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Birth Stories with Clemmie Hooper
Handprints and baby loss with Michelle Tolfrey
Season 1, Ep. 5
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CW: This episode features discussion of baby loss.
Michelle was told at 37 weeks pregnant that, devastatingly, her baby no longer had a heartbeat. She talks Clemmie through how, with the help of her midwife, she was able to birth her baby vaginally and spend time with her before she and her husband left the hospital. Clemmie and Michelle discuss how she felt when the unthinkable happened, how they managed to find moments of light and hope alongside their grief, and how Michelle and her husband keep Orla’s memory alive. They also take a question about how to approach giving birth again after a traumatic birth.
For information and help on the subject of baby loss, visit:
sands.org.uk
tommys.org/baby-loss-information-and-support
If you have any concerns about your baby’s movements at any stage in your pregnancy always call your hospital and speak to a midwife. For more information please visit: kickscount.org.uk
Michelle's blog From The Other Chair explores baby loss, pregnancy and parenting after loss as well as mental health: fromtheotherchair.co.uk
Michelle is a Clinical Psychologist and her professional website has lots of information about mental health and wellbeing and the evidence based therapies that can help: talkingheads.org.uk
Follow Clemmie's Mother of Daughters account: instagram.com/mother_of_daughters/
Follow Clemmie's Gas and Air account: instagram.com/gasandair/
Clemmie's book How to grow a baby and push it out is available now: amazon.co.uk/How-Grow-Baby-Push-Out/dp/1785040383
Birth Stories is produced by Hannah Varrall and created by Off Script
*This podcast is not to replace medical advice. Always speak to your midwife or doctor if you have any concerns.*
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12. Rocky bars and stitches with Nadiya Hussain
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11. Spreadsheets and the Lindo Wing with Michelle Kennedy
36:03||Season 1, Ep. 11Michelle chose to give birth privately after researching all the options available to her, but didn't look into c-sections as she was convinced she would have a vaginal birth. Clemmie and Michelle discuss Kate Middleton, calcified placentas, and how it felt when Michelle had to have an elective section after going past her due date. They also take a listener question about feeling negatively towards your body during pregnancy.Find out more about Michelle's app Peanut here: https://www.peanut-app.io/Follow Clemmie's Mother of Daughters account: instagram.com/mother_of_daughters/Follow Clemmie's Gas and Air account: instagram.com/gasandair/Clemmie's book How to Grow a Baby and Push It Out is available now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Grow-Baby-Push-Out/dp/1785040383Birth Stories is produced by Hannah Varrall and created by Off Script*This podcast is not to replace medical advice. Always speak to your midwife or doctor if you have any concerns.*
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9. Shuttle buses and neonatal care with Cathy Kamara
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8. Poos and birthing pools with Helen Thorn
35:19||Season 1, Ep. 8Scummy Mummy Helen Thorn gave birth to her first daughter in a birthing pool at home with no pain relief. She and Clemmie talk about having an ‘annoyingly perfect’ birth, using a TENS machine, and why birth sometimes involves sieves. They also take a question about pooing during labour, and Clemmie explains why midwives often get excited about it.You can find Helen on Instagram: instagram.com/helenwearsasize18Follow Clemmie's Mother of Daughters account: instagram.com/mother_of_daughters/Follow Clemmie's Gas and Air account: instagram.com/gasandair/Clemmie's book How to Grow a Baby and Push It Out is available now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Grow-Baby-Push-Out/dp/1785040383Birth Stories is produced by Hannah Varrall and created by Off Script*This podcast is not to replace medical advice. Always speak to your midwife or doctor if you have any concerns.*
7. Pessaries and sepsis with Candice Brathwaite
38:59||Season 1, Ep. 7Candice was told at 38 weeks that her baby was likely to be born by section, but she was induced and went through a long labour when her baby became overdue. She tells Clemmie how the doctors took her to the very edge of labour before performing an emergency section, and then how, catastrophically, her post-surgery pain was ignored, leading to life-threatening sepsis. Candice and Clemmie discuss the black birthing experience and the results of the MBRRACE report, which showed that in the UK, black mothers are five times more likely to die in childbirth than their white counterparts. They also take a question about post-birth debriefs.Candice’s book I’m Not Your Baby Mother is available to pre-order now. Her campaign Make Motherhood Diverse can be found on Instagram: instagram.com/makemotherhooddiverse/Follow Clemmie's Mother of Daughters account: instagram.com/mother_of_daughters/Follow Clemmie's Gas and Air account: instagram.com/gasandair/Clemmie's book How to Grow a Baby and Push It Out is available now: amazon.co.uk/How-Grow-Baby-Push-Out/dp/1785040383Birth Stories is produced by Hannah Varrall and created by Off Script*This podcast is not to replace medical advice. Always speak to your midwife or doctor if you have any concerns.*
Birth Stories supports #PODSTRIKE
02:01|Birth Stories with Clemmie Hooper is supporting the global climate strike on Friday 20th September, organised by Greta Thunberg and the UK Student Climate Network.Young people have woken up much of the world with their powerful Fridays for Future school strikes for the climate. As we deal with devastating climate breakdown and hurtle towards dangerous tipping points, young people are calling on millions of us across the planet to disrupt business as usual by joining the global climate strikes on September 20, just ahead of a UN emergency climate summit, and again on September 27.Together, we will sound the alarm and show our politicians that business as usual is no longer an option. The climate crisis won’t wait, so neither will we. Find out more at globalclimatestrike.net
6. Knitting needles and losing the plot with Laura Jackson
38:01||Season 1, Ep. 6Laura Jackson joins Clemmie this week to talk about the birth of her daughter Sidney. Laura discusses why she decided not to have a birth plan, how having an epidural helped her regain control after pain caused her to panic and worry during labour, and how she felt both overwhelmed and underwhelmed when the baby finally arrived. They also take a listener question about different methods of induction.Find out more about Laura’s new project Hoste here: https://hostelondon.co.uk/Follow Clemmie's Mother of Daughters account: instagram.com/mother_of_daughters/Follow Clemmie's Gas and Air account: instagram.com/gasandair/Clemmie's book How to grow a baby and push it out is available now: amazon.co.uk/How-Grow-Baby-Push-Out/dp/1785040383Birth Stories is produced by Hannah Varrall and created by Off Script*This podcast is not to replace medical advice. Always speak to your midwife or doctor if you have any concerns.*