Ireland's Birth Stories

This week, I share my chat with Nancy, who shares each of her experiences through pregnancy, loss, and motherhood. Nancy suffered two early pregnancy losses, including a missed miscarriage and a chemical pregnancy. Her first birth brought her daughter into the world by c-section. Shortly after her daughter’s arrival, Nancy and her partner, Niall, were told that their baby had Down syndrome. She reflects on how they navigated this diagnosis. In the months that followed, their lives changed dramatically when their daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia following a routine blood test. This devastating news obviously completely changed how life looked ensuring their daughter underwent regular intensive treatment. Nancy, unknown to her at time was carrying her daughters sibling. This news came as a shock, given the circumstances, yet she continued to navigate her pregnancy alongside the challenges of her daughter’s illness. Nancy was determined to have a VBAC second time round which is exactly how her son was born. Today, her family are thriving and healthy.

Thanks Nancy
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Produced & edited by Corah Gernon at She Talks Productions

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This week, I share my chat with Julia, who lives in Austria .Julia talks us through four pregnancies, each very different experiences.

She begins by sharing on the birth of her first daughter, which took place in a hospital via caesarean section. Julia describes feeling unheard and unsupported throughout the process, noting that it was not the birth experience she had hoped for. This experience influenced her decisions in her subsequent pregnancy, where she felt strongly that a home birth was the right choice for her. She was able to find a supportive midwife and consultant who encouraged her plan for a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC).

However, at her 20-week routine scan, Julia was given the devastating news that her baby’s heartbeat had stopped. She shares the emotional impact of this moment and the difficult decisions that followed. Julia chose to give birth to her son at home, supported by her midwife and doula, describing the experience as one surrounded by care, compassion, and love.

Julia then speaks about her third pregnancy and the the birth of her second daughter at home. Once again, she was supported by midwives and other women, creating a nurturing and empowering birth environment.

Most recently, Julia experienced an ectopic pregnancy. She reflects on this experience with honesty, sharing how she is feeling in the immediate aftermath and the emotional impact of facing another unexpected loss.

Thanks so much Julia
Get in touch
E: [email protected]
IG: Irelands Stories Birth Podcast IG

Produced & edited by Corah Gernon at She Talks Productions

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Sharing some details around the My Birth offer which I recently launched. As a thank you I am giving one listener the opportunity to avail of the service, simply as a thank you, a gift from me to you.

See details below

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E: [email protected]
IG: Irelands Stories Birth Podcast IG

Produced & edited by Corah Gernon at She Talks Productions

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This week, I share my chat with Laura, who talks us through the birth of her daughter. Together with her partner, Jack, Laura they spent time educating themselves as part of preparation for the labour and birth. As Laura approached the later stages of pregnancy, she started to hear conversations around induction. Her decision was to decline an induction which she stuck to but she recalls feeling some pushback. Laura did have a positive interaction with a consultant who took a more supportive approach and advised there was no intervention needed so she hit the road home. At 42 weeks’ gestation, Laura went into labour spontaneously at home, supported by both Jack and her doula. She describes the early stages of labour, the conversations in the hospital as she laboured into 42+1 weeks and meeting her baby for the first time.
Thanks so much Laura
Get in touch
E: [email protected]
IG: Irelands Stories Birth Podcast IG

Produced & edited by Corah Gernon at She Talks Productions

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This week I share my chat with Judy who talks me through each of her four pregnancies. Judy gave birth to her first little boy at 26 weeks gestation. His birth was a total shock with no indication he was on the way. Judy shares how life looks with such a premature baby from holding him for the first time, meeting other people in a similar situation to bringing her little man home. After we chat through each of Judy's two early pregnancy losses following her first experience, we then move on to revisit her fourth pregnancy. Their life was planned around this pregnancy between careers and building a house. All was going so well, her baby was thriving when at a routine appointment it was discovered Judy needed a cervical cerclage. At 15 weeks gestation Judy underwent this procedure but within days everything changed. She was admitted to hospital after her waters unexpectedly broke. The following two weeks were incredibly tough with the weight of making a decision no parent should have to face. So much of Judy's story is hard to hear but just so important if you are supporting someone through loss but also navigating life with a preemie baby. Thank you Judy x
Get in touch
E: [email protected]
IG: Irelands Stories Birth Podcast IG

Produced & edited by Corah Gernon at She Talks Productions

Show Your Support
Buy Me A Coffee
Patreon
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.