KEY TOPICS: 3 births, chicken pox, natural deliveries, fast labour, premature, caesarean, grandmother

We're heading back to 1985, 1987 and 1991 today with Jackie Catania and her three children. This is a great episode for hearing about very smooth pregnancies... although she describes medical factors after each birth.

Jackie was 23-years old and full-term with her first child... when she got chicken pox! She was very uncomfortable, and it presented the maternity ward with a delivery challenge. A fast natural labour followed and thankfully her daughter was unaffected, but Jackie was advised not to hold or feed her daughter until the pox had gone... a full week later. She speaks about feeling overwhelmed when she finally brought her daughter home, although speaks fondly about support from her mother and sister.

Two years later Jackie experienced another smooth pregnancy, fast labour and natural delivery with her son. However he had breathing difficulties as a baby and child, and she describes a trip to the UK for investigations. Doctors discovered the root of his manageable condition, and Jackie explains her concern and care throughout his childhood.

A last textbook pregnancy followed, but with a spontaneous labour six weeks early. Jackie describes how her waters broke in a very public place, and how medical professionals deemed a caesarean delivery best... against her wishes. Jackie describes painful healing while travelling to hospital in London post-partum, for her daughter to be monitored. Happily she was well, and Jackie was able to breastfeed for the first time, before returning to the Rock.

We have an interesting discussion about the benefits of hindsight, and what it's like to be a grandparent. I’m so grateful to Jackie for sharing her three Gibraltar Birth Stories (Recorded August 2025).

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