Book Review

  Book Review

  by Sara Barry
  counsellor & volunteer for Birth Trauma Counselling

  by Elizabeth Otto
  counsellor and volunteer for Help Women and Children

I have always been aware that childbirth is one of the most life changing experiences a woman can go through. I have always been aware that childbirth is different for every woman. Although I was aware of these things, and having being fortunate enough to have a good labour experience, I was not aware of the extent of the serious effects childbirth could have on a woman. Real Healing after Caesarean by Martha Jesty opened my eyes to a world of women for whom the dream of a ‘good labour experience’ was brutally shattered and destroyed, leaving them with devastating and often long term effects if left untreated.
The title of Martha Jesty’s book cannot be taken at face value. Real Healing After Caesarean is not a book of one woman simply relaying her traumatic birth experience as a process of venting her hurt and frustrations, far from it. What I discovered is that Real Healing after Caesarean is a book through which one woman uses her candid and unabashed account of her experience and recovery to do four key things.
The first is that Martha’s detailed recollection of her first birth experience provides a place of solace and hope for women who may be suffering and feel alone in their struggles, with no one who understands them or who can relate to their experience. This book proves to this overlooked group of women that they are not alone, that there is realness in what they are experiencing i.e. it’s not in their heads, and that help is available to them. The second key element of Real Healing after Caesarean is that it introduces and thoroughly explores the under researched field of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) linked to childbirth. The research and explanation of this disorder in Real Healing after Caesarean provides an effective guide to help women, their partners, family members, and health professionals identify and understand the causes and symptoms of PTSD, how it can be treated and what help and support is and should be available to sufferers.
The third area I would highlight is that book examines how women can be commonly misdiagnosed with Post Natal Depression (PND) following childbirth, but combats this by clearly distinguishing the differences between PTSD and PND, as well as its similarities. Real Healing after Caesarean also goes further to describe the other related conditions that can stem from PTSD following childbirth, which include Tokophobia (fear of further pregnancy) and Vaginismus (a disorder which makes intercourse painful and in most cases impossible).
The fourth and what I believe to be the most important area of Martha’s book is that it provides accounts of real recovery. I believe this coupled with the research and facts about PTSD moves this book from being anecdotal to a real and thorough self-help guide. Not only does it demonstrate the personal recovery of the author, it gives the reader details of other women who have walked through ‘the fire’ and come out victorious at the other end. There is nothing more effective than hearing how a person has overcome extreme conflict. The power of its effectiveness is all the more enhanced by the countless personal witness and personal experience of others. The possibility therefore of a sufferer reading the book and starting their journey to ‘real healing’ is extremely likely.
The obvious strength of Real Healing after Caesarean is Martha’s story, which instantly engages the reader. It provides good background of the author, who comes from Lima, Peru and how her cultural expectations had a significant part to play in what she experienced. Without this it may be hard to fully understand the contributing factors that lead to her diagnosis of PTSD. For example, Martha recalls in her book the abundant support that is commonly available to women through their journey from pregnancy to motherhood in Peru, and how that contrasted with her frustrating, isolating and traumatic experience of motherhood in the United Kingdom.
The area that the reader may have difficulty with, which I experienced, was the amount of detail given to the research around PTSD. Not having much knowledge of medical terminology (which although used in this book is not overdone) or illnesses, at times it proved challenging to continue to read through the descriptions, symptoms, causes of PTSD and other related disorders. However, I do believe that this is an important part of the book, especially for medical professionals who need to be aware of this condition in women, and who will in turn have the greater impact on their diagnosis and treatment. Personally, as a result of persevering through these detailed sections, I will be more informed and in a better position of supporting a friend or family member who may display symptoms of PTSD, which I believe is one of the overall goals of Real Healing after Caesarean.
A section of the Martha Jesty’s book that I found very insightful was the account given by her husband Paul. He described his feelings of Martha’s traumatic experience and how he supported her through it. I believe this was important to include, because fathers are often neglected and unsupported when their partners experience trauma in childbirth. In addition, they are left ill-equipped to deal with it and feel helpless about how they can best support their partners. However, I would like to have seen more accounts of fathers’ experiences and how they coped and overcame such a difficult period.
The greatest appeal of Real Healing after Caesarean for me is that its target audience is not just women alone. No doubt its readership will mainly be women, however as I have mentioned before it also appeals to partners, family members and friends of a PTSD sufferer, as well as health care professionals and those in health care training.
As a fellow Christian, it was very encouraging to read about Martha’s faith and trust in God through hard times. Through her book Martha not only demonstrates her utter dependence on her faith as a Christian and believer in the healing power of God, it is also complimented by the practical steps she took, the discoveries she made about her illness, the research, support and further work she then made her passion, to which she is extremely dedicated to. A combination of these elements would be beneficial to a fellow Christian and non believer alike.
Although I have never experienced PTSD or encountered another woman with this illness, I can honestly say that I was deeply affected by what I read, as well as being enlightened. Martha Jesty writes with such raw emotion in her book that I found it almost impossible not to be moved, and in fact on many occasions I was lead to tears as she recounted the treatment that she experienced. What I was most moved by was an absence of resentment that Martha presented in her book, when it would be the most normal human reaction to be bitter and angry. Instead she speaks with a heart that has found forgiveness for those who mistreated her and a heart that was then lead to help others through her story. This then shows that there was a purpose to Martha’s experience and a real opportunity to be a catalyst of hope for other women like the organization she started calle Help Women and Children.
As a Christian I know and believe that we perish because of lack of knowledge. Real Healing after Caesarean is a book through which the author, Martha Jesty, opens up her heart and life to ensure women who are suffering with PTSD do not perish but are treated and supported in the best ways possible.

Contact Martha on: info@marthajesty.com or visit www.marthajesty.com

This heartfelt book provides both a personal and practical account of the little known condition of post natal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Martha’s courage in sharing her traumatic birth experience with the reader is inspiring and admirable, especially as she illustrates how she overcame her illness and has poured her energies into helping other parents in similar situations.

Real Healing After Cesarean highlights the flaws in our approach to childbirth in the UK as compared to other countries, where the emphasis is put on the wellbeing of both mother and child. However, the message is not one of blame or recrimination, rather one of encouragement and hope. With more information and education regarding PTSD available, parents and health professionals would be able to help prevent and recognise symptoms before they become debilitating.

Real Healing After Caesarean by Martha Jesty provides a clear and concise comparison between PTSD and the more commonly diagnosed PND, so that they may not be confused. It also provides practical information to health professionals and family/friends on how to support someone with postnatal PTSD, and more importantly how not to!

I especially welcomed her husband Paul’s input and his honest account of his own struggle in dealing with his feelings as well as Martha’s, throughout this difficult time.

Real Healing After Caesarean should be compulsory reading for anyone suffering from post natal illness, relatives and health professionals. Without education of this kind, women will continue to be mishandled and misdiagnosed during what should be one of the most significant experiences of their lives. The knock on affect of trauma during birth for both mother and child can have far reaching effects for society. It is in all of our interests to grasp an understanding of what can go wrong, so that we are equipped to deal with the after effects, should they arise.

To order book visit www.birthtraumacounselling.org
or www.helpwomenandchildren.org

Insert body text here...

“I have continued to read your book and have got to the section about Tokophobia. Your book is engaging and very insightful, even though I have not experienced the areas covered. What I didn't expect to happen, as I read your book, was a flood of emotions to come out. I know God has given me a very compassionate and empathetic heart, therefore on some levels I could strongly relate to some of the feelings you wrote about. It also brought back some of my experiences and difficulties I have been through, which in turn will lead to my own healing in areas I had forgotten about. On many occasions I found myself in tears while I read rawness of the things you have suffered. So far I have found your book to be very powerful, with strong relational value for women who have suffered in different ways not just those you have openly shared. The pain of your experience are very real, but your progression through it all and your complete trust in God to bring you through all things is extremely evident. I don't think anyone can read this book and not be moved. I'm looking forward to completing it!”
Eli

 read more by clicking the small arrows or download  a Real Healing pdf document

  read more by clicking the small arrows or download a
    Real Healing pdf document

  Author's biography

  Book Description

Martha Jesty has been a British citizen since 1993 living in the UK for more than 20 years and married for the same period of time to an Englishman. Martha, originally from Lima, Peru, with a background in Public Relations and also in the arts as a fashion designer, got involved in the UK as a volunteer one year after she arrived from Peru by helping women who were dying from cancer. She put a smile on the faces of terminally ill women at the Cancer ward in St Mary's Hospital, Praed Street, Paddington

It is estimated that there are about 10,000 women every year in the UK suffering from deep trauma after childbirth but the NHS is not ready yet to implement a care programme for these women and their families. Real Healing After Caesarean is the first manual written in the UK by a postnatal PTSD* survivor which will help many women sufferers.

  Media Cover

  Book to Film Adaptation Real Healing

read more testimonies of lives changed
by reading
Real Healing after Caesarean

Book born our of pain

Postnatal expert to the hills

Mums pushes for more help

Helping women with stressful births

Real Healing is the true story of Martha Jesty, her journey, and the journey of women like her around the world suffering from Post Natal PTSD. In the tradition of “North Country,” “Erin Brokovitch,” and “Norma Rae” comes a story about the difference one person can make. Book to film adaptation Real Healing.

Real Healing, read more

order now a copy of Real Healing After Caesaean

and help women traumatized by childbirth

www.birthtraumacounselling.org

Birth Trauma Counselling is a project run by Help Women and Children to help British mothers suffering from postnatal illnesses