The Psychological Toll of Birth Injuries
Childbirth can be an intensely difficult thing. In many cases, the mother will suffer an injury during the birth. In others, the child might be injured. Both kinds of injury can be difficult to cope with, albeit for slightly different reasons.
Emotional Impact on Parents and Families
In the UK, more than one in ten new mothers suffer from postnatal depression. This tends to correlate fairly closely with birth injury. If you’re in pain, or struggling to move freely, then it follows that you’re at greater risk of depression.
You might feel guilty that you’re unable to cope with the demands of motherhood without feeling pain. You might feel angry or frustrated, or feel that you don’t have control of your situation.
In most cases, the emotional symptoms will tend to dissipate over the weeks following the birth. But for many women, the effects persist into the long term. Again, this is something that’s more likely if you’ve suffered an injury. If you find yourself in this situation, then professional mental health support can be a valuable supplement to the support you get from your friends and immediate family.
Challenges in Accessing Mental Health Support
When families aren’t able to access this mental health support, or there’s a delay in the provision of this support, then things can become stressful. It might be that there are persistently long waiting times, or that specialist care isn’t available. These things, along with the stigmas that still surround postnatal depression, might make it more difficult to cope with a birth injury suffered by a child.
If you’re facing problems accessing the support you need, or you’re suffering financially because of the costs associated with this care, then you might pursue a medical negligence claim. These are typically pursued on a no-win, no-fee basis, and they’ll save you from the financial stress and uncertainty that comes with having to pay your own legal costs.
It’s important to bear in mind that not all birth injuries are a result of medical negligence. For your case to be successful, you’ll need to demonstrate that the action taken, or not taken, by the medical professional involved was the cause of the injury.
Coping Mechanisms and Long-Term Psychological Effects
Families dealing with birth injuries for the longer term have developed particular strategies for coping. Along with professional therapy, you might seek out groups of parents who have found themselves in the same situation.
If you have the financial support that comes with a successful legal case, then you might find it easier to cope with the practical challenges posed by your situation – but the right sympathetic ear can provide a kind of support that money can’t buy.
