TV presenter and dating guru Anna Williamson, who champions the Birth Trauma Association, has spoken about the traumatic birth of her son Enzo in 2017. Her comments come during Birth Trauma Awareness Week, which runs from 15 to 21 July.
Williamson, now 42, described a 40-hour labour that ended in a forceps delivery and a massive two-and-a-half-litre haemorrhage. She recalled feeling out of control and as though her body was no longer her own, adding that she felt helpless during the procedure, although she acknowledged the medical staff were not doing anything wrong.
The birth left her with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, an experience shared by up to one in five new and expectant mothers, according to NHS England statistics. She said the mental impact was enormous and that she later suffered a breakdown which affected her initial bonding with Enzo and changed her decision about having another child. She did go on to have a second baby, by planned caesarean section, paid for privately.
This year's theme for Birth Trauma Awareness Week is informed consent. A survey launched to mark the campaign found that two in five women giving birth have had procedures performed on them without their consent. Williamson expressed deep empathy for other women who have experienced similar trauma, saying there was both an enormous sadness and a sense of connection with those who felt the same despair.
She now advises new mothers to keep talking and sharing their feelings, and to reach out for help when needed. Reflecting on her own journey, she realised she was a good mother who was simply unwell in the early months. She hopes to highlight the need for better maternity care so that others do not suffer as she did.
