This chapter examines the psychological impacts of childbirth on mother and baby. It explores the potential for a positive birth experience, an experience that empowers the mother, giving her the confidence and self-efficacy she needs to care for her baby. Equally, if a mother has felt out of control, disempowered, afraid or traumatised during childbirth, this could have the opposite effect, with negative repercussions for both the mother’s and baby’s wellbeing as well as their current and future physical and mental health. Maternal depression, postnatal distress and a traumatic response to childbirth have been attributed to intrusive, coercive or unconsented interventions, a lack of support during the birth or postnatally, a lack of clear, open, honest and unbiased communication from caregivers, and disrespectful, fragmented or suboptimal maternity care. This chapter explores the possible onward impacts of birth-related stress and trauma on the baby, including physiological and emotional influences. It investigates how positive birthing hormones and neuropeptides, such as oxytocin, or conversely, stress hormones like cortisol, are transferred from mother to baby during pregnancy and childbirth via the placenta and postnatally via maternal mood and breastfeeding. These hormonal transmissions are known to influence infant temperament and development. Providing the appropriate support while facilitating skin-to-skin care and parent-infant bonding postnatally, especially for parents struggling with mental health issues or those who have had a challenging birth experience, mediates this link between a mother’s emotional state and her baby’s behaviour. It could also be effective in reducing the possible longer-term psychosocial impacts of childbirth on the baby.