Aug. 28, 2024, 8 a.m.
"We need to raise the bar for what is considered ‘healed’ for birthing people" - Your Postpartum Stories
Sharing your postpartum voice - August 2024
Postpartum Matters
Thank you for joining me in this space where we come together to share and honour the powerful stories of postpartum experiences. I’m Sophie, and I work closely with Zoe - the founder and director of Postpartum Matters CIC - and together we’re passionate advocates for women’s health and well-being. In this monthly segment, I’m privileged to share the voices of women who have opened up about their journeys— their stories are filled with pain, resilience, and strength.
You can read all of the previous posts, and catch up on the entire series here:
Since starting this series, I've been moved by the hundreds of narratives we've received, each one shining a light on the often overlooked realities of postpartum care. Today, I’m sharing some of these stories with you. They’re not just about motherhood but about the broader experience of womanhood, encompassing the silent struggles and remarkable courage that often accompany it.
If you have your own story to share, I warmly invite you to contribute. You can use this Google form to share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.
As you read, please take care of yourself. Some of these experiences are intense, but it’s by acknowledging them that we can start pushing for the changes that are so urgently needed in postpartum care.
If you find value in these posts and the work we’re doing, we’d be deeply grateful for your support. Your contributions help keep this newsletter going and also fund the free, daily support we provide through The Women’s Health Hub. Consider becoming a paid subscriber here or making a one-off contribution here. Every bit of support helps us continue this important work.
Let’s explore these stories together…
“Midwives need to be around for a lot longer postpartum for mother’s health and questions about baby that you can’t easily ask a GP or HV”
“The 6 week check should be with a specialist, not a GP. They should have separate 6 week checks for the birthing person and baby. Partners of birthing people need to be included in every stage of pre and postpartum care for mental health and support reasons. We all need better education (including GPs) on postpartum health and care. We need to up the amount of after care for c section (in line with other major surgeries). We need to raise the bar for what is considered ‘healed’ for birthing people.”
“We haven’t seen a HV since day 15 and won’t until my baby is 1yo (she’s 7mo). My baby seems healthy but it would be nice to have the reassurance that she definitely is.”
“That all care should be face to face, and that more help should be given to mothers who are struggling to breastfeed”
“Better after care, involve partner more, more emphasis on mother’s recovery, less push on grin and bare it attitude, midwives could be more sensitive and less reluctance to check wounds”
“Very specifically with emergency c-sections. The immediate aftercare was patchy- from little things like I wasn’t told whether I could eat after the c-section, to bigger things like I wasn’t given any advice on caring for scar, massage etc. I ended up getting an internal infection after about 8 weeks. I had a joint first GP check up booked in with my baby. The GP checked my baby but didn't do anything for me. I had to ask her to check my c-section scar. Overall I was shocked at how little c-section aftercare there was given what a major intervention it is.”
“Whilst my Caesarean scar healed fine, my recovery was impacted due to anaemia which wasn't picked up early enough in pregnancy. That, combined with sleep deprivation, PND and PPA made recovery very difficult. I tried reaching out at the 6 week GP check up and several times after, but it took until 8-9 months later to be taken seriously. Even then they said I couldn't be treated by the perinatal team as my child was too close to 1year old. This is not acceptable as only now he is closer to 2 and by going through work, am I now getting support”
“I got an infection in my c section wound which I noticed the day after I was discharged from midwife led care. The midwife took a cursory glance from across the room (asking me to flash my wound) and signed me off. I felt fine. That night I felt puss coming out the wound as I sat on the toilet. A GP prescribed me antibiotics. They made me feel seriously nauseous when lying down at night. I called 111 on a Sunday. They got me a same day appointment at my local county hospital where I was seen in person and prescribed different antibiotics with no side effects which allowed me to heal fully. This was all October 2020. I am happy with the care I received but disappointed that my midwife considered my wound healed when clearly it was not. I understand how it happened due to the pandemic but I'm disappointed.”
Thank you for taking the time to engage with these stories today. Each one is a reminder of the gaps in postpartum care and the urgent need for better support systems. These aren’t just stories—they’re a call to action for all of us.
If you or someone you know is struggling postnatally, I encourage you to seek out support. The Women’s Health Hub offers a range of free resources and events to help guide you through this time. You can check out our timetable of events here. Even if the solution isn’t straightforward, we’re here to provide a safe space for you.
There are also other incredible organisations like Make Birth Better, The Birth Trauma Association, and Know Your Floors that offer crucial support. Additionally, you can make your voice heard by contacting your local MP to advocate for better postpartum care. Find out how to reach your MP here.
If these stories resonated with you, please consider sharing this post by ‘restacking’ it, or forwarding it to others who might benefit from or contribute to the conversation. Together, we can raise awareness and push for the changes that are so needed.
Your support, whether through subscribing, sharing, or simply reading, means the world to us. Thank you for being part of this journey.
Until next time,
