027 - Natalie | 2 births, covid lockdown, MLU, birth pool, episiotomy, forceps, NICU, twins, doula, ARM
Release Date: 03/14/2024
056 - Sophie | 2nd baby, homebirth, physiological birth, doula, waterbirth, 2nd degree tear, placenta encapsulation
Birth Tales
In today’s episode we’re hearing from Sophie who was one of the very first guests on the podcast and she is back to share her homebirth experience. After finding out she was pregnant by surprise at her friend’s wedding, Sophie admits she found this pregnancy tougher than her last due to sickness, tiredness and lots of travel for her partner’s work. She hired the same lovely doula who supported her first birth and on the whole felt very confident in her ability to birth her baby considering things had gone smoothly with her previous birth. Her labour began at 39 weeks and she birthed...
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055 - Rosie | low AMH, low PAPP-A, hospital birth, PROM, epidural, forceps
Birth Tales
In today’s episode I’m speaking to Rosie who had her baby girl Poppy 9 months ago. At her 12 week scan blood tests showed low levels of PAPP-A which resulted in multiple extra scans through her pregnancy and conversations starting early around a potential induction. As it turns out, Rosie’s labour began spontaneously shortly before 37 weeks on the day she was supposed to be moving house. When her waters released the move was put on hold and she ended up giving birth at her mum’s local hospital. She shares how the experience differed from what she imagined, the amazing high she felt in...
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054 - Rochelle | 2nd baby, homebirth, waterbirth, subchorionic haematoma, ventricular septal defect, hypnobirthing, continuity of care, en caul birth
Birth Tales
In this episode I’m chatting to Rochelle about her second birth which took place just 2 weeks before recording! Her pregnancy differed in so many ways from her last; she suffered with terrible morning sickness for the first 5 months, had the added worry of a subchorionic haematoma and found at 20 weeks that her baby had a ventricular septal defect. Despite all the extra tests and complications, Rochelle was able to go ahead with the homebirth she hoped for and - after what she describes as an extreme dress rehearsal the day before - she birth her daughter in the water at home with her...
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053 - Katie | maternal mental health, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, hypnobirthing, midwife lead unit, ARM, waterbirth
Birth Tales
In today’s episode we’re hearing from Katie, who is back on the podcast to tell her second birth story. She shares how different her pregnancy was this time around from the symptoms she experienced to the support she received, plus the fact her first was heavily affected by covid restrictions. Having suffered with postnatal depression after birthing her first son, Katie was careful to prioritise her mental health. She revisited her hypnobirthing techniques and overall felt confident about giving birth again. Katie’s labour began shortly before her estimated due date and she birthed her...
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052 - Velika | doula, birth pool, hypnobirthing, homebirth transfer, c-section, breastfeeding challenges
Birth Tales
In today’s episode we’re hearing from Velika just 10 weeks after giving birth to her son Elio. At the start of her third trimester, having hired a doula and learned about hypnobirthing, Velika opted for a homebirth to guarantee her access to a birth pool. She laboured at home until she was fully dilated, at which time her contractions started to become less frequent. When labour didn’t pick up again despite her best attempts, Velika decided to transfer in to hospital for additional support. An internal examination showed her baby’s head was no longer engaged so the decision was...
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051 - Olivia | endometriosis, adenomyosis, Mira tracker, birth centre, birth pool, ventouse, episiotomy, jaundice
Birth Tales
In today’s episode we’re hearing from Olivia who gave birth to her daughter Sienna in the midwife lead unit. Following a diagnosis of endometriosis, adenomyosis and PCOS it took her years to conceive, so she shares all about her conception journey and the things she did to support the process. She had a busy pregnancy; travelling, moving house and working on her business so admits she didn’t think much about the birth until her waters released just before 37 weeks. She laboured on the birth centre using the pool and gas and air for comfort before birthing her baby with the help of...
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050 - Rochelle | Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, early miscarriage, meconium, ARM, labour ward, high blood pressure, pethidine, epidural, episiotomy, triple feeding
Birth Tales
In today’s episode we’re hearing from Rochelle about the birth of her son, Jude. Despite having had a previous early pregnancy loss, she felt confident and intuitively very positive right from the beginning of her pregnancy. Thanks to minimal symptoms she was able to stay busy with work, but as a result feels she might not have prepared for the birth as much as she would have liked. When her labour began a few days after her due date, Rochelle noticed meconium in her waters so was advised to attend the hospital. Whilst her labour had been progressing nicely at home, things slowed down...
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049 - Katie | Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, chronic pain, hospital birth, hypnobirthing, GBS positive, ARM, pandemic pregnancy, jaundice
Birth Tales
In today’s episode we’re hearing from Katie about the first of her two births. She conceived just before the pandemic hit so her pregnancy and birth were both heavily affected by the restrictions; from the antenatal classes she could attend to how much her partner could be with her during labour. Due to her Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Katie experienced a lot of leg and hip pain, as well as some joint dislocations during her pregnancy so was put on crutches. As she neared the end of her pregnancy, after several days of mild period cramps and multiple trips to and from the hospital for...
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048 - Chantal | LGA baby, membrane sweep, induction, category 2 C-section, breastfeeding
Birth Tales
In today’s episode Chantal reflects on the birth of her little girl just 3 weeks postpartum. In her third trimester it was suspected that her baby was measuring large for gestational age, so Chantal’s care providers were keen to monitor baby’s growth and potentially induce her before her due date. An elective C-section was booked and having accepted a few sweeps to try and get things moving, Chantal’s labour began as she was nearing 39 weeks. After a few days of irregular contractions, she opted for an induction but was quickly rushed into a C-section when her baby’s heart rate...
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047 - Chloe | hypnobirthing, doula, MLU, waterbirth, physiological third stage, second degree tear, tongue tie
Birth Tales
In this episode I’m chatting to Chloe about her son’s water birth. As a hypnotherapist, Chloe was well aware of the mind-body connection and the importance of a good mindset when preparing for birth, so she did lots of reading, took various classes, learned hypnobirthing, hired a doula and practised visualisation and affirmations. Having always assumed she was very sensitive to pain she was convinced she would need an epidural, but her confidence grew the more she learned and her mind was opened to the possibility that her birth experience could be different from how she imagined. Chloe...
info_outlineIn today’s episode I’m chatting to Natalie about her 2 experiences of birth. Natalie conceived sooner than she had planned and found herself feeling disengaged from her pregnancy. Having prepared for a homebirth, her plans were derailed when the country went into national lockdown during the final few weeks of her pregnancy, so when her waters broke she transferred in to the MLU. After a long, uncomfortable pushing stage her son’s birth was assisted with forceps. As Jude needed some extra monitoring in the NICU and her partner couldn’t stay due to covid restrictions, Natalie found herself alone on the postnatal ward for her first night postpartum which she found really difficult.
This whole experience really shaped her plans for her subsequent birth, which again she intended to be at home for, but when she found out she was carrying twins Natalie was immediately marked high risk and put under consultant lead care. She hired a doula to help optimise her chances of a more positive experience, immersed herself in preparing for a twin birth and advocated for herself to get the midwife lead care she wanted. Despite ending up birthing in the hospital once again, Natalie had a very calm, positive and unmedicalised birth with a really supportive team around her which she hopes will pave the way for future midwife lead twin births.
Natalie’s doula, Tortie: https://www.bristolbirthsupport.co.uk/meet-our-doulas
My website: www.serenalouth.com