Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories

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

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: bornontherock@gbc.gi

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.

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, chicken pox, natural deliveries, fast labour, premature, caesarean, grandmotherWe're heading back to 1985, 1987 and 1991 today with Jackie Catania and her three children. This is a great episode for hearing about very smooth pregnancies... although she describes medical factors after each birth.Jackie was 23-years old and full-term with her first child... when she got chicken pox! She was very uncomfortable, and it presented the maternity ward with a delivery challenge. A fast natural labour followed and thankfully her daughter was unaffected, but Jackie was advised not to hold or feed her daughter until the pox had gone... a full week later. She speaks about feeling overwhelmed when she finally brought her daughter home, although speaks fondly about support from her mother and sister.Two years later Jackie experienced another smooth pregnancy, fast labour and natural delivery with her son. However he had breathing difficulties as a baby and child, and she describes a trip to the UK for investigations. Doctors discovered the root of his manageable condition, and Jackie explains her concern and care throughout his childhood.A last textbook pregnancy followed, but with a spontaneous labour six weeks early. Jackie describes how her waters broke in a very public place, and how medical professionals deemed a caesarean delivery best... against her wishes. Jackie describes painful healing while travelling to hospital in London post-partum, for her daughter to be monitored. Happily she was well, and Jackie was able to breastfeed for the first time, before returning to the Rock. We have an interesting discussion about the benefits of hindsight, and what it's like to be a grandparent. I’m so grateful to Jackie for sharing her three Gibraltar Birth Stories (Recorded August 2025).

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, endometriosis, laparoscopy, infertility, natural delivery, placenta previa, caesarean, haemorrhage, blood transfusion, birth trauma⚠️Trigger warning: Discussion of birth trauma in the second half of this episode.We're meeting Tina Reyes and her husband in this episode, whose two boys were born in 2012 and 2015. Tina underwent gynae investigations and treatments for suspected infertility, before falling pregnant with her first son. She had a textbook pregnancy before a lengthy labour and natural delivery. Tina gives a great description of her breastfeeding journey with local support.She had a positive second pregnancy... until a hospital admission at 17 weeks due to placenta previa. It's a serious complication with a high risk of bleeding, commonly requiring caesarean delivery. Tina describes how online groups helped yet hindered: she learned alot but felt intense anxiety into her third trimester. She was hospitalisied again at 32 weeks.A full-term caesarean delivery followed, but with a sudden medical emergency. Tina cites instances that she feels impacted events surrounding the birth - with some details she only learned months later. It's an emotional listen as Tina speculates whether outcomes may have been avoided or managed differently. Thankfully her son was well after a delayed blood transfusion, although her own recovery understandably took longer.Family support has been a major factor in Tina's journey, and we chat about raising boys as the teenage years approach. She's passionate about self advocacy, and I'm very grateful to Tina for bravely sharing her two contrasting Gibraltar birth stories (Recorded August 2025).If you have been affected by any of the topics in this episode, GibSams offer a listening service on free phone number 113 123, or find support online at: https://gibsams.gi/Disclaimer: views expressed in this article are those of Tina Reyes and do not reflect the views of GBC.

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, natural deliveries, premature, jaundice, gastroesophageal reflux, great-grandmother We’re meeting 68-year old Anne Martinez in this episode who takes us back to the 1970’s for a UK birth, and the 1980’s for a birth on the Rock. Unusually, both of Anne’s babies were born prematurely and - more unusually - required minimal intervention! Anne describes a good healthy pregnancy in 1975, and what it was like to go into spontaneous labour as a married 19 year old far away from family. Her daughter arrived by natural delivery at a healthy weight after a straightforward and quick labour – she had no complications and avoided a stay in an incubator. Anne recovered well, but alludes to a serious incident that led to her returning to the Rock with her daughter. Some years later a second pregnancy followed with her new husband. Anne was well, but again went into spontaneous labour at 7 months, while watching a popular 80’s TV drama! Her son arrived by natural delivery – the same week that Anne was due to use the first ultrasound scanner that had arrived in Gibraltar. She describes him born at a good weight, but experiencing jaundice. She also sought a second opinion and medical treatment across the (recently re-opened) border, for her son's gastrointestinal issues. We chat about what it’s like to be a great-grandmother, as well as something very important to Anne: her faith. There’s family links to a guest from episode 25 on the podcast too! I’m so grateful to Anne for sharing her premature birth stories from over 40 years ago (Recorded August 2025).

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, PCOS, infertility, obesity, gestational diabetes, induction, assisted delivery, natural deliveries, short age-gap, Rh-negative blood, jaundice Laura Bradshaw and her military husband found themselves posted to Gibraltar in 2010, at a stage where they'd already been trying to start a family for a few years - unsuccessfully. Laura describes irregular cycles, polycystic ovaries and her weight as issues in not receiving more timely help with fertility treatment... but when this was finally prescribed, it proved very effective! Laura had a good pregnancy and felt well, but describes rising anxiety in her second trimester as she was repeatedly warned by military medical staff that she would have to return to the UK to give birth alone. Unhappy with this plan, she switched her care to the GHA and was instantly happier with a more attentive and caring approach, plus regular monitoring for her gestational diabetes. She describes a lengthy labour, induction and tricky assisted delivery as they welcomed their little boy, before spending a very happy year on the Rock as a family of three.Laura explains what it was like to discover a surprise second pregnancy soon afterwards, and to move from Gibraltar for their next posting while expecting! This time it was textbook pregnancy with a faster, spontaneous labour and natural delivery of their second son. Some years later (and while living in yet another location!) Laura became pregnant again with their daughter. But this journey was trickier due to nausea, gestational diabetes, a longer induced labour and a jaundice scare requiring specialist treatment.We chat about juggling care for three young children while far away from family, the military way of life, and the things Laura misses about Gibraltar (especially one detail about St Bernard's hospital!)... as well as the power of advocating for yourself and seeking support. This story was so interesting to record and I'm very grateful to Laura for adding a fascinating insight to the podcast, about giving birth on the Rock when it's not your permanent home! (Recorded August 2025).

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, early miscarriages, subchorionic hematoma, hyperemesis, placental abruption, prematurity, emergency caesarean, pandemic, short age-gap, elective caesarean, blood transfusion, autism We're squeezing a huge range of topics into this fascinating episode, with Lesley Anne Viñales and her husband. This couple married young and took a relaxed approach to starting their family, but as the years passed with two sad early miscarriages, they began to think parenthood could be out of reach. Happily, they became pregnant... but as the pandemic hit! Lesley speaks about the challenges of being an expectant mother when the whole world locked down. At 33 weeks while in Spain, she felt increasing pain... followed by a sudden, heavy bleed. A frightening rush followed to get to Gibraltar, and thanks to the actions of a quick-thinking border officer, the couple reached St Bernard's quickly. It's an emotional listen as Lesley describes the blur of an emergency caesarean - her doctor detected life-threatening placental abruption, and safely delivered their daughter.  Unusually for a premature baby, she didn't have to leave the Rock for specialist care. Lesley reflects on how different the outcome could have been. She healed well and they settled into family life in the summer of 2020. Then along came a second, unexpected pregnancy! Lesley explains the irony of the new baby's due date, and speaks about navigating gallbladder issues, another haematoma and more hyperemesis. She was monitored closely, and an elective caesarean was deemed the safest option. Their second daughter arrived healthy at full-term, and Lesley reflects on the two contrasting birth experiences, describing them as like 'night and day.' There's an interesting discussion about autism towards the end of this episode, and the parenting challenges that presents. She has been supported by family and Early Bird's nursery, and speaks so fondly about both her girls - their personalities really shine through! It's clear she and her husband are an incredibly strong team together, and I'm so grateful to Lesley for sharing her - remarkably different - birth stories (Recorded July 2025).Early Bird's Nursery information: https://www.stmartinsschoolgibraltar.com/our-school/early-birds-nursery