Shows / The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Birth trauma is the dark and sometimes scary side of pregnancy & postpartum that no one wants to talk about. But, we're here to change that! I'm Kayleigh, a licensed therapist and birth trauma survivor, determined to bring birth trauma out of the shadows and into the light. When we talk about birth trauma, we take away its power and leave space for healing. Your birth trauma does not need to “happen for a reason." Birth trauma sucks and it’s okay to admit that. Join us as we navigate what it…
Episodes
The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast277: Severe Preeclampsia, a Micro Preemie, and a 90-Day NICU Stay feat. Meg
In this episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh sits down with Meg to share her powerful story of developing severe preeclampsia at just 24 weeks…
The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast276: Twin Birth with Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy, DIC, and ICU Delirium feat. Amber
In this powerful episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh sits down with Amber, a midwife and mother of three, to share her story of a…
The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast275: The 2AM Episode: A Gentle Reminder for Birth Trauma Survivors
If you’re rocking your baby in the middle of the night, replaying your birth experience for what feels like the hundred-thousandth time, this special mini…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 274: Special Re-release The Adalyn Rose Foundation: Hope & Support After Loss
In Honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, we are re-releasing one of our favorite episodes with The Adalyn Rose Foundation. The Adalyn…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 273: Not Ungrateful, Just Traumatized
In this Mini Series episode, I dive into a nuanced conversation around gratitude practices for perinatal trauma survivors. While gratitude can be a powerful…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 272: Placenta Accreta, Emergency Hysterectomy, a 23-Week Birth and Surrogacy feat. Lauren
In this listener series episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh sits down with Lauren to hear the story of her traumatic pregnancy, unexpected…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 271: Healing Doesn't Mean Being Okay With It
What if part of you is actually afraid to heal? We talk about healing from birth trauma as though the goal is to eventually feel completely okay with what…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 270: Third-Degree Tear, Emergency C-Section & Delayed Bonding feat. Brittany
In this episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh sits down with Brittany to hear about two birth experiences that left a lasting impact on her…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 269: Pregnancy After Birth Trauma
A special re-release: In this episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh opens a gentle and honest conversation about the journey of considering…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 268: From NICU Trauma to NICU Support: Prematurity, NICU Trauma, and Healing feat. Melissa
In this listener series episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh sits down with Melissa to hear her story of pregnancy, unexpected complications…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 267: Hope After Birth Trauma: Rethinking Birth, Interventions, and Autonomy
In this episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh sits down with Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC, an OB nurse, educator, mom of four, and creator of…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 266: Undiagnosed Placenta Accreta, Hemorrhage, and Emergency Hysterectomy feat. Shelby
On today’s listener series episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh welcomes Shelby to share the story of her traumatic birth experience and the…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 265: When the Emergency Is Over, But the Trauma Isn’t: Creating The Post Care
In this episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh sits down with Alexsis Gilles, founder of The Postcare, to talk about her experience of birth trauma…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 264: When Care Isn’t Trauma-Informed: Infertility, Sexual Trauma, and Obstetric Violence feat. Liz
In this episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh sits down with Liz Gray, a fellow perinatal therapist, to hear her deeply personal story of…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 263: What is a "Positive" Pregnancy & Birth?
What does it actually mean to have a positive pregnancy experience, especially when we know that birth and postpartum don't always go according to plan? In…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 262: Two Traumatic Births As an L&D Nurse feat. Stacy
In this episode of the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh welcomes Stacy to share her powerful story of experiencing birth trauma through two very different…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 261: What Makes Birth Safer? The Human Side of Patient Safety
What happens when we look at perinatal patient safety as more than protocols, checklists, and clinical outcomes? In this episode of the Birth Trauma Mama…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 260: Uterine Rupture, Postpartum Hemorrhage & a Rare Tumor feat. Rebecca
Rebecca's story is one of extraordinary resilience. What began as a routine induction quickly turned into a life-threatening postpartum emergency, followed by…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 259: Celebrating The Worst Day of Your Life: Birth Trauma Anniversaries
This week's episode is a solo conversation about one of the most complicated parts of healing after birth trauma: anniversaries. Whether it's your baby's…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 258: Three Births, Two NICU Stays, and the Trauma She Didn't Recognize feat. Liana
In this heartfelt listener story, Liana shares how three very different pregnancies and births each shaped her experience of motherhood in unexpected ways…
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Ep. 257: Self Blame After Birth Trauma
This week's episode is a solo conversation tackling one of the most common, and most painful, themes that emerges after a traumatic birth: self-blame. If…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 256: Mothering Through Loss: Pregnancy Loss, TFMR, Birth Trauma, and Healing feat. Carmen
In this moving listener story, Carmen shares her complicated journey through pregnancy loss, recurrent miscarriage, TFMR (termination for medical reasons)…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 255: PTSD in the Perinatal Period
We often use the terms birth trauma, perinatal trauma, and PTSD interchangeably, but they're not actually the same thing. In this episode closing out PTSD…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 254: Healing After Birth Trauma: A Conversation with My Former Therapist
Kayleigh sits down with her former therapist, Hilary Waller, to reflect on the years they spent working together after Kayleigh's amniotic fluid embolism…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 253: Preeclampsia at 30 Weeks: The Hospital Stay, Premature Birth, and Healing That Followed feat. Jess
In this listener story, Jess shares her experience with preeclampsia that went from seemingly mild and manageable to severe in a matter of days. As a…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 252: A Different Kind of Episode: Our Disney & Universal Adventure
This week’s episode is a little different than our usual conversations about birth trauma, healing, and maternal mental health. Kayleigh is taking listeners…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 251: Waking Up to a New Reality at 27 Weeks: Placental Abruption, Emergency Twin Birth, & NICU feat. Kirsten
In this heartfelt episode, Kirsten shares the story of her unexpected twin pregnancy, a sudden placental abruption at just 27 weeks, and the terrifying…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 250: Birth Trauma, Preeclampsia, and a Life-Changing Prenatal Diagnosis feat. Kate
In this powerful listener story, Kate returns to share her second birth experience after previously sharing her first story years ago. After surviving…
- The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast
Ep. 249: One and Done After Birth Trauma - A Special ReRelease
This week, we are rereleasing a powerful episode with our guest Jess Myhre to talk about the choice (or sometimes not) to be one and done, particularly after…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 248: Preeclampsia, Birth Trauma, and the Search for A Redemption Birth feat. Kayelynn
This week on the Birth Trauma Mama Podcast listener series, Kayleigh is joined by Kayelynn to share her powerful story of preeclampsia, birth trauma, repeat…
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Ep. 247: Losing Yourself After Birth Trauma
This episode explores the profound identity shift that can happen after birth trauma, the grief of losing who you were before, the disorientation of feeling…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 246: The Accident, the NICU, and the Aftermath: A Twin Sisters’ Birth Trauma Story feat. Holly & Alison
In this deeply emotional and powerful listener episode, Kayleigh is joined by sisters identical twin sisters Alison and Holly, whose journeys through…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 245: Medical Records and Debriefs - Mini Series - A Special Rerelease
On this week's episode, we are doing a special rerelease! We are talking all things medical records and debriefs. On this episode you will hear: -…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 244: From Twin Birth to Neuro ICU feat. Jessica
In this episode, Jessica shares the unimaginable journey of becoming a first-time mom to twin boys while surviving a rare and life-threatening postpartum…
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Ep. 243: EMDR for Perinatal OCD & Trauma
In this insightful episode, Kayleigh sits down with therapist and perinatal mental health expert Hilary Waller to explore the nuanced overlap between perinatal…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 242: When Loss and Trauma Collide feat. Katherine
In this episode, Kayleigh sits down with Katherine to hold space for the layers of trauma that can exist alongside stillbirth and loss. Katherine shares the…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 241: Mother's Day After Birth Trauma
In this mini episode, Kayleigh opens up about the often unexpected and deeply layered experience of Mother’s Day after birth trauma. She offers validation…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 240: Chronic Illness, Pregnancy Loss, and a Traumatic Birth feat. Megan
In this episode, Megan shares her journey through recurrent pregnancy loss, chronic illness, medical trauma, and a life-threatening birth experience that led…
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Ep. 239: Beyond “What to Expect”: Birth Education with Dr. Jennifer Lincoln
In this informative episode, Kayleigh sits down with OB-GYN and author Dr. Jennifer Lincoln to break down what pregnant people actually need to know about…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 238: Birth Trauma, Endometriosis, and the Long Road to Answers feat. Leah
In this powerful Listener Series episode, Kayleigh sits down with Leah to share her story of giving birth during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic…
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Ep. 237: Review of The Pitt Season Finale
In this episode, Kayleigh breaks down a widely discussed episode of The Pit—exploring both the medical accuracy and the emotional impact it’s had on the birth…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 236: Cody’s Legacy: Loving, Losing, and Learning to Carry Both feat. Michelle
In this deeply emotional listener episode, Michelle bravely shares her story of pregnancy complications, medical trauma, and the heartbreaking loss of her son…
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Ep. 235: Medical Trauma and Post-Intensive Care Syndrome
In this validating episode, Kayleigh is joined by Dr. James Jackson, an internationally recognized psychologist, neuropsychology specialist, and pioneer in…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 235: Two Best Friends & Their Intersecting Birth Traumas feat. Sam & Paige
In this episode, Kayleigh sits down with two best friends, Sam and Paige, whose lives became forever intertwined through shared birth trauma. What began as a…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 234: What Patients Need to Hear: Trauma-Informed Scripts for Providers
In this mini episode, Kayleigh is speaking directly to providers, nurses, and healthcare workers about the real-life application of trauma-informed care…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 233: Part 2 Pregnancy After AFE feat. Olivia
In Part 2 of Olivia’s story, we move beyond the resuscitation and into what so many survivors say is the hardest part, the aftermath. From ICU recovery to…
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Ep. 232: C-Sections & Birth Trauma - Not One Size Fits All
April is Cesarean Awareness Month, and we’re re-releasing this incredibly important conversation to spotlight the complexities, emotions, and real stories…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 231: Part 1 When an ER Nurse has an AFE (and is conscious for most of it) feat. Olivia
On today’s episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh is joined by Olivia, a nurse, Navy veteran, and fellow AFE survivor, who shares her powerful and…
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Special Rerelease: Honoring AFE Awareness Day: Understanding Amniotic Fluid Embolism
March 27th marks Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE) Awareness Day, a time to honor the lives affected by this rare but life-threatening complication. In this…
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Ep 230: The Cost of Not Being Believed: HELLP, Stroke, and Survival feat. Samina
On today’s episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh speaks with author and advocate Samina Ali, who shares her devastating and powerful birth story…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp 229: "Was My Birth Actually Traumatic?"
On today’s episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh answers one of the most common questions she hears from both clients and her online community…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 228: Birth Trauma, a High Spinal, and the Power of the Right Care Team feat. Anya
On today’s episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh welcomes Anya to share the story of her first birth — a pregnancy that was completely…
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Ep. 227: My EMDR Expereince
On today’s episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Kayleigh shifts perspectives and shares her own therapy journey, not as a clinician, but as a client…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 226 Stillbirth, Infertility, and a NICU Stay With COVID feat. Leslie
On today’s episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, Leslie shares the story of her daughter Cora born via emergency C-section after a full-term pregnancy and…
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Special Rerelease: EMDR with Dr. Pria Alpern
✨ Special Rerelease Episode ✨ In this important conversation, Kayleigh sits down with Dr. Pria Alpern to talk about EMDR therapy and its powerful role in…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 225: Placenta Increta & Emergency Hysterectomy After IVF feat. Annie
In this episode, Kayleigh sits down with Annie to share her powerful story of birth trauma, medical complications, and the long road of postpartum healing…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 224: Sharing Your Birth Trauma: Timing, Safety, and Choice
In this episode, Kayleigh talks about something that comes up again and again in our community: how, when, and whether to share your birth trauma story. From…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 223: Knowing Too Much: Birth Trauma & NICU as a Physician feat. Nicola
In this listener series episode, Kayleigh sits down with Nicola, a physician who shares her own experience with birth trauma, placenta previa, a massive…
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Ep. 222: Partner & Family Trauma
In this episode, Kayleigh dives into a topic we don’t talk about enough: partner and family trauma after birth. Birth trauma doesn’t just impact the birthing…
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 221: A Birth Marked by Racism, HIE, and Survival feat. Ruby
In this powerful and necessary episode, Ruby shares her story of birth trauma, medical dismissal, and her daughter Rumi’s diagnosis of HIE (hypoxic ischemic…