Louise Thompson opens up about her son’s traumatic birth

Louise Thompson suffered from PTSD and postnatal anxiety

In 2021, the mum suffered serious complications during her labour and recently opened up about the trauma she faced.

Following an emergency C-section, Louise was admitted to intensive care and spent five weeks in the hospital.

The mum said the mental impact of what she went through resulted in her suffering from both PTSD and postnatal anxiety.

She was also diagnosed with Lupus, Asherman's syndrome, and suffered a second Hemorrhage after her son's birth.

Louise was also diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis in 2018 and had a stoma bag fitted in 2024.

Louise opened up about the distressing health battle she has faced ahead of the paperback publication of her book Lucky: Learning to Live Again.

Appearing on This Morning, the mum said she nearly died during childbirth.

"I ended up not being able to deliver him naturally. One of the most horrendous things about this whole experience that has left me with a lot of lasting damage… was having to witness three-and-a-half hours of surgery awake. I just wish that I had been put to sleep."

Louise explained that writing has been a major comfort to her following the traumatic birth.

"It's crazy how long it can take to process all of it, but the book has been a big part of that. I found myself discharged, I couldn't function, and I couldn't connect with my son.

Louise said the book "was the only way I could communicate with people."

The mum said the mental impact was worse than the physical impact. She said she was in "constant fight or flight mode."

"It was awful that he [Leo] was really traumatising me… I just have memories of just holding him, looking up as he was crying, I would just look up at the sky and honestly just pray, and I’d go, ‘Take all of this pain away, this mental and physical torture'."

The mum has been praised for being so open and honest about her traumatic childbirth experience.

Lucky by Louise Thompson is available now.