The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast

This week we welcome Shatiera Amankrah, owner and founder of Seeds of Hope onto the podcast. Seeds of Hope provides a safe and nurturing environment where people can find the support, guidance, and resources they need to navigate the complexities of the emotional toll of infertility. What you will hear on this episode: - experience in infertility - common themes of trauma in infertility - the &quo...

On this week's listener series episode, we welcome Kiersten to share her story with our community. Kiersten and her husband dealt with infertility and found out they were pregnant in March of 2020 - which we all know was when our world was heavily impacted by Covid. Kiersten was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis in December of 2020 and shares about her experience and treatment. Kiersten is...

This week, we are joined by Caroline Stadler and Amanda Prophett from the Solace Foundation. Solace stands for Severe Obstetric Laceration Awareness and Community Support. They raise awareness for obstetric anal sphincter injuries, which occurs in approximately 6% of women in the US annually - about 200,000 women a year. Their goal is to increase awareness and research to help prevent these injuri...

On this episode we welcome Katie to share her story. Katie had a fairly textbook and healthy pregnancy and had decided that she wanted to have a midwife with her delivery. She scheduled an induction at 41 weeks and found herself having to have a C-Section due to preeclampsia and little communication from her provider. On this episode you will hear: - preeclampsia at 41 weeks - rough communication...

On this solo episode, Kayleigh is discussing all things c-section. She shares a few different studies highlighting the data on c-sections and PTSD, as well as how they compare to other modes of delivery. Kayleigh also touches on TOLACs and planned cesarean sections after birth trauma.  In this episode: - Types of C-Sections - C-Section and birth trauma - Communication and Support as mitigating fac...

On this week's episode, we welcome Carlee to share her story. Carlee and her husband received a hypoplastic left heart syndrome diagnosis for thier son, James, during Carlee's pregnancy. James passed away at 6 weeks old after being in the CICU, and Carlee has since created the James Doss Memorial Foundation to honor his life while supporting other families who have lost children to conge...

This week's episode is a very special one. To honor AFE Awareness week, Kayleigh welcome's her very own OB that handled her AFE episode. Dr. Saberin moved into action very quickly when she recognized that Kayleigh was having an AFE. Her number one priority was to get Cal out via an emergency cesarian-section to help save Cal and better the chances of Kayleigh's survival. On this epi...

On this week's listener series episode, we welcome Annie. Annie and her husband live in California at the wedding venue they own and operate. A few weeks before their due date, they experienced a wildfire that damaged a large part of their wedding venue. Annie experienced a lot of stress and started to feel the effects of it in her pregnancy. Around the same time, the nurses at their hospital...

On this week's episode, we are joined by Jen Atkisson, a labor and delivery nurse, clinical educator, speaker, patient and nurse advocate, and a consultant on standard of care. Buckle up for this wild ride of an episode as we take on so many topics that Jen has expertise on. What you will hear on this episode: - misconceptions and fear of lawsuits - prevention strategies for nurses - common p...

On this week's listener story series episode, we welcome Andrea. Andrea and her husband planned for a home birth, but at 42 weeks, she was still not in labor, so they elected for a non-emergent transfer to the hospital. Andrea shares about  processing her unmet birth expectations and validating her own traumatic experience . On this episode you will hear: - Choosing a home birth - Home birth...

On this week's episode, Kayleigh dives into the topic of friendship after birth trauma covering big questions like: How do we navigate and protect our friendships after birth trauma? How can we still support those around us while also honoring our needs in healing after birth trauma? We hope that this episode leaves you with some nuggets and encouragements as you navigate friendship after bir...

On this week's episode, Stephanie DeFilippis joins Kayleigh. Stephanie is a licensed therapist who specializes in perinatal mental health and is also the founder and owner of Crescent Moon Therapy. In this episode Kayleigh and Stephanie talk about the pros and cons of having a therapist with a shared lived experience or not. The conversation continues into the ways one who has never experienc...

On this week's listener episode, we welcome Kayla. Kayla starts off by sharing about her preceding endometriosis and PCOS diagnoses and treatments before her and her husband, Michael, got pregnant with their daughter Ellie. They were pleasantly surprised to not need any fertility treatments or assistance getting pregnant with Kayla's diagnoses. Kayla shares about how the pregnancy progre...

On this week's episode,  we are joined by Amanda E. White. Some of you may already follow her on Instagram at @therapyforwomen - her platform cheers on women in the mental health space. She sits down and shares as a licensed therapist and birth trauma survivor her own experiences, nuances, and advice navigating things like suicidal ideation, breastfeeding, and processing during recovery. On t...

On this week's listener episode, we welcome Alpha. She shares about her pregnancy and delivery of her son and the trauma she had to face. Alpha vulnerably shares her intense experience and how she has processed her birth not going as planned including having an emergency hysterectomy. On this episode, you will hear: - Prodromal Labor - Complex trauma and the impact on perinatal trauma - Postp...

On this week's episode, we are joined by Megan MacCutcheon who is a practicing LPC and author. We have a candid conversation about postpartum depression, navigating parenting information and advice, and treating postpartum anxiety. On this episode, you will hear: - postpartum anxiety and trauma - the impact of control and perfectionism - the influence of parenting information - therapeutic ap...

On this week's listener episode, we are joined by Megan. Megan is from Northern Ireland and shares with us her journey and the complications that arose in her pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum with her twin boys. What you will hear on this episode: - High-risk twin pregnancy - Growth discrepancy between twins and fears of lifelong diagnoses - Emergency hemorrhage protocol - Postpartum compl...

On this week's episode, Arden Cartrette, @themiscarriagedoula and Kayleigh have a deep dive conversation into the specific care of being a miscarriage doula. Arden shares about her own experiences of recurrent loss and the support she offers other families experiencing miscarriage and loss, especially those who go on to have subsequent pregnancies after loss. What you will hear on this episod...

On this week's episode of our Listener Stories Series, Alisa joins us to share her experience. Alisa is a LCSW who worked as a social worker for the local children's hospital. She shares about her experiences with both her premature daughter and full-term son and how healing is still a journey 8 years later. What you will hear on this episode: - Advanced maternal age - Rheumatoid arthrit...

On this week's episode, we welcome back Allison Kuhr to continue sharing her experience and healing process.  What you will hear on this episode: - Navigating trauma as a therapist - EMDR as a trauma treatment - Finding a therapist as a therapist - Allison's advice on preparing for a subsequent pregnancy after trauma - Hope in healing after trauma Guest Bio: Allison Kuhr is a licensed pr...

On this week's listener series episode, we welcome Valerie. Valerie shares her journey with pregnancy and birth as a Type 1 Diabetic. Everything went smoothly until 2 days after discharge, when Valerie started to feel unwell. She shares how her family navigated a hospital stay postpartum and her second homecoming. What you will hear on this episode: - Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes - Preeclam...

On today's episode, Allison Kuhr of Through Counseling joins us to talk about her personal experience with birth trauma and the impact it has had on all 3 of her births, as well as her expertise as a perinatal therapist.  Join us next week as we continue the conversation in part 2! On this episode, you will hear: - strange color fluids - Meconium - Nubane followed by an epidural - disappointm...

On this week's listener episode, Hannah joins us to share her story. Hannah's starts with her pregnancy at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and continues through her second pregnancy with her daughter in 2023. In this episode: - Pregnancy during a pandemic - Uterine atony leading to Hemmohrage - Extended hospitalization - Postpartum Dialysis - Postpartum Depression - Subsequent preg...

On this week's episode, we are thrilled to welcome Jen Hamilton, an L&D nurse that shares openly on TikTok and Instagram about her profession, birth trauma, her chickens, and much much more. Jen uses her platform to educate nurses and patients on labor and delivery as well as preventing and mitigating birth trauma. She is an incredible advocate and is changing the landscape of L&D nur...

On this week's listener episode, Hannah joins us to share about her experience. Here is what you will hear on this episode: - getting pregnant at the beginning of COVID - considered a cesarian section to avoid an emergency situation - hemorrhaging during the c-section - mass transfusion protocol - international radiologist and being in the ICU - failed kidneys and on dialysis for a couple mon...