Treating Cesarean Birth Trauma During Infancy and Childhood1

Twenty years of clinical and behavioral observation indicate that cesarean
births cause considerable trauma to babies. The physical and psychological effects are subtle and powerful,
occurring at the unconscious level of the infant psyche. Negative impact includes excessive crying, feeding
difficulties, sleeping difficulties, colic, and tactile defensiveness. There also may be long-term psychological
effects such as rescue complexes, inferiority complexes, poor self-esteem, and other dysfunctional behaviors
and feelings. This article describes Emerson’s treatment methods for a baby girl who will be referred to by one
of her initials, M. She was treated during infancy and childhood and is among 155 infants treated for birth
trauma and systematically followed-up on through childhood. The immediate and long-range results of M’s
treatments are also described.