They warned her throughout her entire second pregnancy that her baby was measuring large and that there could be complications at delivery. He was out in two pushes.

Vicky is a mum of two boys from Kent who shares two positive NHS hospital vaginal births. Her first birth was harder than expected. A midwife changeover at a critical moment left her without the pain relief she had been promised and pethidine administered too late meant she felt out of sorts in the precious first moments with her baby. Second time around she went in informed, prepared, and knowing exactly what she needed.

What made the difference was simple. She understood her options. She knew how to use gas and air properly. And when the moment came, despite being warned all pregnancy that her large baby could cause complications, she delivered him in two pushes with no stitches and was home the next day.

In this episode we talk about:

• How a midwife changeover in active labour affected Vicky's first birth and what she took from it
• How learning to use gas and air properly transformed her second birth experience
• What it is like to be warned all pregnancy about a large baby and shoulder dystocia and then deliver in two pushes
• Navigating the emotional juggle of a newborn and a toddler in those early postpartum weeks

This episode is for anyone going into a second birth wanting to understand how knowledge and preparation can completely change your experience.

The stories shared on British Birthing Stories are real, personal experiences from real women. I am not a medical professional and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice. Every pregnancy and birth is different, and I always encourage you to speak to your midwife or doctor about your own individual care.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She planned a natural water birth. She hypnobirthed. She researched everything. And after 36 hours in labour and a failed induction drip still stuck at 5cm, she made the most empowered decision of her birth. Asking for a C-section she never planned for. And she would do it all again.

Hannah is a first time mum who shares her honest and empowering story of a 36 hour labour, a failed induction, and an emergency C-section on the NHS. Despite spending months preparing for a medication free water birth, Hannah found herself at a crossroads in the early hours of the morning, advocated for herself clearly and confidently, and came out the other side feeling something she never expected to feel. Completely proud of her birth.

Hannah did not get the birth she planned. She got something better. A birth where every single decision was hers, made with knowledge, clarity and confidence. She is not someone who feels like her birth went wrong. She is someone who knows exactly why it went the way it did and would make every single choice again.

In this episode we talk about:

• Planning for a natural birth and navigating when labour does not progress
• What it really feels like to go on an NHS hormone drip and why Hannah chose to come off it
• How to advocate for an unplanned C-section and what that process looks like on the NHS
• What nobody tells you about C-section babies in the first hours after birth
• Recovery tips for C-section mums that will actually make a difference in those early days

This episode is for anyone who has ever worried that a C-section means their birth went wrong. Hannah is proof that it absolutely does not.

The stories shared on British Birthing Stories are real, personal experiences from real women. I am not a medical professional and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice. Every pregnancy and birth is different, and I always encourage you to speak to your midwife or doctor about your own individual care.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I speak with Kaci, who shares her first birth story, which unexpectedly ended in an emergency (Category 1) C-section under general anaesthetic following a cord prolapse.

Kaci talks about a physically and emotionally challenging pregnancy, including PCOS, endometriosis, frequent hospital visits for reduced movements, and later being diagnosed with obstetric cholestasis after persistent itching and advocating to be heard. She shares how her waters broke spontaneously, labour progressed with the support of a hormone drip, and how quickly everything changed.

We also discuss recovery after an emergency caesarean, early feeding experiences, processing birth trauma, and Kaci hopes of planning a VBAC in the future.

This episode is shared for storytelling purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I chat with Kailey who shares her incredible third birth story, including a birth before arrival (BBA) where she gave birth completely alone at home before midwives or paramedics arrived.

After two previous births where she felt her experience was disrupted, Kaylee went into this pregnancy determined to have a physiological home birth on her terms. Navigating pregnancy as a single mum of three, she opens up about advocating for herself within the NHS system, declining interventions, and facing pressure around being 42+4 weeks pregnant.

Her labour began calmly but quickly turned into an intense precipitous labour, with her baby born just 16 minutes after calling the midwives. Guided only by a midwife on the phone, Kaylee experienced a powerful fetal ejection reflex, catching her own baby in the dark, an experience she describes as deeply healing and empowering.

She also shares the reality of postpartum recovery, from the day 4 emotional dip to navigating newborn life solo, and how this birth transformed her confidence as a mother.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in home birth, freebirth, birth before arrival, post-term pregnancy, and advocating for yourself in maternity care.

Please note: this podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I speak with Amanda about her journey from a traumatic birth experience to a positive home birth, and how it led her to become a birth doula.

Amanda shares how her first pregnancy involved concerns about a small baby, which led to pressure to accept an NHS hospital induction. This resulted in a cascade of interventions, including a forceps birth and episiotomy, leaving her feeling shocked, disconnected and physically traumatised.

She opens up about her difficult postpartum recovery, including post-birth infection, tailbone pain after birth, breastfeeding difficulties, reflux in newborns, and the impact on her postnatal mental health. Amanda reflects on feeling unsupported during labour and the challenges of advocating for yourself in birth.

When Amanda became pregnant again, she chose a completely different path. With the support of a birth doula, she was able to process her birth trauma, rebuild confidence and make informed decisions throughout pregnancy.

Amanda planned a home birth within the NHS, choosing to avoid unnecessary interventions and trust her body. She describes her physiological home water birth as calm, empowering and deeply healing. This episode covers induction of labour, forceps delivery, episiotomy recovery, birth trauma, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding challenges, home birth, hypnobirthing, doula support, birth advocacy and maternal mental health, offering an honest and informative insight into how birth experiences can shape early motherhood.

This episode is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm joined by Jeanette, who shares two very different births that both ended in unplanned C-sections.

Her first baby turned breech right at the end of pregnancy. After three failed ECV attempts and a lot of research, she planned a C-section but went into labour first. When her baby showed signs of distress, the decision was made and she had an unplanned C-section.

For her second birth, Jeanette had a miscarriage between pregnancies before conceiving her rainbow baby. She was planning a VBAC when her waters broke at 40 weeks. Back at hospital her contractions became constant with no break between them and her baby's heart rate dropped. It was a category one emergency. Jeanette was taken for surgery under general anaesthetic alone, without her husband. Her baby was born not breathing and needed resuscitation.

Jeanette wanted to share her story so other mothers know that even when birth doesn't go to plan and the situation becomes frightening, you can still come out the other side feeling grateful and at peace with how it happened.

The stories shared on British Birthing Stories are real, personal experiences from real women. I am not a medical professional and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice. Every pregnancy and birth is different, and I always encourage you to speak to your midwife or doctor about your own individual care.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Ellie shares the story of conceiving her son after two and a half years of trying, following years on the contraceptive pill and eventually discovering during pregnancy that she had a large uterine fibroid. With concerns about her baby’s growth and blood flow between the placenta and uterus, she was placed under consultant-led care and scheduled for an induction on her due date.

Ellie describes arriving at hospital for the induction, receiving a pessary, and unexpectedly progressing into labour quickly overnight. What followed was a fast and intense labour, where she laboured using gas and air, pethidine, and the bath before rapidly reaching full dilation just as she was being moved to the delivery ward for the epidural she had planned. Her son was born vaginally after a short pushing stage, but the birth was complicated by him being born with his arm up, resulting in a severe 3B tear.

She also speaks honestly about the immediate postpartum complications that followed, including a retained placenta requiring surgery, missing the “golden hour” with her baby, significant blood loss, and the emotional impact of recovering from a serious birth injury. Ellie reflects on the challenges of early feeding, the slow physical recovery from a third-degree tear, pelvic floor rehabilitation, and learning to reconnect with her body after birth trauma. This episode offers a detailed, honest, and reassuring insight into induction birth, retained placenta, severe tearing, and the realities of postpartum recovery after a traumatic birth.

This podcast shares personal birth experiences and is not intended as medical advice.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I’m joined by Emma, who shares the story of her second birth, an NHS home birth after caesarean (HBAC) and VBAC birth story. Emma reflects on choosing an elective C-section for her first baby during Covid, navigating postpartum recovery, and her difficult early breastfeeding journey.

For her second pregnancy, Emma prepared for a VBAC home birth with the support of a doula and hypnobirthing, while advocating for her birth choices despite pushback from healthcare professionals. She takes us through spontaneous labour at 37 weeks, labouring through the night in water, and welcoming her baby in a powerful physiological birth at home.

We also talk about planning a home birth after caesarean, birth rights, doula support, physiological birth, and Emma’s successful breastfeeding journey second time around.

This episode is shared for storytelling and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always seek personalised guidance from your healthcare provider.  

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I speak with Harriet, a midwife, yoga teacher, and first-time mum, about her experience of conceiving through IVF and going on to have a planned NHS home water birth with her daughter, Juno.

Harriet shares her journey to conception after two and a half years of trying, eventually discovering that both she and her husband were facing fertility challenges. They went on to have IVF with ICSI and were left with just one embryo, which became their daughter. Harriet reflects on navigating pregnancy as a midwife herself, including experiencing severe sickness throughout much of her pregnancy.

She talks through planning a home birth within the NHS, reaching 40+12 weeks pregnant, and navigating the pressure around induction as she waited for labour to begin. Harriet shares how labour started quietly at home and progressed throughout the day, using movement, breathwork and instinctive positions to support her body through back-to-back surges.

Harriet’s daughter Juno was born in the birth pool at home just after midnight, caught by her husband and brought straight to her chest. She also shares her experience of a physiological third stage, the early postpartum hormone shifts, and their breastfeeding journey, including navigating tongue tie in the early weeks.

This episode offers an honest account of IVF, post-dates pregnancy and planning a home birth within the NHS, alongside reflections on trusting the body, birth preparation and the realities of the early postpartum period.

This episode is shared for storytelling purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode, I interview myself and share the birth story of my second son Kit. After having a previous C-section with my eldest son, Finn, I knew that I desperately wanted a VBAC birth with Kit. I did everything I could to prepare for Kit's birth, such as listening to lots of birth stories, downloading a hypnobirthing course, which was Pop That Mama's Birth Box, and making sure that I just did as much research as I could into how I could make this possible. I spoke with a consultant midwife and was able to start my labour on the midwife-led unit, but then eventually had to transfer to the main labour ward as my labour just progressed really slowly. Towards the end of labour, I had to have an episiotomy and forceps delivery, and Kit struggled to breathe once he was born, so he was sent away to NICU, and I had a postpartum haemorrhage and blood transfusion, which was really difficult at the time, but I am so grateful for everything that I'd done ahead of the birth, which meant that I was able to really cope and manage what was going on during my labour and birth.

I share what it's like experiencing not having the birth you'd hoped for and being separated from your baby after birth. I also talk really openly about what it was like not experiencing love and struggling to bond with your baby and what it's like having a baby in NICU even for a short stay. I hope this helps other women out there. And ultimately, it was this birth that made me really want to start this podcast to help other women learn how to advocate for themselves because even though the birth that I experienced was quite traumatic to me, it wasn't actually that bad. And I guess that's because I felt so prepared. And as you'll hear if you listen to this birth story, I really advocated for myself the entire way through and I knew exactly what I was signing up for throughout that entire labor in terms of my interventions. So I hope that this is helpful and I can't wait to hear what you think.

Please note that this episode shares my personal experience and is not intended as medical advice. Every pregnancy and birth journey is unique, so if you have any concerns about your own health or pregnancy, please speak with a qualified medical professional.

British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.

These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTube

Want to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.