Some thoughts on why we should #thinktraumanow and why #coronavirus is having a massive negative impact on @BirthTrauma

The majority of #birthtrauma in my opinion stems from three main points:

- lack of perceived choice
- the way maternity staff's behaviour comes across
- medical emergency

Medical emergency aside because largely speaking it's unavoidable, we're left with two avoidable factors

-lack of choice

We have people going into a birth environment who are not being afforded the full range of birth places, birth partners, birth positions, pain relief or even freedom of choice to decide how they birth (routine IOL @ 40w ??!!)

- the way behaviour comes across

Honestly, you try working an already stressful, high pressure low staff job with even less staff, when the people you are caring for are stressed, your managers are stressed, and you're scared.

We are simply asking too much of our midwives.

So how can we resolve this and #thinktraumanow ?

Protect choice as per @birthrightsorg and @MidwivesRCM recommendations

Protect staff from work environments where they're unable to provide their best care

Fund the damn NHS

This thread doesn't even touch the fact that peri-and-postnatal mental health issues won't be picked up on because of the lack of in person appointments with HV.

And people with OASI and other physical trauma won't be having their issues addressed

I mean I'm probably missing an absolute bucket load of issues here, but long story short we are heading for a perinatal mental health disaster.

Please consider writing to your mp. There's a template letter on @birth_better 's website.