Birth Trauma Aotearoa is inviting Mums, parents and whānau to do '50 things” next week in recognition of birth trauma survivors for international Birth Trauma Awareness Week.

International Birth Trauma Awareness Week runs from July 17-23.

Birth Trauma Aotearoa is a charitable trust working in the birth trauma space across New Zealand, supporting, advocating and educating about birth trauma.

Birth Trauma Aotearoa's inaugural campaign invites people to do 50 things to acknowledge and honour the 50 birthing people who experience psychological birth trauma each day in New Zealand.

'Research tells us one in three birthing people will report their birth as emotionally traumatic.,” says says Birth Trauma Aotearoa's founder and chief executive Kate Hicks.

'That equates to around 50 people a day in Aotearoa experiencing an emotionally traumatic birth. That's 50 people today, 50 people tomorrow, 50 people the next day.”

Kate says they know the impacts of birth trauma stretch far and wide.

'These figures need to change.”

She says those who experience birth trauma often feel very alone and forgotten.

'This Birth Trauma Awareness Week we're saying ‘we see you, we believe you and we're working for you'.”

People will be participating in the 50 for 50 campaign across New Zealand. Mums, parents, and whānau members will be doing 50 of all kinds of things to complete the challenge and to raise awareness.

'The beauty of 50 for 50 is that people can do it how they want. They can do something big, or something small, private or out loud. People can do all kinds of things– cycle 50km; plant 50 seeds; 50 yoga poses or push your child 50 times on the swing.

'Whatever people do, we're grateful they are acknowledging that birth trauma exists, it's hugely prevalent and we need to minimise that prevalence as well as improve support following trauma.”