The Eucharist and the Trauma of Birth

In this article I explore the possibility that the eucharist might offer something of a place of safety for those who have experienced childbirth trauma, a space where trauma can begin to be incorporated or traversed. I begin by looking at trauma acquired through childbirth, arguing that it can be considered as a particular form of trauma, which might make its incorporation more difficult, especially in respect to finding a position of safety with which to begin this work. I then turn to the eucharist, using the work of Catherine Keller and Gordon Lathrop, particularly his concept of the eighth day, to reflect upon time, the eucharist and trauma. I conclude this article with an autoethnographic vignette, my own experiences with birth trauma and the expansive space of the eucharist.