British Birthing Stories

  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.   Fo...

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. E...

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 hypno...

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 IV...

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...

CONTENT WARNING: this episode discusses still birth. Please take care while listening. This anonymous birth story has been shared by a mother who gave birth to her baby boy sleeping at 24 weeks pregnant, after noticing reduced movements and that her baby had stopped kicking, despite having no other symptoms. She wants to raise awareness of stillbirth and highlight why it is so important to be awar...

In today’s episode, I interview myself and share the birth story of my first son, Finn. When I was a young woman living in Australia, I was diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells on my cervix and had to undergo two LLETZ procedures. Later, when I became pregnant with Finn, I learned that these procedures had affected my cervix, leaving me with a short cervix and placing me at higher risk of preterm bi...

  In today’s episode, I speak with Lauren, an NHS worker and meditation and breathwork teacher, about her experience of having a planned NHS home water birth with her first baby. Lauren shares her journey to conception, including the emotional pressure of trying for nearly a year, working in the NHS during COVID, and how stress shaped her experience of fertility. She reflects on how taking th...

  In this episode, Laura returns to share the story of her second birth, a planned NHS home birth following her previous induction and assisted delivery. Once again managing hyperthyrodism during pregnancy, Laura was determined to approach this birth differently, prioritising autonomy, research, and continuity of care. Her pregnancy took several unexpected turns, including an unstable lie in...

  In today's episode, I speak with Laura on the podcast as she shares the story of her first birth. During pregnancy, Laura was managing hyperthyroidism and was later diagnosed with low PAPP-A, which led to increased monitoring and concerns around her baby’s growth and fluid levels. As her pregnancy progressed, she was advised to have an NHS hospital induction, marking a significant shift fro...

In today's episode I welcomed Liz back to the show to share her second birth story with us. Liz’s second birth was everything her first wasn’t — calm, instinct-led, and deeply healing. After a more medicalised first experience, Liz went into her second pregnancy determined to feel informed, grounded and in control of her choices. She prepared differently this time — focusing on building trust in h...

In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Liz, a mum of two, antenatal teacher, and breastfeeding peer supporter, who shares her experience of a hospital labour ward birth following a long journey through unexplained infertility. In this episode, Liz shares the story of the birth of her first baby after a long and emotionally challenging journey with unexplained infertility. She talks about conceiving...

In this episode I’m joined by Gabby, who shares her IVF journey and positive induction birth. Gabby opens up about years of having no natural cycle, navigating dismissed concerns, choosing to go private, trying IUI before moving to IVF, and conceiving on her first IVF transfer. She then takes us through advocating for herself around induction timing, having her waters broken, intense early contrac...

In today’s episode, I spoke with Lauren about her experience of having a calm, physiological NHS home birth, a birth she once never imagined would be possible for her. Lauren shares how she spent much of her life unsure about motherhood and deeply fearful of birth, and how that fear initially shaped her expectations around pregnancy and labour. She talks honestly about sitting on the fence for yea...

In today's episode I welcome Megan from Birth-ed back to the podcast to share the story of her second birth: a planned physiological home water birth after a pregnancy again affected by hyperemesis. Having previously experienced induction, Megan approached this birth differently — declining additional intervention and focusing on building deep self-trust throughout pregnancy. When her waters broke...

In this week's episode I spoke with Megan, founder of Birth-Ed who shared the story of her first birth: an NHS induction at 39 weeks following reduced movements. After a pregnancy complicated by severe hyperemesis, Megan trusted her instincts when something felt “off” at the end of pregnancy. Although initial scans were normal, she chose induction, navigating hospital pressure, decision-making as...

In this episode I interviewed Jenna about her two very different NHS birth stories, her first, a long hospital labour ending in a forceps delivery, and her second, a fast and deeply healing home birth. Jenna talks openly about conceiving after an ectopic pregnancy, then labouring for over 42 hours with her first son after her waters broke early. She describes being repeatedly sent home, left witho...

  Two home births. Two boys born in the pool. Two labours where her body did almost everything on its own and no pain relief either time.   Hannah is a mum of two boys from Somerset who shares two calm, positive NHS home water births. Her first, during COVID, came after weeks of reading, hypnobirthing practice, and a pregnancy where her son measured small and consultants kept changing th...

The consultant told her on her head be it. She was 30 weeks pregnant with identical twins and asking for a water birth so she changed care providers and started again.   Layla is a doula now based in Devon who shares one of the most extraordinary birth stories on this podcast. Already known to listeners from her first episode about her home birth with her son, this time she was navigating a h...

She was admitted the day before her due date with reduced movements. And then her body kept expelling every single pessary they put in.   Erin is a mum of two from a small town who shares a calm, grounded and ultimately positive first birth story after an induction that did not go quite to plan. Three pessaries. None lasting longer than an hour. A body that had its own ideas. And then a drip,...

  Her first birth was a calm, quick water birth at the birth centre. Her second was a home birth except the pool wasn't filled, the midwife wasn't there, and her partner was on a 999 call cutting off her leggings when their son arrived on the living room floor. Kat is a mum of two from Huddersfield who shares two very different but equally positive NHS birth stories. Diagnosed with deeply inf...

  Everything was calm. Candles on, playlist playing, TENS machine working, and Rosie labouring at home exactly as she had hoped. And then the police arrived to take a statement about her stolen car.   Rosie is a first-time mum whose pregnancy took an unexpected turn when a routine fundal height measurement raised concerns about her baby’s growth. What followed was consultant-led care, gr...

  Everything was going perfectly. Six hours of labour, no pain relief, at home exactly where she wanted to be. And then her waters broke and there was meconium in them.   Layla is a doula now based in Devon, but when she had her son 8 years ago she was simply a first time mum who knew she wanted to birth at home, surrounded by fairy lights, affirmations she had painted herself, and the s...

She had planned a home birth. She had done hypnobirthing. She had her playlists ready. And then the NHS called and said there were no midwives available. Most women would have panicked. Faye walked into that hospital, held her ground against a doctor pushing for induction, and had the birth she always wanted anyway. Just not where she planned it.   Faye is a mum of two who had her first baby...

  She was a midwife. She knew the system inside out. And she still couldn't get the care she actually wanted.   Katie is an independent midwife now based in Cornwall who shares two home births that could not have been more different. Her first was a planned Halloween home birth during COVID, with a private midwife who looked her in the eyes at 37 weeks and told her she could do this. Her...