Ireland's Birth Stories

In this next episode I share my chat with Brana who talks me through the birth of her little girl Evie and her very recent pregnancy loss. After undergoing testing due to concerns following a routine 12 week scan, Brana and Ross received the news that their little girl had Trisomy 21 also known as Down Syndrome. She shares much more surrounding Evie’s diagnosis which I know many other parents can...

In this next episode I share my chat with Pam, Phil and of course the star of the show Teddy. Pam shares many aspects of her pregnancy from coping with pregnancy after loss (EP40 Pam shared her previous birth experiences) gestational diabetes, extensive preparation 🙌and the birth of her little boy Teddy at home. I was joined by Phil her love, her husband and an incredible support. I adore chattin...

In this next episode I share my chat with Amy who talks me through her one pregnancy and the birth of her son Cooper. Amy read books, attended classes, watched YouTube videos and listened to podcasts as part of her preparation for birth and motherhood. She spent time educating herself to ensure she knew the risks and benefits of various interventions. Amy shares her positive induction story and th...

In this weeks episode I share my chat with Jill who talks me through her one pregnancy and the birth of her daughter Charlotte. Jill really had to focus on tracking her ovulation, the ovulation sticks (as with many of you) weren’t helping her much so she focused on natural indicators too. She put a lot of time into preparation and stayed active throughout her pregnancy including teaching yoga. I t...

In this episode I share my chat with Aisling who talks me through her two pregnancies and births. I recently asked if you wanted me to keep conversations surrounding early motherhood in the podcast and there was a resounding yes! I have done just that with this episode, I know so many of you will relate to some if not all of what Aisling speaks about. She chats about the initial overwhelm when dis...

In this next episode I share my chat with Jane who talks me through her two pregnancy’s and births. Jane’s first baby was brought into the world via emergency c-section as she went into labour at 32 weeks. She thought she could feel a cord prolapse but infact it was her little boys foot! Her second baby also came into the world early at 36 weeks but thankfully she had an experience much closer to...

In this next episode I chat to Nicola who talks me through her spontaneous triplet pregnancy. Nicola and her husband attended an early scan when they discovered they were expecting twins, they left that appointment shocked as many of us would. They later attended their hospital scan around the 3 month mark when they saw a third little one on the monitor. So much changed from that moment on! Nicola...

EP92 - Jo & Katie, IVF, Doula Support, Induction, Unmedicated Positive BirthIn this next episode I share my chat with Jo and her wife Katie. I love chatting with couples, watching their faces as they speak about one of the most significant milestones in their lives is pretty special. I wanted to speak to a same sex couple for so long, the wait was so worth it. This is such an important conversatio...

In this next episode I share my chat with Laura who talks me through her two experiences with birth. Laura not only shares her two birth stories but she also chats about other aspects of early motherhood and pregnancy too. The birth of her first little girl definitely wasn’t what Laura expected which she feels contributed to some tough moments as a first time mother. Laura was diagnosed with pregn...

In this next episode I share my chat with Katie who talks me through her journey to motherhood. Katie suffered loss, experienced trauma due to an emergency caesarean birth, underwent two positive elective caesarean births and received a PCOS diagnosis. There is so much more in Katie's story but I will let her tell you everything in between from being admitted to hospital for 6 weeks whilst pregnan...

I just adored listening to Fiona’s three births. Her first homebirth was 10 years ago when we knew very little about the service and her most recent homebirth was in 2018.Her first babe arrived at home by the fire in the birth pool, her second on the landing as her little girl listened to her mama from her bed and her third beneath a tree with the sun on her skin in the arms of her husband. Fiona...

In this episode I chat to Catherine ( Play at Home Mammy )ho talks me through her three very different births. On her first pregnancy, second stage of labour was so quick with her little man entering the world swiftly. She talks us through a rough few weeks of breastfeeding and the support she availed of to help her alleviate the constant discomfort. She had a C-section with her second pregnancy d...

In this episode I chat to Siobhán who talks me through her experience with pregnancy and birth. She shared many up and downs including a diagnosis of HELLP syndrome, an emergency C-section, isolation and a tough post partum journey. Siobhán also chats about her experience with miscarriage so openly which I know so many of you will relate to. We then dive into her third pregnancy which she struggle...

In this next episode I share my chat with Paula who talks me through her three very different birth experiences. She also chats openly about each breastfeeding journey, each babes issues with tongue tie and motherhood. Paula then brings me through her third experience with labour and birth and why the decision was made to bring her little boy into the world via emergency caesarean birth. She chats...

In this next episode I share my chat with Caroline who talks me through her journey to conceiving twins. We chat about infertility, IVF, discovering she was pregnant and also early pregnancy. Although Caroline truly wanted a vaginal birth, at 32 weeks she surrendered to the fact she would likely birth her babies via Caesarean section due to breech presentation. Her pregnancy took a dramatic turn 5...

In this bonus episode I share my chat with @sineadhingston who at the time was 35 weeks pregnant. We chat about the last two years of her life suffering multiple pregnancy losses and how she came to the decision to try once more to grow her family. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling fully invested in Sinead’s pregnancy. I have followed her journey from the very beginning feeling so incredibly sad e...

In this next episode I share my chat with Luca who talks me through her two pregnancies and births. Luca was frequently scanned and checked for GD throughout her pregnancy with some concerns that baby was measuring big. Thankfully her little girl was born at a very healthy 7+ pounds via an unmedicated vaginal birth. At 11 months postpartum, Luca discovered she was pregnant with baby number two. He...

In this next episode I share my chat with Doris who birthed her first baby in New Zealand. She talks us through the care system there, being induced and her boy being brought into the world via Caesarean birth. We then chat about her second pregnancy which although was planned still came as a surprise. Doris really wanted her VBAC (Vaginal birth after Caesarean) and that’s exactly how her little g...

In this next episode I share my chat with Maeve who talks me through her two experiences with birth. She welcomed her first boy in hospital with the support of her husband and midwives. Maeve also spoke about her tough breastfeeding journey dealing with oversupply, pumping, a hospital admission due to mastitis and also tongue tie. After an difficult start she went on to breastfeed for 18 months. O...

In this next episode I share my chat with Leanne who talks me through her four vaginal births, two of which were twins and one of her twins was born breech. Leanne also spoke about suffering three early pregnancy losses and the shocking physical side of miscarriage. She attended a consultant who carried out various tests which enabled her to carry her fifth pregnancy to term with the support of me...

EP80 - Fidelma - Three Vaginal Births, Early Pregnancy Loss, Gentlebirth, Early Labour at 36 weeksIn this weeks episode I chat to Fidelma who talks me through her three positive vaginal experiences. Fidelma also suffered an early pregnancy loss which she touched on but previously she spoke in detail about her loss in this episode Between Us - Early Pregnancy Loss She used @gentlebirthofficial to h...

This week I share my chat with Niamh who talks me through her pregnancy and the birth of her little boy Jack. Niamh and her husband Barry discovered they had unexplained infertility after a long period of trying to conceive naturally. After attending a clinic and undergoing IVF treatment they were so thrilled to receive the news they were expecting their first baby. Niamh immediately went into bir...

In this next episode I share my conversation with Dairíona who talks me through her experience of pregnancy and labouring alone thoughout COVID restrictions. Listening to Dairíonas story in many parts is difficult and for this reason I would consider her episode to be of a sensitive nature. She talks me through conception, her various hospital visits due to concerns of baby’s movement, a bleed and...

In this weeks episode I share my chat with Anita who is both a birth & postpartum doula. I love hearing the perspective of someone who works in the world of maternity care. She chats me through early pregnancy, preparation for birth and how she felt in anticipation of giving birth considering she supported women for years prior to her own pregnancy. Anita was respected and supported during labour...

In this week’s episode I share my chat with Nicole who spoke to me about her pregnancy & the birth of her little boy Brody. We chat about how she felt at various stages throughout her pregnancy and her early signs of labour. After hours of labour the decision was made to birth little Brody via emergency C-section due to meconium in her waters and other indications baby needed help. After her surge...