Hi Julie - your ideas are great; the woman-centred birth and review sound great. I think there is too much focus, well at least as birthing women are often perceiving it, on assessing what seems to be how good a mother you are at the start. If the focus was changed to "congratulations, you have made the major achievement of being a mum, but what can we do to support you?", women would be more receptive and honest.

The PTSD tool sounds good - at least it could help a woman to inwardly say either, no that is not applicable to how I am feeling, or yes there are things I am noticing there which I hadn't really acknowledged before and should address.

By the way, I studied psychology for years and even graduated with a Master of Forensic Psych while pregnant with my firstborn, yet still suffered ante-natal depression, PND and perhaps PTSD asssociated with that birth and, although I felt something wasn't right I had trouble stepping back and recognising it in myself until others expressed concern.

Similar to another poster I felt this enormous pressure to look like an easy-go-lucky, all-under-control mum with my firstborn and wanted to shield the reality that the birth experience and surrounding felt traumatic. I absolutely wanted, always adored and felt bonded with my baby and this didn't rest easy with feeling traumatised; I wish someone had told me that was ok and actually very common after becoming a mum first time and that I wouldn't stay trapped in that emotional state but could be supported to emerge from it and feel normal again.