Flashbacks, hypervigilance, numbness, shame aren't signs of weakness, or anything to be ‘got over’ or pushed aside. They're intelligent survival responses that have got stuck. Understanding the biology can be the beginning of self-compassion.

"But your baby is healthy." "At least you're both okay." These responses, however well-meaning, can deepen shame and delay healing. This piece explores why birth trauma so often goes unrecognised, and why that needs to change.