In episode twelve, we meet Olga and hear all about her first pregnancy, birth and beyond journey. Olga planned to birth in a birth centre and then late in her pregnancy changed her mind and had a home birth. She then transferred to hospital to have some retained placenta removed and a small tear stitched in theatre. Olga also talks about her experiences of establishing breastfeeding and learning to be content while parenting a new baby.  Topics covered in this episode include: early...

In episode eleven of series three, we’re back with Kimberley to hear the story of her second baby’s birth. After the events surrounding her experience in the hospital after her first birth, Kimberley opted for a planned cesarean for her second baby. She had a very positive second birth experience  Second pregnancy worse PGP, pregnancy in covid affecting medical appointments, making a choice for planned cesarean due to previous trauma, TBR Three-Step-Rewind trauma recovery, planning a...

In episode ten of the third series, we meet Kimberley and hear about the birth of her first baby. Kimberly had a turnaround in pregnancy and went from having thought she would choose a cesarean to choosing a home birth. Kimberley also talks about her experience of transferring to hospital for stitches after birthing at home.  Topics covered in this episode include support from an NCT teacher, the birthplace study, planning a homebirth after being afraid of birth before pregnancy, PGP -...

In Episode Nine of the third series, we meet Katie who tells us all about her pregnancy, birth and postnatal experiences with her first baby. Katie had a fast labour and a longer pushing stage of her birth due to her baby having a hand by her face. Katie also talks about her experience of caring for a baby with cow’s milk protein allergy.  Topics covered in this episode include: pregnancy after miscarriage, growth scans, hypnobirthing course, mention of Remifentanil, unhelpful/unsupportive...

In episode eight of the third series, we chat to Sinead a longstanding member of the Informed Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond team about her labour birth and postnatal experiences with her eldest child in Australia. This episode includes Sinead’s experience of her baby being very ill and needing resuscitation at 9 days old. If you would find this distressing or triggering please skip this episode.  Topics covered in this episode include: labour starting with waters going at 36 weeks,...

In episode seven of the third series, we meet Lilia who had her first baby in a stand-alone midwife-led birth centre. Lilia had a quick birth and a very positive experience being well supported by her partner, mum and the team at the birth centre.  Topics covered in this episode include: taking time to fall pregnant, healthy pregnancy, expectations vs reality of maternity care, planning to birth in a stand-alone midwifery unit/birth centre, braxton hicks, gentle early labour, 7 cm dilated...

In episode six of series three, we talk to Jordan about her experiences of pregnancy birth and beyond with her first baby. Jordan gave birth in the hospital having had her labour induced. She shares how she has managed her mental health during pregnancy and postnatally including receiving a diagnosis of OCD while in the care of the perinatal mental health team.  Please be aware this episode contains a discussion of a traumatic event during birth and difficult experiences with breastfeeding...

In episode five of the third series, we meet Shannon who tells the story of her second baby’s birth. Shannon’s first birth was traumatic and her second birth was very healing in many ways not least her experience of positive and respectful care.  Topics in this episode include: second pregnancy during first maternity leave, low weight for gestational age, faltering growth, previous negative birth experience - induction UTI, thrush, stomach bug in pregnancy, planning a homebirth -...

In episode four of the third series, we’re back with Katie who we met in episode two. This time we catch up on her pregnancy, birth and beyond with her second baby. Katie’s second baby arrived relatively soon after her first and she chose to birth by cesarean section again. Katie shares the different challenges she had the second time around and how she was more prepared to meet them after her experiences with her eldest.  Topics covered include hyperemesis with a toddler, gestational...

In the third episode of series three, we meet Alice who, after the disappointment of being sent home on her first trip into the hospital during labour, had a fast birth in the birth pool of an alongside midwife led birth centre. Alice also talks about her struggles with establishing breastfeeding and the effects of feeding a baby with a tongue tie.  Topics covered in this podcast include: pregnancy after endometriosis, pregnancy after miscarriage, growth scans, induction for “big babies”...

In the second episode of the third series of Our Birth Stories Podcast, we meet Katie and hear the story of her first pregnancy birth and beyond. Katie shares her experiences of pregnancy and being a new parent during the covid lockdown regulations. Katie chose to have a cesarean birth due to having a degenerative spine condition and had a positive experience of her birth. She also shares her difficult breastfeeding experiences and how she has come through that.  Topics covered include:...

Welcome to the third series of Our Birth Stories Podcast we start off this series by meeting Hannah who tells us all about her third baby’s pregnancy, birth and beyond. Hannah talks about the experience of pregnancy and birth during the constantly changing covid regulations. She describes the experience of birthing unassisted as having had a very positive impact on increasing her confidence in herself.  Topics covered in this episode include: Unexpected pregnancy, pregnancy in covid -...

Apologies it's taken a while in the editing stages but our third series of lovely birth stories are on their way very soon.

Episode twelve of the second series of Our Birth Stories Podcast is our final episode of the series and we finish with Elizabeth’s final birth story. This is an extra special birth story for our team as so many of us were there either in person or over text. Despite being Elizabeth’s fourth birth this was also her longest labour and gave her many firsts including her first time actually using her birth pool in labour. Baby four was born at home during a party for his arrival. Elizabeth also...

In episode eleven of the second series of Our Birth Stories podcast, we meet Ellie who shares the story of her first pregnancy, birth and postnatal experiences. Ellie had a fast birth after arriving at the hospital for the second time (after having been advised to go home the first time as she was considered not far enough along in labour.) Ellie also shares the ups and downs of learning to parent with your first baby including feeding and sleep challenges and how she is now feeling much more...

In episode ten of the second series of Our Birth Stories Podcast, we meet Megan and hear about the birth of her second baby in a birth pool in her home. Megan thought about the possibility of a free birth (without any medical attendance) during her pregnancy but kept an open mind and didn’t make the decision until during labour when she felt safe and confident. She also talks about transferring to the hospital for stitches after the birth and about what helped her with planning for and...

In episode nine of the second series of Our Birth Stories Podcast we meet Emma who tells us all about her pregnancy and birth experiences with her first baby. Emma talks about how pregnancy after miscarriage was for her. We hear about her experiences with hyperemesis and with anxiety during pregnancy. Emma chose to have her labour induced and then to have a cesarean birth when she felt the time was right. She had a positive experience with a gentle family-centred cesarean birth. Emma also...

Episode eight of the second series of our birth stories podcast is another lovely double birth story episode. For the first birth story, we are back to hear the story of Elizabth’s third pregnancy and birth. During this pregnancy, Elizabeth moved across the country and joined our team. She had another difficult pregnancy with hyperemesis but by this point was used to that and knew how to care for herself. This birth although not as quick as her second birth was quick, uneventful, and...

In episode seven of the second series of Our Birth Stories Podcast, we meet Hayley and hear about her experience of birthing as a surrogate. After having had positive experiences of birthing her own children including a home birth with her youngest child Hayley was happy to be able to be a surrogate for some friends of her sister. Her surrogate birth was an unplanned cesarean chosen during labour after concerns over the baby’s heart rate. Hayley also talks briefly about her second surrogate...

In episode six of series two of Our Birth Stories Podcast, we’ve got two lovely birth stories to share with you. There are some similar themes to these two birth stories and the most important one is their complete joy with the birthing experience. The other main similarity is both babies arrived at top speed before a midwife could get there.  Our first birth story is Joanne’s birth story with her second baby. Joanne’s second pregnancy was during the covid lockdown and her planned homebirth...

In episode five of the second series of Our Birth Stories Podcast, we talk to Elizabeth from the IPBB committee about her first pregnancy, birth and postnatal experiences. This is the first episode we haven’t just fully shared as it happened. It is a story that includes some very traumatic experiences. Please be extra careful to only listen if you’re not currently pregnant and if you have no chance of finding that hearing about traumatic experiences will re-trigger your own traumatic...

In episode four of the second series of our birth stories podcast in celebration of world doula week your podcast host shares the story of her third baby’s birth at home in a birth pool with the support of a doula. Topics covered in this episode include miscarriage, becoming a doula, home birth, waterbirth and some of the benefits of doula support. For more information and support with miscarriage check out the Miscarriage Association website https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk/ For...

In Episode Three of the second series of Our Birth Stories Podcast, we talk to Kate who had her first baby in a midwife-led alongside (in the same building as the obstetric labour ward) birth centre. Topics covered in this episode include a positive pregnancy test on day one of the first covid lockdown, pelvic girdle pain -chiropractic care, continuity of midwifery care, changing maternity services for more suitable care, planning to birth in a midwife-led birth centre, slow start to labour,...

In Episode Two of the second series of Our Birth Stories Podcast, we talk to Jade who had her first baby by unplanned cesarean birth after a  back-to-back labour with a baby who had his head wedged at an angle that made being born difficult. Topics covered in this episode  include struggling to get pregnant, infertility community on Instagram,  surprise pregnancy just before starting IVF, pelvic girdle pain, vaginal  bleeding in third trimester, accessing maternity care when away from  home,...