This is a second edition of a leading book on birth trauma, written by the CEO of the Birth Trauma Association, which has been revised and expanded to include new interviews and to take into account important changes in the law. Birth ought to be a joyful experience - for some women, however, it is anything but. Women who have experienced a difficult or traumatic birth may develop the debilitating symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): flashbacks, sleeplessness, nightmares and extreme anxiety. Also known as 'birth trauma', postnatal PTSD affects 30,000 women every year in the UK and can make daily life unbearable, damaging a woman's relationship with her partner, family and baby. This book explains everything you, your family and friends need to know about birth trauma: what causes it, how it affects your relationships, how to treat it, where to find support and how to make a complaint or take legal action. Using the stories of women who have suffered birth trauma and overcome it, this book shows that it is possible to go through birth trauma and come out the other side. This expanded second edition has been revised to include new interviews and to take into account important changes in the law. A percentage of all royalties is donated the Birth Trauma Association.

Kim Thomas is the CEO of the Birth Trauma Association as well as an experienced journalist who has written for national newspapers and magazines.