Different types of birth trauma, and how to start healing with Michelle Flynn

Welcome back to Everymum the podcast with me, Aisling Keenan. My guest this week is Michelle Flynn, a psychotherapist who specialises in perinatal mental health. We talk on today’s episode about birth trauma: something many parents will recognise, but not as many feel truly 'allowed' to claim. For some, birth just doesn't go to plan, it leaves a lasting imprint that shows up in the body, in confidence, in relationships and in the day-to-day experience of parenting. And that can be so confusing, especially when you’re told you should feel grateful because your baby is healthy. In this conversation, Michelle and I unpack what birth trauma actually is, and why it isn’t defined by how dramatic, dangerous or “successful” a birth appeared from the outside. We talk about how feeling unheard, rushed, powerless or unsafe can be traumatic in itself, and how those experiences can linger months or even years later. We also explore the impact on bonding with your baby, on partners and non-birthing parents and on future pregnancies, as well as the shame and silence that often surround these experiences. Most importantly, we talk about healing: what helps, what doesn’t, and how support can look different for different people. If you’ve ever questioned whether your experience counts, or wondered why it’s still affecting you, this episode is for you. Back soon with more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Different types of birth trauma, and how to start healing with Michelle Flynn is an episode from everymum by Cormac Cahill.

This episode is 52:44 long.

This episode was published on Jan 20, 2026.

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