TABS logo

What is TABS?

Home

 Picture of Silver Fern

ORIGINATING IN NEW ZEALAND, TABS is Trauma And Birth Stress, a Charitable Trust that serves as a support group of mothers. We have in common stressful and traumatic pregnancies or births that affected our lives negatively for months or years afterwards. We formed TABS because of the need to make PTSD known as a form of mental illness that can happen following childbirth, but quite distinct from the Baby Blues, Post Natal Depression (Post Partum Depression) and Post Natal Psychosis.

Early in 1998, five of us, Carolyn, Kiri, Narelle, Sue and Toni, came together via the correspondence page of the NZ Little Treasures magazine as a result of two letters, the first by Toni, the second by Narelle, asking women who had had PTSD to make contact with each of the writers. Thus TABS began! We are now the face of over 200 women who have made contact with us since that time.

Since 1998, the four of us based in Auckland have spoken about PTSD to over 3,500 people. These presentations have been to professional and lobby organizations of various stakeholders in the maternity sector, including conferences of specialists and special interest groups. In addition, we have brought our concerns before senior Government officials, and have been warmly received.

We have contributed material and articles to a number of mass media publications, as well as receiving some unexpected publicity when magazines from the same publisher shared their sources! In 2001, one of our members appeared on TV3's 20/20 Programme in an article on maternal mental health following the publicity surrounding the sad events in the Andrea Yates case. All of these have brought us into contact with mothers affected by PTSD.

We have published a regular newsletter, and circulated widely a pamphlet about PTSD. These publications have been an encouragement and a support for many women even if some did not contact us until much, much later, and probably there are others we will never hear from. That doesn't worry us - the important thing is that mothers and families are helped and pointed in helpful directions.

 

WHO DO WE REPRESENT?

In December 1999 we sent out a questionnaire to all TABS Members (PTSD sufferers.) We wanted to obtain information about the people that we support to enable us to best represent them

Response rate 43 %
Age 23 - 44 , mainly early 30s
80% first birth
85% married (most) or de facto
84% had done antenatal classes
42% had suffered previous trauma
31% had previous depression/mental illness
.
ANTENATAL CLASSES

75% said classes were not helpful

"Too optimistic"

"Only cover perfect births"

"Did not tell you about possible complications"

Several women attended only 1 or 2 sessions, then had a premature birth.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Trauma was from:

  • Pregnancy 26%
  • Birth 96%
  • Postnatal events 52%

MAIN FACTORS

  • Poor pain relief
  • Impersonal treatment
  • Loss of control
  • Lack of dignity
  • Unnecessary trauma
  • Multi-handling
  • Traumatic delivery
  • Obstetric emergency
  • Invasive procedures
  • SCBU / NICU
  • Unmet need to debrief
  • Staff shortages or too busy
  • Being laughed at
  • Staff seemed "incompetent"

WHAT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE?

  • Better postnatal care (breastfeeding tutoring etc...)
  • Being listened to, encouraged, feelings acknowledged.
  • More control during labour (explanations, informed choice...)

ADVICE TO PREGNANT MOTHERS:

  • Be assertive (change LMC, ask for help/ pain relief)
  • Choose a competent, experienced, sympathetic midwife
  • Have a birth plan so people know your preferences
  • Consider home birth - more control
  • Get help early if you are suffering
  • Inform self & partner about possible complications & interventions

ADVICE TO PROFESSIONALS:

  • Listen, empathise, treat her as a human being.
  • Trust her instincts and the natural process of childbirth

WHAT THERAPY HELPED ?

  • Counselling, psychotherapy, psychiatrist (most)
  • Support group (most)
  • Medication (a few)

HOW DID A SUPPORT GROUP HELP ?

  • Being listened to by someone who knew what it was like.
  • Not feeling alone or different.
  • Information & discussion helped planning for next birth

 

DISCLAIMER: The materials provided at this website are for informational purposes and are not intended for use as diagnosis or treatment of PTSD or as a substitute for consulting a caregiver competent to diagnose and recommend treatment for PTSD.

 

 

.