The idea that being born can produce implicit trauma stems from studies in developmental psychology, neuroscience, and psychoanalysis. Below are key pieces of evidence and theoretical support for this claim:
- Physiological Stress:Birth involves significant stress for the baby due to uterine contractions, compression in the birth canal, exposure to cold air, and the sudden need to breathe independently. Research shows that stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are elevated in newborns during and immediately after birth.
- Source: Grunau, R. E., et al. (2001). Neonatal pain and stress mechanisms.
- Sensory Overload: The transition from the womb, a quiet and dark environment, to the outside world filled with lights, sounds, and varying temperatures, can be overwhelming for a newborn.
- Early-Life Experiences Shape the Brain:Although explicit memory does not form until around 2-3 years of age, the brain records implicit memories, which affect subconscious behavior and emotional responses. Trauma during birth may leave imprints on the limbic system, particularly the amygdala, which is responsible for processing fear and stress.
- Source: Schore, A. N. (2001). The effects of early relational trauma on right brain development.
- Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology: This field highlights how birth trauma can influence later psychological development and attachment patterns. Stressful birth experiences, such as emergency cesareans or use of forceps, have been associated with anxiety and attachment difficulties in adulthood.
- Trauma in the Infant:Studies on neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) show that premature infants exposed to stressful medical procedures can exhibit heightened stress responses and altered behavior later in life. Although not all births are traumatic, the process inherently involves risks of trauma.
- Source: Feldman, R. (2015). Sensitive periods in human social development.
- Maternal PTSD: Mothers who experience trauma during childbirth may pass on stress to their newborns through altered caregiving behaviors or even epigenetic changes.
- Winnicott and Bowlby: Early psychological theorists posited that birth trauma could disrupt the initial bonding process between a baby and the caregiver, leading to attachment insecurity. Even minor disruptions at this stage can have ripple effects throughout life.
- Body-Memory Hypotheses: Somatic therapists and psychoanalysts, like Otto Rank, suggest that birth trauma is stored in the body and subconscious, influencing physical and emotional health throughout life. Somatic therapies aim to address these early imprints by releasing stored tension and trauma.
- Stress in Newborn Animals:Studies on animals demonstrate that birth stress can alter behavior and physiology, such as increased anxiety or aggression. This suggests that birth-related trauma may not be unique to humans but is a biological response.
- Source: Rosenblatt, J. S., & Mayer, A. D. (1995). Neonatal stress and its long-term impact.
- Impact of Stress on Gene Expression:Prenatal and perinatal stress can modify the infant's gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, potentially increasing vulnerability to stress, depression, and other mental health issues later in life.
- Source: Meaney, M. J., & Szyf, M. (2005). Maternal care as a model for experience-dependent chromatin plasticity?
This body of evidence supports the notion that birth, though a natural process, often involves implicit trauma. It is important to note that not everyone experiences long-term negative effects, as resilience and supportive caregiving can mitigate these early stressors.
1. Birth being physiologically stressful doesn't equate to it being a severe enough form for trauma to induce PTSD. By that logic, everyone should display many symptoms associated with PTSD due to exposure to varying amounts of physiological stress throughout our day-to-day lives, which isn't the case. Along with that, not all mothers experience PTSD as a result of childbirth and that stress being passed on due to epigenetics doesn't equate to the birthing process necessarily causing their offspring to develop PTSD. From what I know, this more so applies to discussions surrounding the likelihood of developing PTSD, which still requires that one is exposed to severe enough trauma to develop. In no way does what you cite suggest in anyway claim that "everyone is suffering from some form of PTSD from Birthing alone".
2. This source, again, doesn't provide evidence of what you are suggesting. While I will admit to standing corrected on the trauma and implicit memories claim, at the same time, this paper is mainly suggesting that this applies to "traumatic births" (I.e. prematurity, multiple births, postpartum depression, and chronic unpredictable trauma). Your second point here also goes on to highlight this, with it specifically specifying cases of "traumatic births" rather than it talking about births in general. Along with that, some of these findings are based on animal models, so the results aren't necessarily going to be a fully accurate representation of what happens in the case of humans. To add onto this, in no way does this article support your claims either. This neither proves that the birthing process causes PTSD, nor does it prove that everyone has varying degrees of it due to it. Trauma is a vague term that can be used to describe vary levels of distressing situations, from getting lost in a grocery store as a child to being sexually abused. Even if an event can potentially be considered traumatic, that doesn't equate to it being severe enough to cause one to develop PTSD.
3. You would also need to factor in specific environmental influences, such as the medical interventions commonly used when caring for premature infants, some of which may end up factoring into increased stress levels. Along with that, what you cited also explicitly states
Although not all births are traumatic, the process inherently involves risks of trauma.
Which goes against you claims of
I contend that everyone is suffering from some form of PTSD due to the birth process alone
4. First off, Winnicot and Bowlby theories were based in psychoanalysis. This is important to note because a lot psychoanalytic theories are considered to be outdated and/or flawed.
5. Again, you are citing psychoanalysis, not modern-day psychological research.
6. This doesn't support your point about everyone having PTSD due to beiths, let alone does this quote even suggest that all births are traumatic.
7. See what I said under #2
Some of what you have cited actually ends up unintentiaionally debunking your original claim. Even here:
It is important to note that not everyone experiences long-term negative effects, as resilience and supportive caregiving can mitigate these early stressors.
Suggests otherwise when it comes your claims about everyone having varying degrees of PTSD as a result of birth. To add onto this, experiencing trauma doesn't equate to having PTSD. As I've noted before, traumatic events can vary in intensity and are not necessarily enough to induce PTSD. This doesn't even go into the fact that the likelihood of developing PTSD differs a lot on an individual scale.
Anways, I'm not going to engage any further with whatever fuck this conversation even is. I'm too tired to deal with this nonsense.