Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, natural deliveries, unmedicated birth, jaundice, pelvic girdle pain (PGP), Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), sacroiliitis, hypermobility, autism, pandemic

We meet Maggie Henshaw in this episode, a mum to two boys born either side of the pandemic. The way she discovered both pregnancies was unusual!

Maggie and her husband had been trying to start their family for over three years, when they found they were expecting their son. She had a positive pregnancy journey, natural delivery and good recovery in early 2019, with her son experiencing temporary 'conehead' after delivery. As a toddler, he began speech and language therapy due to glue ear and later received a diagnosis of autism… while Maggie was pregnant with the couple’s second son.

Her second pregnancy was difficult due to worsening pelvic pain - by her second trimester, Maggie was using crutches. Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) meant she experienced increasing discomfort around her hips, sacroiliac joints and lower spine… especially as the baby grew. This affects 1 in 5 pregnant women, and Maggie’s story really highlights its’ impact before and after birth. She went into spontaneous labour in the summer of 2023 and had another natural delivery – without any pain relief!

Maggie speaks warmly of her supportive husband, her mum and mother-in-law – as well as Early Birds nursery. We discuss her mixed feeding journey, parenting a child with autism, and what it’s like to have children that look so similar! Thank you Maggie for sharing your two Gibraltar Birth Stories (Recorded September 2025).

Early Birds Nursery: https://www.stmartinsschoolgibraltar.com/our-school/early-birds-nursery
Find 'Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories' on Facebook and Instagram for more
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, pre-eclampsia, induction, natural delivery, jaundice, breech, epidural, elective caesarean, big babies

Kick-starting Season 4 of the podcast is local nurse Kelly Bingham! In this episode we meet her family - her ex-military husband and two boys... born six years apart at the same weight of 9lbs 2oz!

The couple learned they were expecting their first baby in the summer of 2013, and Kelly experienced a good pregnancy - aside from nausea and working a physically demanding job. She describes a good labour and natural delivery, although with fluctuating blood pressure (pre-eclampsia) and an issue with uterus contraction afterwards. At six weeks old, her baby’s jaundice levels required an urgent referral to a London hospital – a period Kelly describes as very difficult. Thankfully he had no serious complications and returned to the Rock soon after.

For her second pregnancy Kelly was not as nauseous… but from 14 weeks her baby remained in breech position. She talks about the higher-risk situation making her nervous for a different kind of birth, an elective caesarean. Thankfully it went well, and after being treated for an infection she had a good recovery too. Although her second son also had jaundice investigations, he was deemed healthy.

Throughout our chat, Kelly references gratitude for her strong family support. She describes adjusting to becoming a family of four - there's a funny story about how her sons first met! - and she speaks fondly about the bond between her two sons. This was a fun one to record! (August 2025) Thank you Kelly for sharing your two Gibraltar Birth Stories.
Find 'Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories' on Facebook and Instagram for more
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear a gripping audio trailer of our wonderful guests, who told their unique birth experiences across episodes 26 - 40 in Season 3.
Listen to the the voices of these local mothers, and a summary of the huge range of topics covered:

💜 15 episodes (July to October 2025)
💜 Over 18 hours of audio
💜 Stories ranging from 1975 to this summer
💜 27 babies born!!

As the national broadcaster, it's been a privilege to capture these life-changing and emotional local stories... providing support and a powerful resource to others in our community. Thank you for listening, and join us for Season 4 starting in January 2026!

If you'd like to share your story, email: [email protected]
Find 'Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories' on Facebook and Instagram for more
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, infertility, natural delivery, postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), blood transfusion, short age-gap

Welcome to part 2 of Chloe's journey - a diary special to end Season 3 of the podcast! We track Chloe's pregnancy with their surprise baby that she and her husband conceived naturally... just months after welcoming their little girl born via IVF.

Episode 39 (part one) was recorded when Chloe was 19 weeks pregnant. This episode begins at 29+2 weeks, as Chloe recaps her second trimester– with a flight to America, plus discovering an unusual gynae issue. Going into trimester 3, she’s uncertain whether to have an elective caesarean or natural labour.

At our full term update (38+1), Chloe is more confident about her birth plan, and speaks so highly of her supportive husband. She outlines the physical and emotional strains of being heavily pregnant in August with a toddler, but shares a great beach tip and some funny anecdotes about how people respond to her bump! She speculates (incorrectly!) about when her daughter might be born. Another update (39+1) sees more discomfort kick in.

Short voice notes at 40 weeks, 40+2 and 40+3 capture progress of appointments...and Chloe’s emotions! Remarkably, she recorded an update on the ACTUAL day her daughter was born, and the very next day too... but from the Critical Care Unit, due to another postpartum haemorrhage. Thankfully her daughter was well, and Chloe tracks her recovery with voice notes 2 & 5 days postpartum.

Two weeks after the birth, Chloe gives a more detailed account of events. Despite another traumatic experience requiring a blood transfusion, she’s full of praise for the medical team and feels she had a better physical recovery this time. We have final catch-ups at 1 and almost 2 months postpartum, where Chloe discusses her daughter’s emerging personality, reflects on self-care and shares her hopes for the future.

I’m so grateful to Chloe for recording this very special episode over half a year! :)
Season 4 begins in January 2026,
Find 'Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories' on Facebook and Instagram for more
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, infertility, IVF, assisted natural delivery, retained placenta, dilation & evacuation (D&E), postpartum haemorrhage (PPH)

Welcome to the first of a two-part special, to end Season 3 of the podcast! Chloe Loddo and her husband had been trying to start their family for over 2 years, before receiving a diagnosis of infertility. She speaks poignantly about the increasing impact on her mental health at that time, before the couple began their IVF journey at a Spanish private clinic in 2023.

Chloe had a successful first treatment cycle - and she describes her 'cautiously optimistic' mindset throughout a good pregnancy journey. There's some humour in how she describes labour starting, before her daughter was born via an assisted natural delivery (kiwi vacuum) in the Spring of 2024.

However she sustained significant blood loss, and in the following days Chloe became even more poorly with a dangerous complication. She was admitted to hospital for an emergency procedure to remove retained placenta… and some weeks later, a second postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) led to another hospital admission. Chloe explains how her difficult start to motherhood was a blur, of feeling very unwell and being separated from her little girl.

She praises her husband and mum for their support during her recovery, and happily they settled well into family life together. Chloe shares some great positive advice to others trying to conceive or facing infertility, and speaks about wishing she’d opened up to close family and friends sooner for support. And then! A HUGE surprise that Chloe simply describes as 'wild.' You'll be smiling so much by the end of this episode! We'll continue Chloe's story in part two, Episode 40.

If you found this episode particularly interesting, check out episode 29 too.
For more episodes about IVF, find episodes 2, 7, 17, 18, 20, 22 and 25.
Find 'Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories' on Facebook and Instagram for more
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.