Kiwi Birth Tales

In this episode of Kiwi Birth Tales I speak with Rebecca about the births of her two Daughters Mela and Millie.  Rebecca focusses mainly on her second birth story with Millie, where she had planned to birth at the birth centre around an hour away from where they live. Rebeccas labour progressed quickly and her midwife instructed her to go to the birth centre as quick as she could, however Millie h...

In Episode 33 of Kiwi Birth Tales I speak with Alana Swain about the birth of her first son Duncan. Alana takes us through falling pregnant the first 'try' and her relatively easy going pregnancy - experiencing some nausea and exhaustion in the first trimester, then smooth sailing from there.  Alana swears by hypnobirthing and loved using the techniques during her labour and birth, choos...

In Episode 32 of Kiwi Birth Tales I talk with Bekah Woods about the births of her Daughter Maia and Son Kobe. Bekah takes us through her first positive birthing experience in a Birth Centre, her breastfeeding journey and adjusting to life with a newborn.  She then takes us through her second pregnancy and labour where she was at home, she had practised hypnobirthing techniques and ended up going i...

In Episode 31 I speak with Libby Boxall (Matthews) about the pregnancy journey and birth of her baby girl Maxwell.  Libby takes us through falling pregnant with Max and moving to South Africa to be with her partner who was playing sport there at the time. Libby discusses the high C Section rate in SA and the differences between her birth there with other stories she has heard of birthing in New Ze...

In Episode 30 I speak with Eden Crowley about the births of Nellie & Waylon. Eden takes us through her first pregnancy, in which she suffered morning sickness and went to 41+5, ending up being induced and needing assistance with a forceps delivery in which she didn't feel in control. Nellies cord snapped which was a concern as she was born, but she was a healthy 4.71kg baby girl.  Eden wa...

In Episode 29 I talk with Annelise from Future Foody. Annelise had planned for a Water Birth in a Birthing Centre, however Tallulah had other ideas - Annelise was induced at 40+5 due to reduced feotal movement and after a long labour Tallulah made her way into the world with the help of forceps, the last step before needing a Cesarean.  Annelise then takes us through the birth of baby Coco, which...

In Episode 28 of Kiwi Birth Tales I speak with Kendall about the birth of her son Brooklyn, and then the birth of her Quadruplets Indie, Molly, Quinn and Hudson.  Kendall takes us through the surprise pregnancy with Brooklyn after being told it would be extremely difficult for her to fall pregnant, severe Hyperemesis Gravidarum, Emergency CSection and life threatening complications post birth with...

In Episode 27 I talk to Emma Tevita about the birth of her daughter Amèlie. Emma had an ectopic pregnancy in 2016 with one of her fallopian tubes rupturing, meaning she wouldn't be able to conceive without IVF. Emma takes us through her IVF experience and falling pregnant, along with the highs and lows with having complications that caused anxiety around being pregnant.  Emma then takes us th...

In Episode 26 I talk with Jana about the birth of her two babes Eddie & Thea. Jana takes us through falling pregnant unexpectedly and going through a miscarriage with her first baby, then falling pregnant again 3 months later.  Jana was showing signs of Preeclampsia and was induced at 38 weeks, after 20 hours and an epidural Eddie was born after about 14 minutes of pushing. Jana had to stay in...

In Episode 25 I speak with Caitlin about her two birth stories, her first with her Daughter Kyrie and second with Son Kemba. Caitlin talks through her first birth in which she was induced and ended up needing ventouse and forceps to deliver, bringing 1.5 year old Kyrie into the world.  Caitlin then takes us through her pregnancy and birth with Son Kemba - Caitlin was told it looked as though she h...

In Episode 24 I speak with Laura Deveth about the birth of her first Son Isaac. Laura takes us through her induction when she was 42 weeks, which lasted a few days before Isaac was born with the assistance of an episiotomy and forceps.  Laura and her partner Aaron decided to move to the Waikato not long after Isaac was born to be closer to family, which she explains was difficult to do with a Newb...

In Episode 23 I talk with Dayna about the birth stories of Jethro & Imogen. Dayna takes us through her fertility struggles, breech Elective C Section and then falling pregnant 4 months after birth with her second child, Dayna then talks about her successful VBAC and adjusting to life as a mother to two young babies.  If you want to check out Dayna and her lovely family on Instagram you can do...

In Episode 22 I talk with Kate Mc Cormick about the birth of her first daughter Freya. Kate was 19 when she gave birth to Freya and takes us through their journey to pregnancy, finding out they had Marginal Cord Insertion while pregnant and then being induced at 38.5 weeks.  Kate had a long induction process, which ended up in an Emergency C-Section, Kate had to be put to sleep as the epidural wor...

In Episode 21 I talk with Christian Newman about the birth and after birth of their lovely baby boy Frankie (Francis). Christian takes us through the journey himself and Mark (his partner) went through to find a surrogate, the process for surrogacy and fertility, the birth of Frankie and also the adoption process in New Zealand, life with a Newborn and the big question - do they want more kids?  C...

In Episode 20 I speak with Bridget about the births of her 3 boys Nixon, Noah and Sonny. All boys were born Vaginally but have 3 quite different stories. During Nixons birth Bridget was induced but Nixons head was stuck which made for difficultly bringing him into the world. After he was born Bridget had a lot of bleeding so she was rushed away to find the cause, which was never really discovered....

In Episode 19 I speak with Joi about the birth of her Identical Twin Boys Jaxon and Byron. Jaxon and Byron were born at 28 weeks and 2 days via elective C-Section and Joi had been under close observation by the Fetal Med team at Auckland hospital for the better part of her pregnancy due to suspected growth restriction and possible Twin-to-Twin-Transfusion Syndrome.  During the last scan it was dis...

In Episode 18 I speak with Laura about the birth of her baby boy Cohen who is 1 year old. Laura is currently pregnant and due with her second baby end of January in which she is planning to have another Home Birth. Before falling pregnant with Cohen, Laura had 2 Miscarriages which made her anxious for the entirity of her pregnancy. Her Midwife supported her through the anxiety and they made the de...

In Episode 17 I talk with Renee about the birth of baby Emmie. Renee takes us through her quick journey to pregnancy after deciding to start "not not trying", antenatal anxiety and depression, her preconceptions about the birth she wanted and the very positive birth she ended up having.  Renee gave birth to Emmie in a birthing pool with no drugs and recovered well. When Emmie was born Re...

In Episode 16 I talk with Mo Mc Reynolds about the birth of her Baby Boy, Brixton. Brixton was born at 38 weeks after Mo had been dancing all night earlier in the week at an Adele Concert and had just finished up work. Mo discusses the difficulty she had with the stand in Midwife, who told her she could push without checking her dilation only to find out Mo was only 8cm after 4 hours of exhausting...

In Episode 15 I talk with Tessa Murray about the 2 Homebirths of her daughters Waitohi and Hapahapai. Tessa takes us through her decision to birth at home, her quick labours, using a Tens Machine for her Second Birth and also the Maori Tikanga that surrounding her birth and after birth.  Tessa speaks so positively of Homebirth and her experiences are lovely to hear. I hope you enjoy the episode! I...

In Episode 14 I talk with Freya Adams about the birth of her Fraternal Twin Girls Aubrey and Frankie. Freya discusses the surprise of finding out they were pregnant, and then with twins, her uncomplicated pregnancy and induction at 38 weeks.  Freyas labour progressed after induction, eventually Freya decided on an epidural and was quickly 10cm following that. Both girls were born Vaginally, with a...

In Episode 13 I speak with Jasmine about her 2 births with Alexa and Lincoln. Jasmine fell unexpectedly pregnant at 16 with Alexa while living at home with her family. Jasmine takes us through her long labour and experience feeling isolated and not listened to by the staff at the Hospital as she was young. Her first birth ended in an episiotomy and extreme PTSD after Alexas birth. Jasmine suffered...

In Episode 12 I talk with Hannah McLean about her Vaginal Birth with her baby girl Winter. Hannah takes us through her experience with wanting to birth at a birthing centre, ending up in hospital, having her waters broken and the ventouse method to assist in getting Winter out.  Hannah then takes us through her post-partum journey including breastfeeding, using nipple shields and her anxiety level...

In episode 11 of Kiwi Birth Tales I speak with Jenny Chapman. Jenny has had 5 births, all daughters where she has given birth 4 times in the hospital and once at home (decided at 40 weeks). Jenny talks about the loss of her second daughter Tara in 2014, sadly Tara passed away with Cancer. When Jenny fell pregnant after Tara passed she was worried about the grief of that loss coming through during...

In Episode 10 of Kiwi Birth Tales I speak with Jess Lowry. Jess has two beautiful little girls, Bowie & Nova.  Jess's first birth with Bowie was a long labour, going to 42 weeks meant Jess was told she needed an induction. The doctors broke Jess's waters and found meconium, she was experiencing slow dilation through out the labour and eventually needed an emergency C-Section. Bowie w...