Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories

• Episode 5: A Difficult Time in 1979, with Priscilla Mañasco

  KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, pre-eclampsia, assisted delivery, birth trauma, suspected embolism, blood transfusion, postnatal depression We're heading back to 1979 for this episode, as Priscilla Mañasco tells us about having her only child - a daughter - at the old St Bernard's hospital.Antenatal care has certainly changed since those days: Priscilla describes the many different practices surrounding health check-ups, feeding advice, visiting rules at the hospital and washing cloth nappies, plus how she felt old as a first-time mother... at 26!Priscilla suffered pre-eclampsia in the later stages of pregnancy and endured a lengthy labour in distressing conditions: she describes a violent forceps delivery, a very hostile consultant and intimidated nurses. It's a difficult listen as dramatic events unfolded when her daughter was born. Her recovery included a suspected postnatal embolism, a blood transfusion and undiagnosed postnatal depression. Priscilla's late husband was very supportive, but she reflects on her mental health toll from the traumatic birth experience... including how it influenced the decision not to further grow their family. Her description of adjusting to early motherhood while returning to full-time work is a fascinating snapshot of life on the Rock in the late seventies and early eighties. This episode (recorded November 2024) makes for a compelling listen, and I'd like to thank Priscilla so much for bravely sharing her experience. Find more about Priscilla's story and the podcast on Instagram: born_on_the_rockIf you'd like to tell your story, email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Episode 4: Fibroids & Hysterectomies, with Michelle Rugeroni

  KEY TOPICS: 2 births, fibroids, endometriosis, large babies, caesareans, hysterectomy, post-natal depressionIn this episode we’re meeting Michelle Rugeroni (known as Rouge) whose two adult kids were born in 2004 and 2006. This is a fast paced chat covering a range of topics. Rouge was told to expect difficulty conceiving due to fibroids and endometriosis… yet fell pregnant very quickly after trying! She describes how large fibroid tumours on her ovaries grew during pregnancy, leading doctors to recommend caesarean sections for both of her large babies.Rouge had good pregnancy experiences but developed post-natal depression after the birth of her first baby, which she directly attributes to the difficulty of breastfeeding and implied pressure. She speaks very candidly about that difficult time and feeling unable to care for her baby – the support from her own mother proved invaluable, and she describes how hard the issue is for fathers too. Hear how she moved past the PND, and how her mindset was very different after the birth of her second child. She encourages mothers to speak up and ask for help, and to prioritise their own mental health and wellbeing.Rouge had five abdominal surgeries in the space of just a few years, and describes the two hysterectomy procedures she went through.. plus the symptoms of menopause hitting as the children left the nest! She's incredibly proud of her son and daughter, and has such a positive energy that really comes across in this episode. You can find her own podcast online: ‘On the Sofa with Rouge.’Find more about Michelle's story and the podcast on Instagram: born_on_the_rockIf you'd like to tell your story, email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Episode 3: Mothering Multiples, with Katherine Feetham

  KEY TOPICS: 7 births, twins, hyperemesis, umbilical cord prolapse, 2 emergency caesareans, 1 miscarriage Get ready to meet our biggest family so far! In this episode, Kathy Feetham talks about giving birth seven times over an 18 year period... to all girls! She describes how each of the pregnancies compared, with a mix of 'easy' textbook journeys, alongside more complicated deliveries. There is one mention of early miscarriage towards the very end of this episode.Kathy's stories have amazing twists and turns, as you might expect. Did she find out the gender each time? Did she breastfeed all seven? Why does she describe her last child as a miracle baby? You’ll hear how she naturally delivered twins... with different birth dates. About the incredible power of intuition, how one baby arrived during a family event, and how she responds to the many questions and comments from strangers.I loved recording this episode - Kathy describes herself as a calm person and exudes gentle warmth and humour in this episode. It’s lovely hearing about the supportive role of her husband throughout too. Kathy has a way of making remarkable events sound quite straightforward, and her obvious love of motherhood just shines through from start to finish. I hope you'll find as much pleasure in hearing her stories, as I did recording them! (November 2024).Find more about Kathy's story and the podcast on Instagram: born_on_the_rockIf you'd like to tell your story, email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Episode 2: Secondary Infertility, with Tara Montegriffo

  KEY TOPICS: 3 pregnancies, hyperemesis, Turner's syndrome, omphalocele, genetics, second trimester loss, secondary infertility, IVFWe're meeting Tara Montegriffo in this episode: a Gibraltarian wife and mother of one young daughter at the time of recording (November 2024). Please be aware that this is an emotional listen, involving discussion of baby loss.Tara describes her three difficult pregnancy journeys, involving debilitating hyperemisis until delivery. After the safe caesarean birth of her first daughter, she went on to suffer two devastating miscarriages... one in the second trimester, due to Turner's syndrome, omphalocele and cardiology complications. Tara speaks candidly about the trauma surrounding the loss of her second child, including weeks of travelling between Spain, Gibraltar and London for genetic testing and specialist care.As Tara and her husband dream of growing their family, she describes the challenges in facing secondary infertility, including hidden costs and burdens involved in the IVF process. I'm very grateful to Tara for sharing her story, to help raise awareness and normalise conversations for others going through difficult pregnancy journeys. She feels strongly about women supporting one another, and during our discussion Tara spoke so eloquently and with composure about her experiences. I would love to welcome Tara back on the podcast in future, hopefully with happy news of a sibling for her daughter.If you feel affected by details in this story, BabySTEPPS Gibraltar offer baby loss support through pregnancy and parenthood:https://www.facebook.com/BABYSTEPPSGIBFind more about Tara's story on Facebook and Instagram: born_on_the_rockIf you'd like to tell YOUR story, email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Episode 1: Pregnant through a Pandemic, with Kathy Sanchez

  KEY TOPICS: 2 births, PCOS, infertility, gestational diabetes, retained placenta, pandemic.In the very first episode of Gibraltar Birth Stories, we meet Kathy - who has a great story about her own arrival on the Rock in the 1980's! She and her husband first met at primary school, and they have two young children together.Kathy and her husband encountered fertility issues due to polycystic ovary syndrome when they began trying to conceive. After tests and treatment, they fell pregnant in 2020... and found out just a week before the global lockdown! She describes what it was like to be pregnant at that vulnerable time, plus the fast natural births of her daughter, and then son almost two years later. Kathy was at risk of pre-eclampsia with her first birth, and talks about recovery from retained placenta with her second. She shares her experience of becoming a family of four, and the advice she would go back and give herself as a new mother.This is a really heartwarming listen (with quite a few food references too!) - and I'm hugely grateful for Kathy's support in being the very first Born on the Rock podcast story. This episode was recorded in October 2024.Find more about Kathy's story and the podcast on Instagram: born_on_the_rockIf you'd like to tell your story, email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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