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Brianna Leigh's avatar

I really appreciate this conversation. I ended up with postpartum PTSD after a “normal” vaginal birth. But didn’t know what was wrong until my kiddo was 2 years old. I spent years sorting through the experience, with professionals and support groups and other moms. My final conclusion after reading “Choosing Cesarean” was I needed a planned C-section if I was ever to have another child. Luckily, I found a fantastic OB and he agreed and I went on to have another baby without the PTSD complication. There are so many different routes to ppPTSD because there are so many different brains being pregnant and having babies!

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Molly Dickens, PhD's avatar

Yes! Wow! Thank you for sharing this. So many different routes in and so many different routes out. I am so happy to hear that you had a supportive birth the way you needed it for #2.

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Lane Anderson's avatar

“When I started going again, I had one hygienist say, “you're shaking. Are you ok?” And I told her, “I actually, I had a little bit of medical trauma”.

Idk why this part made me tear up! This whole convo is just so so good.

Love your work, Molly!

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Molly Dickens, PhD's avatar

Thank you, Lane!

And, YES! That visceral feeling of having someone *see* you, and see something that you had dismissed because others had dismissed it before. Rachel captures this feeling so well.

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Alison Heppell's avatar

I love your Substack Molly. I can’t upgrade to paid rn but please know that your work and your words are important.

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Molly Dickens, PhD's avatar

Thank you so much! This note means just as much :)

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