Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, caesarean, nuchal cord, jaundice, ABO incompatibility, haemolytic disease of newborn (HDN), blood transfusion, grandmotherWe’re heading back to the late 80’s today, with Ivana Finlayson and her husband – both nurses at the old St Bernard’s hospital. It’s a dramatic and emotional listen for the second half of our story.Ivana was a young mother with a good pregnancy, and her son was born on his actual due date! She required a caesarean with both of her children – at a time when these were carried out under general anaesthetic. She returned to work two months postpartum, and speaks about a special bond with her own mother.By 1991, Ivana was expecting again. Soon after the birth, her baby’s health deteriorated due to differing blood types between mother and baby (ABO incompatibility now rarely presents complications, thanks to advances in early detection).She describes a traumatic few days as her daughter’s jaundice worsened; she became so poorly that a priest was called. Just two days postpartum, Ivana took a flight to King’s College Hospital, terrified by warnings that her baby might die. She remembers emergency care being excellent, as staff discovered the shocking reason her daughter hadn’t improved in Gibraltar. Back on the Rock, Ivana adjusted to life with a newborn and toddler… while taking her nursing exams. She feels that navigating her daughter’s near-fatal experience made her a more empathetic nurse, and she describes a touching ‘full-circle’ moment towards the end of our chat. It was lovely to hear Ivana’s advice to her younger self, as well what it’s like to be a grandmother. Thank you Ivana for sharing your two Gibraltar Birth Stories (Recorded December 2025).

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, miscarriage, fertility, posterior uterus, transverse lie, induction, natural delivery, advanced maternal age, pandemicWelcome to an uplifting episode of empowerment, positivity and humour! We meet Dulcie Edwards, her husband and their two children, born either side of the pandemic.For years Dulcie never dreamed of becoming a parent - but when the time came to start a family in her early 30's, she describes tricky menstrual cycles and hormonal treatment for fertility issues. After a sad miscarriage, the couple found they were expecting their daughter in 2019.There's some very funny anecdotes through Dulcie's pregnancy journey (especially from her workplace at a school!), before a long labour began. She describes how her baby seemed 'stuck,' due to a transverse position and her posterior uterus. A fast birth followed with a good recovery for both, though Dulcie speaks about processing her emotions in the early postpartum months.After the pandemic, the family found they were expecting a little boy. At full-term Dulcie was induced due to the risk of infection. She describes an intense labour with no pain relief, and her son making his arrival known! We chat about her recovery, the children's bond and personalities, plus her hopes for their futures - especially in a digital world. This was a fun and empowering one to record, and I'm very grateful to Dulcie for sharing her two Gibraltar Birth Stories! (Recorded December 2025).

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, natural delivery, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, breech, elective caesarean, Klipper-Feil syndrome (KFS), large age gapWe meet Nicole Byrne this week: a mother of three boys who really learned to speak up! It's an episode of growth as Nicole overcame challenges and stigma - she describes negative local attitudes to being young, pregnant and unmarried in the 1990's.For all three pregnancies, Nicole experienced nausea, sensitivity to smell and minimal weight gain. Much of her first labour was without pain relief, and her son was born with no complications. Despite him being a 'good' baby, Nicole's fatigue led to a diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, requiring lifelong treatment.When pregnant with her second son, Nicole was advised to have a caesarean due to his breech position. In the months after his birth, she felt certain there was something wrong... yet felt dismissed by doctors with no medical answers. Nicole insisted on a referral to a UK hospital - where he was diagnosed with a very rare condition affecting the neck, shoulder and spine (Klipper-Feil Syndrome with Sprengel's deformity). Despite family support it was a difficult time for Nicole - she became involved with the Disability Society and took a career break to care for her young boys.There's humour in our chat as Nicole describes a surprise pregnancy with her new partner, almost a decade later! After a scare in the third trimester, her third son was born very quickly. We have a lovely chat about the boys' relationships, and what it's like to parent adults. This was such an interesting episode about trusting your intuition, learning to advocate, and growing in confidence as a mother. I'm so grateful to Nicole for sharing her Gibraltar Birth Stories! (Recorded November 2025).http://www.gibraltardisabilitysociety.com

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, type-1 diabetes, blood thinning injections, induction, natural delivery, jaundice, athleteThis is a great episode about what it's like for a world class athlete to undergo dramatic physical changes to become a mother, as well as manage type one diabetes through pregnancy. Olivia and her husband Mark are parents to a one year old little girl and are both elite cyclists, having represented Gibraltar at the Commonwealth and Island Games.The couple had to find time period between competitive events to try for a family, and quickly became pregnant in 2023. The physical change for Olivia was stark - from 100km cycles and personal bests, to a 25kg weight gain and being breathless climbing the stairs. She describes becoming hyper-vigilant in monitoring her daily sugar levels to ensure the baby's healthy development. She also experienced an erratic heart rate and nausea through pregnancy, alongside working full-time and moving house!This is a great example of a successful induction and straightforward labour without complications - aside from the smell of her husband's lunch! It was emotional meeting their daughter for the first time, and after a short stay in hospital due to jaundice, they settled into life as a family of three.Olivia's postpartum journey saw her restart gentle exercise with her husband's support a few weeks later. Remarkably within just three months, she regained much of her fitness and qualified for the Orkney Island Games! Olivia went on to win gold and bronze medals at the event in 2025 - when her daughter was just over a year old. She describes juggling training and parenting in such a down-to-earth way - I loved recording this fun and inspirational episode! Thanks Olivia for sharing your Gibraltar Birth Story (Recorded September 2025).https://www.gbc.gi/news/orkney-island-games-two-gold-a-bronze-for-gibraltars-womens-cycling-team

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

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, natural delivery, postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), blood transfusion, short age-gapWelcome 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,