identities and experiences.