This week I share the first birth story under the new title "Birth Back Then". Mairead revisits each of her three miscarriages followed by her two birth stories. Mairead worked as a nurse all her life so gives us an insight into what that looked like along with how life looked in the 1980's as a working women trying to build her family. She gave birth to her first son unmedicated with the support of her husband within the hospital setting. We then move onto her second birth story which was very different. She was blighted with constant sickness and crippling pain. It was discovered at 26 weeks gestation that Mairead infact had a huge cyst along with other diagnosis and underwent emergency surgery.

Mairead then takes us through life post surgery and the remainder of her pregnancy. It's so hard to her how after such a short space of time her life returned to "normal", working for as long as she could until she went into labour while still very much feeling the impact of her surgery.

Mairead's story is precisely why I decided to make this addition to the podcast and open the space up for women to share their historical births.

Thank you so much Mairead

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This week I share my chat with Sarah who talks me through her decision to create a family on her own, two pregnancies and two very different birth stories. Sarah chats briefly on her decision to start her family solo with the help of a donor and the realisation after seeing that positive test. We then chat through her first pregnancy which was blighted with anxiety due to a number of factors. The days leading up to her daughter's birth were not conducive with the labour Sarah wished for. We then revisit Emily's birth and the months that followed. Second time round looked very different, although Sarah didn't give birth at home which she hoped for, she did receive the care and attention of some amazing midwives. She experienced that rush of love as her boy came into the world.

Thanks Sarah

This episode is brought to you by Mother Dragon

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This week I share my chat with Julie who talks me through her second birth story, the birth of Billy. We spoke last year revisiting the birth of her first son but this story is thankfully very different. Julie expected a long labour similar to her first experience but Billy had very different plans. Julie was surrounded by supportive midwives who were rooting for her to continue on the path she was on to a completely unmedicated birth. A gorgeous positive birth story.

Below I have included by first chat with hJulie which is almost a year to the day.....I promised that wasn't planned!

Thanks Julie

EP140 Julie

This episode is brought to you by Mother Dragon

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This week I share part 2 of my chat with Amber who talks continues to talk me through her experience with postpartum psychosis along with her second pregnancy and planned induction. Amber goes into further detail around the weeks following the birth of Billy. She shares how PPP looked for her from hallucinations to the impact it had on her senses. We then talks through her second birth story, her decision to have a planned induction and the birth of her daughter Polly.

Amber has shared so much with us which I know is greatly appreciated. I hope the experiences she has shared can provide comfort to you or others around you and also to just share life after PPP. It does exist x

This episode is brought to you by Mother Dragon

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In this weeks episode I share PT1 of my two part chat with Amber. In her early 20's, Amber discovered she was pregnant which was later diagnosed as an ectopic pregnancy. Ambers second pregnancy was hard as she struggled with sickness throughout, mentions of IUGR from doctors and also discovering her baby had a two vessel chord. Following an induction, Ambers first baby was born weighing a healthy 7 pounds into the arms of very happy parents. This is where her story changes dramatically as she suffered a haemorrhage and needed specialised care much quickler than she received it. Amber goes on to share her experience with postpartum psychosis which we chat about in the latter stages of her story but we really dive into in the next part of her story.

Thanks Amber

This episode is brought to you by

Mother Dragon

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Produced & edited by Corah Gernon at She Talks Productions

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This week I share my chat with Jess who talks me through each of her two birth stories. Jess discovered she was pregnant in her 20's which although was a suprise, it was more of an adjustment to the plan as having children was always on the trajectory. We revisit her daughters birth who came into the world one day after her due date surrounded by fellow midwives for support. We then chat through her second pregnancy, TTC, the joy in seeing that positive pregnancy test and the reason why Jess opted for an induction.

At the end of our chat we both get a little emotional but for the same reason. We all want women to have the experience they want, regardless of how it looks. Grieving the birth Jess didn't and won't have is something we go into.

Thanks Jess

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This week I share my chat with Hannah who talks me through each of three pregnancies. Hannah revisits TTC, pregnancy loss and giving birth at home supported by SECMs. After suffering a miscarriage with her first preganancy Hannah was blighted with anxiety throughout the early stages of her subsequent pregnancies. During a routine scan on her second pregnancy it was discovered Hannah was pregnant with twins but one of the twins didn't survive which is described as a "vanishing twin". We talk through her decision to birth each of her babies at home surrounded by her husband and amazing midwives.

Thanks Hannah

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This week I share my chat with Emma who talks me through each of her two births. Emma opted for an epidural with her first labour giving her the much needed relief she was looking for. She then talks us through her second pregnancy which was a shock but very much wanted. At the latter stages of pregnancy she was just ready for baby to join her family and thankfully he decided he was ready too. She went into spontaneous labour and had an unmedicated birth. The days, weeks and months to follow were so tough with her son suffering from reflux. Emma revisits just how tough it was with the sleepless nights, feeling completely helpless, the constant vomiting and more. Together with her husband they attended every practitioner under the sun in sought of help. The cure was time it seems. This episode will resonate with so many of you who have tried to comfort your babies through months of colic or reflux, you certainly aren't alone.

Thanks Emma

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This week I share part two of my chat with @aoifekeogh20 who talks me through life after Ríans major surgery and his passing at 14 months. Aoife also chats through discovering she was pregnant and navigating the loss of your child while watching your bump grow.

Aoife took time to focus on the labour and birth of her second baby attending classes again including @urmamastrength and hypnobirthing. She really wanted to avoid another c-section which she did. She had a completely unmedicated VBAC and got to experience that high!

Episode Links

Lorna Dwyer

Nadia - Labour of Love

A Little Lifetime

Give A Little Grub

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This week I share part one of my chat with @aoifekeogh20 who talks me through her first pregnancy and the birth of her gorgeous boy, Rían. Aoife and her husband received the devastating news that their gorgeous baby had a life limiting condition. It was thought at the time their baby wouldn’t survive to full term but Rían defied the odds and lived for 14 months. 

Aoife revisits receiving the diagnosis and everything that comes with that from scans, conversations, preparation for the unknown and undergoing a C-section which is something she really didn’t want. 

She shares navigating so much more which leads us into part two of her story which will follow next week, pregnancy through grief.

Aoifes story is so hard to hear for so many reasons but I have absolutely no doubt that it will provide many others with comfort. 

Episode Links

Lorna Dwyer

Nadia - Labour of Love

A Little Lifetime

Give A Little Grub

Support the podcast

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Instagram

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