Whether a childbirth injury affects the infant or the mother, it may lead to long-lasting consequences for you and your family. A downward spiral of mental and emotional anguish may strike your family, leading to psychological and financial challenges.
The situation will cast a pall on the entire family, leading to anger, confusion, sadness and even depression. The feelings accompanying traumatic childbirth are magnified with an injury to your infant.
Emotional and physical fallout
A mother giving birth may suffer several injuries that will dramatically affect her mentally and physically. Post-partum depression is not unheard of among some mothers struggling with their mental health after giving birth.
Such a psychological toll may drastically alter the birth mother’s ability to bond with her baby. It also may physically alter a mother’s ability to breastfeed.
And the emotional fallout from a childbirth injury, too, may even whittle away at relationships, potentially leading to the end of a marriage.
Siblings, too, feel the anguish
If your child experiences a serious birth injury, he or she will encounter a lifetime of physical and cognitive disabilities. However, the rest of the family – including siblings – will also feel the painful tremors.
Siblings may be thrust into growing up in a hurry, taking on responsibilities to care for their younger sibling. Time away from their peers may make them feel isolated and unappreciated. And, in certain circumstances, they may become the victims of schoolyard bullying.
Siblings also may feel abandoned by their parents because a child with special needs requires greater attention.
Understand that confusion and a sense of helplessness are part of the feelings you will have. Yes, it is not fair. Birth is traumatic, but a birth that includes a childbirth injury to the mother or child will only add to that trauma.
Seek empathetic allies
You must turn to people and organizations that may help in these situations. That list may include a caring support group, an empathetic therapist and a reliable attorney.
