Meg Murray Jones, nestled peacefully in a birthing pool, had envisioned her firstborn’s arrival to be as smooth as her breezy pregnancy. However, her labor took an alarming turn when her baby son’s heart rate suddenly dropped.
Amidst the distraction of an ‘at-risk’ patient’s arrival, doctors swiftly moved Meg to the emergency labor room for induction. In the final moments, her son Jude unexpectedly flipped back-to-back, necessitating the use of forceps for delivery.
After Jude was born, now a mother of three, Meg had only brief moments with her baby before he was hurried away to an incubator amid concerns of potential brain damage. Instead of a thorough explanation from the medical team, Meg was handed a leaflet, leaving her bewildered and anxious about her baby’s future.
Shaken and fearful, the 39-year-old experienced violent shaking upon seeing the blood-soaked sheets in her hospital bed. She joins an estimated 30,000 women in the UK who endure birth trauma annually, highlighted in a recent “harrowing” report from The Birth Trauma Inquiry. One in 20 of these women, including Meg, may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Reflecting on the trauma during the August 2016 heatwave, Meg now understands her shaking as a physical response to the traumatic experience, lamenting the lack of medical support or examination for this condition.
“It’s an experience that’s impossible to process in the moment when your baby is taken away,” Meg recounted to the Mirror. “I was in shock. I vividly remember the blood and the absence of explanations.”
Meg’s husband David, witnessing everything, was visibly distraught, fearing the worst for both wife and baby. The aftermath of the traumatic birth left Meg haunted by flashbacks and nightmares for months, despite Jude’s eventual healthy discharge after a clear MRI scan.
Even today, nearly eight years later and after undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Meg acknowledges the lasting impact of her trauma. She continues to grapple with intrusive thoughts and vivid memories, often questioning herself and replaying the events of that fateful day.
“I couldn’t save his traumatic birth, so how can I protect him in any situation?” Meg tearfully shared. “I believe that birth trauma stays with you forever and changes you as a person.”
Despite the trauma, Meg and David welcomed daughters Georgia in 2018 and Peggy in 2022, both births proceeding without complications. While the couple never filed a formal complaint against King’s College Hospital, Meg now reflects on the rushed nature of her firstborn’s birth and the perceived inadequacies of the ward.
Meg advocates for greater awareness and support for women experiencing traumatic births, emphasizing the need for comprehensive postnatal care and emotional support. She founded Postpartum Plan, a business aimed at assisting parents with expert emotional and physical support, after witnessing numerous women left without adequate NHS aftercare.
The damning findings of The Birth Trauma Inquiry, which heard from 1,300 mothers scarred by their birthing experiences, have prompted calls for significant reforms in the UK’s maternity and postnatal services. Meg, having collaborated with MPs in the inquiry’s early stages, emphasizes the importance of holistic family support in the reform agenda.
Dr. Rebecca Moore, a perinatal psychiatrist and advocate, echoes Meg’s concerns about the treatment of women in maternity care. She underscores the urgent need for healthcare providers to offer compassionate care and improve interpersonal skills to support women through their birthing experiences.
As the healthcare system grapples with the report’s recommendations, Meg remains committed to advocating for improved maternal care and supporting families affected by birth trauma. She hopes her story will contribute to a broader conversation about enhancing maternity services and ensuring every woman’s birthing experience is treated with dignity, respect, and comprehensive support.
