Sharmika Dockery gave birth five years ago and has battled against physical and emotional trauma ever since.

Ms Dockery, 23, from Barnes, has struggled with flashbacks and chronic pain ever since giving birth to her son.

She discovered that she was pregnant at the age of 17 and dreamed of having a beautiful baby. However, she struggled with a difficult birth and her son was delivered by emergency caesarean section.

Eleven days after giving birth, Ms Dockery was taken to hospital with a life-threatening infection as the result of a retained placenta.

She then experienced nerve entrapment, pelvic congestion syndrome and chronic pancreatitis.

Chronic pain and emotional trauma have completely taken over her life.

Ms Dockery says: “I was planning on going to university before I had my son little boy, and I had to do my A Levels from home.

“I have not been able to work. I have carers every day helping me.

“I struggle a lot, I can’t go out much at all.

“Swimming has always been my hobby. I still swim but I can’t swim for a long time. It’s just so exhausting. My pain flares up.

“I am just blogging about my experience and I have decided to write some children’s books for children that have parents are disabled. That’s all I have been able to do because of my pain.”

“My friend just gave birth the other day and I have been very happy for her. She had a natural birth, but it was difficult for me because that’s not how it went for me.

“I would say a lot of people can’t understand, especially since I was normal before I had my son, and chronic pain can really change you.

“Everyone is living their own lives so you do not really get that understanding for going through it, but my mum has been supportive.”

Birth trauma affects approximately 20,000 women a year in England and Wales, according to the Birth Trauma Association.

It can happen after a difficult birth, and symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, extreme anxiety and hypervigilance.

Kim Thomas, press officer of the Birth Trauma Association, says: “Women with PTSD are constantly fearful of something bad happening.

“Women who experience symptoms should go to their GP and ask for a referral for therapy."

Treatments recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

If you need to speak to someone urgently, contact the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or SANEline on 0845 767 8000.