**6. The consequences of postpartum PTSD**

The development of postpartum PTSD can have numerous consequences for the mother herself, her relationship with her child, her partner, and her general functionality. The child and the act of breastfeeding can represent a "threat" and a reminder of a traumatic experience for a mother who has recently given birth, which is why a woman can avoid any obligations related to the care and nursing of the child, as well as breastfeeding. Mothers who have just given birth usually spend most of their time with the baby, who actually reminds them of the trauma they experienced, and gradually they begin to feel that they are in a vicious cycle of remembering the trauma they want to forget.

Attachment is a phenomenon defined by Bowlby during the 1970s of the last century, as a child's need to bond with a person who cares for him, by which a sense of security and protection is achieved [25]. The primary figure of attachment is the mother, and based on these early experiences later in life, the child will later form emotional relationships and partnerships. Research shows that in mothers with

postpartum PTSD, there is a disturbance in the emotional connection with the baby, which can have consequences on the subsequent development of the child.

Partnerships change in a way that a woman with PTSD symptoms can be "cold and reserved", avoid sexual relations and distance herself from her partner. Often, women avoid subsequent pregnancies, and if they do happen, they more easily opt for intentional termination of pregnancy and cesarean delivery.
