Emma Svanberg – Birth Confidence Summit

Find fully downloadable cribsheets explaining what trauma is, Am I traumatised? Self care for couples and many other topics on the Make Birth Better Website

Read Emma's book Why Birth Trauma Matters

Experienced clinical psychologist Dr Emma Svanberg works with parents and parents to be, as well as professionals working with parents. She brings over ten years of academic and clinical experience to offer evidence based support and guidance to help you through your journey as a parent or a parent supporter. A published author, speaker, campaigner and researcher, Emma lives in London with her partner and children.  She is also regional coordinator for the Positive Birth Movement

Time Stamps

The pressure of the two extremes of stories, scary horrible birth or the 'Gold Standard' and how all nuance is lost. 

4.20 The different dialogue that happens for men and women and how pregnancy can be considered a 'weakness; particularly in the workplace.

Starting point of what do I want for this baby now.

6.22 A vulnerable time where we are bombarded with information often from unqualified people who know nothing about pregnancy but have an opinion all the same.  We are in a different mental space with different hormones and need to understand and accept that and honour where we are at.

11.05  All about Make Birth Better including crib sheets to support and inform

18.25 How do you respond to stress in ordinary life will inform how you do in pregnancy and help you be prepared. Your partner can take on the role of your prefrontal lobes so you can keep your brain switched off.

21.30 The importance of stories and noticing that sometimes the older generation can be negative as they had to power on and cope and pack away their own challenges.

24.49 Emma's vision for the future with trauma informed support for all including compassionate support for staff trauma.

30.00 All about the 'nice girl' and how she shows up as 'doctor knows best' in a maternity setting. But in birth we are not unwell so it is not the same as seeking out a doctor for an illness.

34.45 Conditioning that means women trying to be assertive are often considered to be aggressive that can prevent women from speaking up.

36.00 Urgent need to challenge the idea of not raising your head above the parapet. the irony of disappointment when we didn't aim high to not feel disappointed and the trickiness of learning what our needs are when we have suppressed them.

38.00 Learn what our body is telling us. Mindfulness is a good tool

Know that what you do has value.

Charlotte Kanyi

>