It’s impossible not to see how Birth Trauma Awareness Week (BTAW) plays a vital role in raising awareness about the experiences of individuals who have gone through traumatic births. It’s when we come together to shine a light on this issue and make sure women’s voices get heard. Those who work in this space join with those who have had traumatic birth experiences to advocate loudly for better birth experiences, improved maternity care, greater awareness and postnatal support – for our sisters and friends, for the next generation of mothers.

For those parents who have experienced birth-related experiences that were traumatic, BTAW can be a week of increased reflection, solidarity and support. At the same time, I think everyone would recognise that it can also be pretty intense to have birth trauma content all over your newsfeed. So in this blog post, I want to offer a few strategies for managing exposure to social media during Birth Trauma Awareness Week, so you can ensure your wellbeing remains a priority.

Remember its okay to go quiet online

During any awareness week which has personal relevance, it can be important to set up some healthy boundaries when engaging with social media. This can be hard for most of us! But when there’s more birth-trauma related content than usual in your feed, it’s crucial to protect your mental and emotional health.

You might take this opportunity to set up the notifications within social media apps that remind you to take a break after a certain amount of time, or put a daily limit in place. You might choose to take apps off your phone altogether, and reinstall them when the week is out. It’s easy to get sucked in more when the topic has such personal, emotional relevance. Just check it’s actually working for you, and that check will help you pull back if you need.

Choose the conversations you want to be in

As you navigate social media during Birth Trauma Awareness Week, pay attention to how the content you are engaging with and the conversations you participate in are actually making you feel. If particular conversations are not feeling good – give yourself permission to take yourself out of them! You can turn off notifications or unfollow certain hashtags, individuals or organisations.

Instead, deliberately seek out accounts and resources that provide you with empathy, validation, compassion and respect. Notice what content resonates with you in a positive way, whether that’s nurturing or empowering, practical and informative. Choose more of that, and less of the rest.

Don’t feel you have to share

Your birth story is your own. If sharing it online feels good – carthartic, validating – and lightens your emotional load, then there may be some wonderful opporunities to share your story this week. At the same time, notice if you are feeling pressured to chime in to a conversation and share your experience. Pause and just check with yourself… what might I gain from sharing this here, and what might I feel afterwards? Sometimes that pause can make all the difference, and there are many other ways to advocate for those impacted by birth trauma if you come to realise that sharing your own experience online isn’t right for you.

Be mindful of the impact your own words.

Everyone has a right to share their birth-related experiences and speak up about the issues they feel passionate about. At the same time, I believe we can try to be aware of the impact that our posts and comments may have on others. Birth is complex, emotional and deeply important – so we may not always know how our words may land. When we are passionate about birth, it can be important to remember that there is no one right way to give birth and that most of all, birthing individuals deserve to be supported to choose for themselves what is right for them and their baby, without judgement. With that in mind, BTAW can be about creating a supportive social media environment, where individuals can share their stories, feel heard, and find validation.

Practice self-compassion

If you are having a hard time thinking about your own experience (or hearing about other people’s), above all, be gentle with yourself.

Remember that it is normal and human to feel. Our emotions are often telling us something: that there is a wound that needs some attention to heal, that there are some wrongs in the world that need to be made right.

Try to notice and respond to whatever is stirred up within you as you would to a friend – how would you comfort or reassure them? What might you remind them off?

Often, it helps to gently let yourself know that it is okay to feel this way. Your feelings makes sense, and you are not alone in them. How might you find comfort and soothing until this wave of emotion passes?

Find support offline

While social media can provide a valuable sense of connection, validation  and support, it’s essential to remember that offline support is probably more valuable. If Birth Trauma Awareness Week is bringing up particular feelings for you about your own experience, remember to reach out to trusted friends, family members, or real life support groups. They can offer a listening ear, empathy and understanding.

Lastly, if you notice that the increase in social media content about birth trauma triggers certain memories and emotional distress, remember that professional support is available. Engaging in face-to-face conversations and seeking professional guidance from therapists and organisations with experience supporting parents after birth trauma could provide you with a deeper level of support and healing, so you can move forward feeling lighter.

So, as this Birth Trauma Awareness Week unfolds, I invite you to approach social media with both mindfulness and compassion. Try to pause and notice how it is feeling for you online, and respond to what you are noticing. Prioritise your wellbeing by setting boundaries, seeking out the most supportive spaces online and nurturing yourself offline.

And if you need to go offline for a week? The individuals and organisations that offer support and advocacy will be there for you when you are ready to return.