What My Birth Journey Taught Me About Postpartum Healing
Being a new mom can feel overwhelming, isolating, and full of unexpected challenges. Many women experience postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, birth trauma, or challenges transitioning into motherhood, and often there is little guidance or support available.
I’m Andrea Crafton, a perinatal and postpartum therapist serving women in Missouri and Florida, online. I want to share my own birth experiences and how those impacted my postpartum healing.
My Birth Journey: Lessons Learned
Before I share my story, I want to say this: when you become pregnant, you’re suddenly faced with countless decisions. As both a therapist and a mom, I’ve personally leaned toward more natural choices in my own pregnancies and births. But that’s simply my experience — not a standard or expectation.
The women I work with don’t have to make the same choices I did, and I don’t come from a place of judgment. My role is to create a safe space for you to process your experience and, when helpful, provide evidence-based information so you can make the decisions that feel right for you.
Here’s My Story
When I was pregnant with my first baby, I thought I was fully prepared for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I attended childbirth and breastfeeding classes, watched “The Business of Being Born,” had cloth diapers ready, planned to co-sleep, and knew I wanted to breastfed my baby. An epidural? No thank you! I wanted to be in control of my body completely during the labor and birth process. This is of course is a personal choice every mom makes and I do not frown upon a mom who chooses an epidural for herself. I talked with my doctor about having a natural birth and completed my birth plan.
I was far from prepared—and I had no idea what was ahead.
I returned to seeing therapy clients just two weeks postpartum, still recovering from a second-degree tear, establishing breastfeeding with a baby who had a tongue tie, and coping with the emotional weight of my birth experience.
The first moments of bonding after birth are precious. I help moms navigate postpartum challenges, birth trauma, and emotional transitions to fully connect with their baby
A Second Pregnancy: Healing, Empowerment, and Preparedness
For my second pregnancy, I focused on being more prepared, informed, and in control. This experience was healing and transformative, showing me how many mothers lack the guidance, evidence-based information, and nurturing support they truly need from the very professionals we trust.
Birth is not a medical condition—it’s a natural process. Yet, many hospitals and providers prioritize efficiency over a mother’s innate biological responses and emotional well-being and the result is that mother experiencing a traumatic birth.
My second birth, a water birth, was a profoundly healing experience after my first traumatic birth. It helped me reconnect with my body, trust my instincts, and experience birth in a way that felt empowering and healing after my first birth experience. I was in control….
These experiences showed me firsthand how deeply it can impact a mother when she feels a loss of control over her body or her choices. When trust in the birth process or in the medical team begins to feel shaken, it can leave a lasting emotional imprint. For many women, these moments contribute to what we now understand as birth trauma.
My vastly different experiences became the foundation of my work as a perinatal therapist, helping moms navigate these complex emotional journeys.
This is a video after my second baby was born in the water. I spent transition in the birthing pool with the support of my husband, mom, and midwife. The warm water helped me cope with contractions and stay relaxed. Watching this again reminds me of how empowering and peaceful the experience was.
Two Births, Two Very Different Experiences
My first birth (felt traumatic and overwhelming):
Felt unprepared and unsure of what was happening
Struggled to advocate for myself
Felt anxious and out of control during labor
Left the experience feeling disconnected from my body
Carried lingering emotions and questions afterward
Was given Pitocin to induce labor
I was not “allowed” to eat or get up from the bed to move around even though I had no epidural and hospital staff were aware of my birth plan
Internal monitoring was placed on baby’s head
Coached forced pushing on my back
Hemorrhaged after baby was born.
Breastfeeding issues due to my baby having a tongue/lip tie that was missed. I was made to believe it was a supply issue and formula was pushed on me as a new mom.
Returned to work just two weeks postpartum with stitches, bleeding and leaking breast milk since my milk was not regulated
Here’s the first moment I breastfed my second baby. The water birth made the transition gentle, and nursing immediately after birth felt like such a peaceful, empowering way to start our bond. Having done this before, I felt calmer and more connected than I ever imagined.
My second birth (felt healing and supportive):
Felt informed and empowered in my choices
Felt in control of my choices and the birth of my baby
Experienced a strong sense of safety and support
Felt more connected to my body and intuition
Had space to process emotions during and after birth
Left the experience feeling grounded and emotionally supported
Switched providers at 38 weeks due to a breech presenting baby and being forced to schedule a c-section. Found a provider who supported my birth choices.
I arrived at the hospital 7 cm dilated and went into labor naturally without pitocin
Got in the birthing pool, lights turned down low and soft music playing
Medical staff not running in and out of the room
Let the fetal ejection response take over
Pushed while in a sitting position which felt right and natural, no hemorrhaging.
Healing was a night and day difference
Baby’s tongue was corrected a week after birth so breastfeeding was much easier
I took the postpartum time I needed to connect with my baby and heal.
Home at last. Just me and my baby, skin-to-skin, napping together. These quiet, peaceful moments are pure magic and remind me why every struggle of birth is worth it.
You Are Not Alone…Healing is Possible
Every birth and postpartum journey is unique, with moments of joy, exhaustion, and everything in between. After my water birth, I remember holding my baby skin-to-skin for the first time, nursing together, and feeling both awe and relief—familiar yet completely new as a second-time mom. Some days feel magical, like those quiet naps at home, and other days are harder than you ever could have imagined. And that’s okay. If you’re navigating birth recovery, breastfeeding, struggling postpartum, or simply finding your rhythm as a new parent, know this: you are not alone
If you’ve experienced a traumatic birth and are carrying lingering emotions, fear, or unanswered questions — especially if you’re hoping for a different experience in the future — therapy can provide a safe space to process and heal. This is work I often do with moms.
Support is Here
Want to talk with someone who understands postpartum challenges and birth trauma? Schedule a consultation today and take the first step toward support and guidance.
I work with moms located in Missouri and Florida. My office location is in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Missouri area.
