The Ireland's Birth Stories Podcast

In this episode I chat to Jessica, we actually discovered we live within walking distance of one another which was lovely. Jessica chats me through her pregnancy & the birth of her son, Louie. She originally from Australia, as you will hear from her gorgeous accent and married an Irish man making the permanent move to Ireland in 2017. She attended hypnobirthing with @brenda_communitymidwife and found it to be so beneficial, arming her with the knowledge to make decisions she was comfortable with. She had a back to back labour which was tough and she opted for an epidural which gave her the relief she was looking for allowing her to settle into birth after a really long and intense labour. She then chats to me about her breastfeeding journey and how vital support to help and encourage you throughout tough times. Loved chatting to Jessica and I'm looking forward to our coffee date which may be in a field at a distance but so be it. Jessica has also recently created a podcast with her sister called The Hood which I have linked below for you. The Hood Podcast Enjoy!

In this weeks 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 an 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 struggled with, a contrast to her first. She really endured so much which you will hear throughout the podcast. A story well told, raw honesty and the detail we all need to hear Enjoy! Episode sponsored by Discovery Playtime www.discoveryplaytime.ie avail of 10% discount with code BIRTHSTORIES

In this episode I chat to Jen about her three pregnancies & births. Jen decided to employ a doula on her first pregnancy and she proved to be an amazing support. She helped prepare them for the birth and held their space within the hospital allowing Jen to have that much needed quiet time to really tap into her final stages of labour. She was such an anchor throughout and importantly helped Jen & Mark process the birth which wasn't what they had expected or hoped for. She then chats to us about Juno's birth which was a swift to say the least. Juno was born on the M50 but I will say no more and let Jen tell you all the gorgeous details Her third birth was a homebirth, something, Jen has desired from the start of her pregnancy journey with her first baby. A few bumps in the road in her final weeks may have made it difficult to settle into a HB state of mind but the day of Bills birth was a gorgeous affair. I played it back multiple times. As with all of the stories I hear, I had goosebumps and a smile on my face listening back to Jen's story. I know you will too! Enjoy!

In this episode I chat to Michelle who talks me through her two pregnancies & births. Michelle is mum to three kids as she found out she was expecting twins on her second pregnancy. She chats to me about her first pregnancy and how she felt throughout her postpartum weeks & months. She then chats about the moment they received the news they were expecting twins and describes her immediate feelings. The level of care she received throughout her pregnancy was second to non with a huge amount of support and preparation provided by the hospital. Michelle opted to have a vaginal delivery with the twins and describes some beautiful details which naturally occur to allow baby number 2 to make their way down and ready for birth. She speaks very openly about coping in those early days and how she, her mum & husband pulled together to lighten the load. The dream team! A gorgeous interview filled with lots of laughs aswell as touching descriptions of the reality of life! Enjoy!