The Alchemy of Motherhood: Unspoken Truths of Birth Trauma and the Postpartum Journey

For Casey Keen, childbirth and pregnancy were marketed as magical, mysterious gifts from which would spring profound beauty and joy--leaving her unprepared for the raw, unvarnished truth about the physical and mental challenges that lay ahead, not only during her pregnancy, but through the crucible of labor and delivery and into the landscape of postpartum life. With honesty, vulnerability, and a touch of humor, Casey, a postpartum women's advocate, shares her experiences with birth trauma, postpartum depression (PPD), and postpartum anxiety (PPA), offering practical guidance and proposing a series of innovative health care reforms aimed at enhancing the quality of postpartum care, ensuring consistent support, and fostering a more compassionate approach to maternal health. A must-read for expectant mothers, for women who have experienced birth trauma, and for anyone interested in health care, social justice, or women's studies, The Alchemy of Motherhood is an unflinching exploration of the complexities of childbirth and the crushing disregard of a broken health care system.