Imagine waiting for what feels like an eternity to hold your newborn baby in your arms, only to be met with unexpected complications. This is the reality that most parents face, sadly.
A birth injury is any harm or damage that occurs to a baby during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. This can include injuries such as cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries, or even stillbirth. Birth injuries can be caused by a variety of factors, including medical errors, complications during delivery, or even genetic conditions.
In such cases, parents must seek the assistance of a birth injury lawyer to manage the financial and physical consequences. The experienced team at ABC Law Centers offers compassionate legal advice, assisting families in obtaining the financial resources required to support the child’s care and future.
With ABC Law Centers by their side, parents can confidently navigate this challenging journey and focus on their path to healing.
In this article, we’ll be shedding light on the emotional toll a birth injury takes on the parents of the affected child.
Emotional Consequences of a Birth Injury on the Parents
Here are some of the emotional side effects of birth injuries that the parents have to face:
Guilt, Shame, and Self-Blame
When a birth injury happens, a lot of parents feel like it’s somehow their fault. They keep going over everything in their head, asking themselves if there was something they could have done to stop it. Being stuck with these thoughts and ideas can cause you to feel guilty or even ashamed. Those feelings can be burdensome, like a weight that’s always there.
Constant Anxiety
We don’t always talk about the level of anxiety that parents of the victims have to live with. These parents constantly worry about their child’s future and what will happen next.
The fear of the unknown can feel like it’s swallowing them up. They might keep asking themselves if they’re doing enough or if their child will be okay.
Grief and Loss
Parents, especially first-timers, usually have a romanticized idea of what they would like their parenthood experience to be like. They usually imagine the joy, fun, and excitement of watching their child grow.
When things don’t go as planned, it can feel like that dream is slipping away. There’s also the loss of feeling secure and in control.
The sadness is honestly quite deep, and sometimes it’s hard to express. Parents might find themselves feeling tired, distant, or even emotionally numb.
Strained Relationships
A birth injury can also put a lot of strain on the relationship between parents. When both are dealing with so many emotions, it can be hard to communicate properly. Little arguments can blow up, and it might feel like they’re not on the same team anymore.
That emotional stress can make parents feel like they’re drifting apart, even when they want to be there for each other. In some cases, the couple may even opt for a divorce.
Social Isolation
These parents might feel like no one else understands what they’re going through. Seeing other parents with healthy kids can make the loneliness feel even worse.
It might seem to them like everyone else is moving on while they’re stuck, dealing with something no one else can relate to.
What Such Parents Can Do
If you’re a parent who’s gone through a birth injury, now would be the best time to prioritize your well-being as much as that of your child. After all, you cannot pour from an empty cup.
Here are ways you can help yourself and make yourself better equipped to face all that comes with being the parent of a child with a birth injury:
- Talk to a therapist.
- Join a support group.
- Get help from loved ones.
