Birth trauma: Startling statistics prompt new Geelong support program

Geelong West woman Lucy Teague-Neeld had dreamt of a beautiful, empowering birth. Instead it was traumatic. A new program is being launched to support Geelong women.

Lucy Teague Neeld is speaking out about her experience with birth trauma as a new service is launched in the region. Picture: Brad Fleet

Geelong West woman Lucy Teague-Neeld had dreamt of a beautiful, empowering birth.

Instead, after an emergency C-section, she felt disconnected, unprepared and robbed of the moment she hoped for.

Dr Teague-Neeld, a mother-of-three and Geelong GP, is one of many women living with the effects of birth trauma.

Birth Trauma Australia shows that up to one in three Australian women report their experience as traumatic.

To combat this, Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West (WHWBSW) and Birth Trauma Australia have joined forces to launch the state’s first dedicated peer-to-peer birth-trauma support program.

The initiative, to be piloted in Geelong and Warrnambool, will give women access to six face-to-face group support sessions.

Lucy Teague Neeld is speaking out about her experience with birth trauma as a new service is launched in the region.. Picture: Brad Fleet

Dr Teague-Neeld said her birth trauma started when her first pregnancy was ectopic - which occurs when the foetus is growing in the wrong place, usually the fallopian tube.

She said the diagnosis process was lengthy, and about 4-5 weeks after she first noticed bleeding she had an invasive surgery to remove the foetus.

That procedure turned out to be life-changing.

When Dr Teague-Neeld fell pregnant again, she was told she would have to have a planned C-section as a vaginal delivery would now be too risky.

“I was incredibly anxious the whole pregnancy … I was very worried about going into labour early because the scheduled date,” she said.

Dr Teague-Neeld also suffered from the debilitating hyperemesis gravidarum – a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

Her worst fears were confirmed when her waters broke at 35 weeks.

“From the moment my waters broke, having the baby was very, very quick and like a second traumatic experience on its own,” she said.

Dr Teague-Neeld remembers lying in the operating theatre as her baby was born, and briefly holding her child before he was whisked to intensive care and she was taken to recovery.

“You expect things to happen one way and it doesn’t,” she said.

“It’s very hard to deal with, particularly when you’re in a very vulnerable position.”

Dr Teague-Neeld said this experience affected her other two pregnancies and left her riddled with anxiety.

“I thought it was going to be joyful and empowering and instead I felt vulnerable, scared and confused,” she said.

“Especially with my first baby, I didn’t have that movie moment, that rush of love and I didn’t feel like myself.”

GP Alex Umbers pictured with her baby son Jude.

GP Alex Umbers, who spearheaded the program, said it would be piloted for 12 months, with the free session available to women three to 24 months post-partum.

The evidence-based peer-to-peer program will cover topics including what trauma does to the brain, care and treatment options and impact on partners and families.

“My hope is the program will fill an important gap in the system where women who have experienced birth trauma can be seen, heard and validated and develop the tools to help them recover and feel a sense of community support,” Dr Umbers said.

WHWBSW chief executive officer Jodie Hill said the program was “urgently needed”.

To find out more, or self-refer to the program, visit womenshealthbsw.org.au.

Originally published as Birth trauma: Startling statistics prompt new Geelong support program