Tinto Talks

Ruby shares her amazing story of being induced but managing to maintain control of the situation and still having the birth she dreamed of. Insight into managing her birth plan, encouraging a calming atmosphere even though in the obstetric unit to ensure a positive and empowering birth story she so desired. Due to not being able to have an epidural because of low platelets, Ruby talks through her pain management techniques from TENS to being in the birthing pool and use of the app Freya.  Such as positive story even though things didn’t quite go to plan.

Resources:

Freya app: https://thepositivebirthcompany.co.uk/freya-hypnobirthing-app

@Motherbees

@thefirstfortydays

Ruby discusses her desire for a homebirth, what influenced her decision, the books she had read, hypnobirthing courses attended and the research she did. We also discuss and the controversies surrounding peoples birth choices and the importance of supporting women whatever their story. We discussed pregnancy in a pandemic and the benefits of choosing a home birth meaning continuity of care as you are allocated a midwife and they come to your home. Finally, we discuss the fact that Ruby’s platelets are low and this means she is starting to prepare herself for the fact that she might need to be induced meaning she will need to be in the obstetric unit for the birth.

Resources:

https://thepositivebirthcompany.co.uk

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/npeu-report1-safety-of-birthplace-and-implications.pdf

Cervical cancer survivor goes on to have a baby against all of the odds. Hear Philippa’s incredible survival story of #cervicalcancer at the age of 29. Following radical surgery to remove her cervix she was still young and hadn’t really thought much about starting a family. 7 years later when she met her husband and started down the path for trying for a baby, things weren’t working like they should. After many investigations she realised a fallopian tube was crushed in the original treatment of her Cancer. By this stage she was 2 weeks before her 40th birthday, a cut-off point for free IVF in the NHS in most postcodes. So began her #IVFjourney. 3 rounds later and a lot more drama baby Eleanor arrived against all the odds. 

Meet Olivia. She talks to me on Instagram live about hers and Lucie's story of their journey to starting a family. The process of referral, and then once in the system the options of IUI or IVF, sourcing a donor and potential costs. This is not just a story for gay couples. Any person seeking to start a family that requires assistance for fertility will find this relevant and helpful. Olivia also highlights a very interesting point that women are not taught enough about their bodies and fertility in school or...ever. We only become aware of what is required to make a baby when we are mentally ready and often this doesn't match up with whether our bodies are ready, or past the optimal point of conception. MAKING BABIES

I meet with women’s health specialist Michelle Norton-Hughes from www.rebuildandthrive.co.uk for a  a whistle stop tour of exercise in the perinatal period. We cover exercising in the early days, what to avoid from the second trimester onwards, pelvic girdle pain, incontinence and running during pregnancy and postnatally. We finish with a little on diastasis recti (abdominal separation), how to return to sport safely after your birth and when to seek professional advice. EXPERT OPINION

Here is the first of many birth stories. Meet Charlotte, a new mother of two who shares with us her story of birthing during a pandemic but also a successful vaginal birth after c-section (VBAC). We cover how she came to her birthing decision, prepping for birth in lockdown and then talk through how the labour went. We look at the support she received throughout her pregnancy and birth and some stats on VBAC’s. BIRTH STORIES