A traumatic birth can leave marks that no one sees: in your sleep, your body, and the way you feel about your baby, your recovery, and yourself.
At Bloom Mental Health & Wellness in Sioux Falls, SD, we provide trauma-informed, whole-body care for women still carrying what happened during labor and delivery, whether it was last month or years ago.
BIRTH TRAUMA SUPPORT
A difficult birth experience can leave lasting emotional echoes long after delivery.
How Bloom Approaches TRAUMA & PTSD CARE
Birth trauma isn’t defined by what happened on paper. It’s defined by how the experience felt: frightened, out of control, unheard, or unsure whether you or your baby would be okay. Many women are told they should just be grateful it’s over. Your reaction is real, and it deserves a real response.
We start by listening, at whatever pace feels right. You never have to retell every detail. We look at how the experience is showing up now, including your sleep, anxiety, physical recovery, and relationships. We may recommend blood work, drawn elsewhere, to see how your body is recovering. Then we build a personalized plan around you.
Your plan may include:
Integrative approaches
Sleep strategies, nutritional support, gentle movement, and other whole-body tools that support your recovery.
Medication management
If indicated and something you’d like to explore, we’ll walk you through evidence-based options for the anxiety, intrusive memories, or sleep disruption that often follow a traumatic birth, including options for women who are breastfeeding
COLLABORATIVE
CARE
We believe the best outcomes happen when your care team works together. With your permission, we coordinate with your OB or midwife so your mental health is part of your postpartum recovery. When therapy is part of your plan, we’re glad to work alongside your existing therapist or help connect you with one, so your psychiatric care and therapeutic support stay aligned
Ongoing
follow-up
We don't just hand you a prescription and send you on your way. We check in regularly, reassess your symptoms, and adjust your treatment plan as your needs change.
WHY BLOOM IS DIFFERENT
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WHY BLOOM IS DIFFERENT *
Few providers see birth trauma from both sides of the delivery room. Briana is a dual board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse-Midwife who has supported women through labor, delivery, and postpartum care. She knows what a hard birth looks like and what recovery involves.
Both of our providers hold Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C), a credential showing specialized training in pregnancy and postpartum mental health. That means we won’t confuse birth trauma with simple exhaustion or the “baby blues,” and we won’t dismiss it. We also understand how it can overlap with postpartum depression and anxiety, and we treat the whole picture rather than one label at a time.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
FREE 15 MINUTE CONSULTATION
A brief phone call to discuss your symptoms, answer your questions, and ensure our practice is the right fit for your needs.
YOUR FIRST VISIT
Your first visit is 90 to 120 minutes, online by telehealth or in person in Sioux Falls, SD. We’ll get to know you and hear as much of your story as you’re ready to share. There’s no pressure to explain everything at once. By the end, you’ll have a clear next step and a plan that feels right for you.
FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS:
Follow-up visits are typically 30 to 60 minutes. Some weeks will feel like progress and others won’t. We check in on how your plan is working and adjust as needed, and we remember your story from visit to visit.
TELEHEALTH: CARE THAT FITS YOUR LIFE
All appointments are available by telehealth across South Dakota. With a newborn, getting out of the house can be hard enough. We make support as easy to reach as possible, from your couch or between naps.
Your birth story belongs to you. It doesn’t have to be dramatic to count, and what you felt matters, even if everyone said everything went fine.
WHAT IS BIRTH TRAUMA?
Birth trauma describes the lasting emotional and physical impact of a birth experience that felt frightening, overwhelming, or out of your control. It can follow an emergency C-section, a complication, a rushed or unplanned intervention, a separation from your baby, or a delivery where you felt dismissed or disrespected.
For some women it develops into postpartum post-traumatic stress, with flashbacks, avoidance, and constant alertness. For others it shows up as anxiety, low mood, or a quiet sense that something is wrong. Birth trauma isn’t a reflection of your strength or how much you love your baby. It’s a response to what you went through, and it can be treated.
You might be experiencing trauma-related symptoms if you:
Replay moments from the birth, or have flashbacks or nightmares
Avoid reminders, including the hospital, your birth story, or talking about it
Feel anxious, on edge, or unable to relax, even when your baby is fine
Feel detached or numb, or find it hard to bond with your baby
Feel angry, ashamed, or like your body failed you
Are afraid of getting pregnant or giving birth again
Have been told you should be over it by now, but you’re not
Frequently Asked Questions
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Postpartum depression is mainly a mood condition, with persistent sadness, emptiness, exhaustion, and loss of interest. Birth trauma is a reaction to the birth experience itself, and it tends to show up as intrusive memories, avoidance, anxiety, and feeling on edge. The two can overlap, and many women experience both. At Bloom we look at the whole picture rather than choosing one label, so your plan fits what you’re actually going through.
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Yes. Some women develop postpartum post-traumatic stress after a birth that felt frightening or out of control. It can include flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of reminders, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness. It’s often missed because everyone is focused on the baby. If these symptoms last beyond the first few weeks or interfere with daily life, it’s worth reaching out.
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It’s normal to need time to process a hard birth. Feeling shaken, tearful, or replaying the experience in the first few weeks is common. It’s worth reaching out if those feelings aren’t easing, are getting stronger, or are affecting your sleep, your relationships, or how you feel about your baby. You don’t need a diagnosis or a “bad enough” story to ask for support.
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It can. Some women feel numb, distant, or anxious around their baby after a traumatic birth, and many feel guilty about it. That reaction is a response to what you went through, not a sign that something is wrong with you as a mother. With support, most women find that connection grows. We’ll work with you to understand what’s getting in the way.
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No. Many women seek support long after a difficult birth, sometimes when they’re planning another pregnancy or when a memory resurfaces. Unprocessed trauma doesn’t fade on its own schedule, and getting support later can still bring real relief. We welcome you wherever you are in your story.
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We believe the best outcomes happen when your care team works together. Bloom provides the clinical side of your care, including a full assessment, medication management when it’s right for you, and attention to sleep, nutrition, and recovery. If you’d like therapy, we’re glad to work alongside your existing therapist or help connect you with one, so your psychiatric care and therapeutic support stay aligned.
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Guilt is one of the most common reactions after a hard birth. When things went differently than planned, the mind often searches for someone to blame, and that can land on you. Feeling that your body failed doesn’t make it true. Birth involves many factors outside anyone’s control. We’ll create space to talk through these feelings without judgment.
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Yes. An emergency C-section can feel sudden and frightening, with little time to understand what’s happening or feel in control. Some women also feel grief about the birth they expected. Not everyone who has an emergency C-section is traumatized, but if it still affects you, your reaction is valid and treatable.
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Yes. After a frightening birth, many women stay on high alert, checking their baby constantly, struggling to sleep even when the baby is asleep, or fearing something terrible will happen. This is a common response, and it can wear you down. Support can help you feel calmer and more able to enjoy your baby.
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Yes, and it’s very common. Many women who loved their baby still dread going through another birth, and some delay or avoid another pregnancy because of it. This fear deserves attention, not dismissal. Working through it before another pregnancy can make a real difference.
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Talking with a provider before you conceive is one of the best things you can do. We can help you think through what made the last birth hard, identify what might feel different next time, and build a plan for your mental health during pregnancy and postpartum. If you choose, we can also coordinate with your OB or midwife so your birth preferences and support needs are part of your care.
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Yes. Partners can also be shaken by a frightening birth, especially if they felt helpless watching it happen. While our practice centers on women’s mental health, we warmly welcome partners and families navigating these same life transitions. Partners are welcome to reach out and ask about care.
YOUR BIRTH STORY DESERVES TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
Birth trauma is real, it’s common, and it’s treatable. You don’t have to wait until you feel “bad enough” to ask for support.
Bloom Mental Health & Wellness serves women in Sioux Falls, SD and across South Dakota by telehealth. We are currently accepting new patients.
