A review ofthe literature revealed that norsearch to date has focused on women's recovery from post-natal trauma. The aim ofthe current study was to explore the 'lived experience ofrecovery' (Deegan, 1988) using a qualitative approach. A purposive sample ofeleven participants who felt that they had made a partial or fuII recovery after being traumatised by childbirth completed written accounts oftheir recovery. Retrospective assessment ofwomen's PTSD symptoms when they were at their worst indicated that fIve women had met fuII criteria for PTSD according to a checklist based on the Post-traumatic Distress Scale (Foa, 1995), and all nine participants who returned the checklist could be considered as 'partial PTSD'. Analysis ofrecovery stories produced four main themes. Women's recovery was aided by the provision ofvalidation and support and a healing birth experience. Recovery was hindered by items that kept them living the trauma and feelings ofloss. Despite making a partial recovery, some women could not progress further as they continued to feel an intense sense ofloss at not having had their desired 'good' birth experience. This had implications for their mood, behaviour and perception ofthemselves as mothers.