Prenatal and Postpartum Care

How EMDR helps prepare women for childbirth

Childbirth can be one of the most positive and powerful experiences of your life.  

It can also be intimidating.  

Thankfully, many women have found that EMDR therapy helps them face any fears they might have as a result of their pregnancy. At Sweet Peace Perinatal Well-Being, I provide EMDR Intensive Sessions for women who want to emotionally prepare for childbirth and overcome anxiety.

Women experience a wide range of emotions during pregnancy, sometimes fear of pregnancy or childbirth and parenting can be debilitating. Depression, anxiety and PTSD can be related symptoms as well.

Whether you are experiencing an appropriate fear of the unknown when it comes to your upcoming childbirth or a significant and disproportionate dread, EMDR therapy has been shown to decrease childbirth-related symptoms. 1

Just as an athlete works on preparing for an event or race, an expectant woman can use EMDR to prepare for delivering her child. First, we work together to establish goals and identify potential obstacles or personal fears. This might include addressing previous difficult births, pregnancies or losses.

Next, we use EMDR therapy to set new patterns of thought. 

Postpartum Care

Concerns about being enough as a parent and worry about your baby don’t just stop when the baby is born. Then you add sleep deprivation to that and it can feel like you are drowning. EMDR can also be helpful in addressing fears and worries as a parent. 

What we learned about being parents often comes from how our parents did things. Even when we determine to do things differently, we might find ourselves automatically acting from what we learned. EMDR will help you unlearn what isn’t helpful and learn what is helpful for who you are as a parent and who your child(ren) are. 

Find out more about EMDR Intensive Sessions to help you feel better prepared for delivering and continuing care for your baby with the positive experience you always imagined.