Podcast · Kids & Family

Ireland's Birth Stories

by Corah Gernon | She Talks Productions · English · Kids & Family

A platform for women to share their experiences with pregnancy and birth without feeling shy about the detail Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 10 min
Latest: 13 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 39 minNew

EP235 Una, Two Birth Stories, Singleton Birth 38 WKS, Induction, Twin Birth at 27 Wks, NICU Stay, Home 11 WKS After Birth

This week I share my chat with Una who talks me through her two birth stories. Una gave birth to her first baby at 38 weeks after discussing an induction with her consultant. She also opted for a walking epidural which to her gave great relief. She welcomed her daughter and looks back on her birth with positive memories. She then revisits discovering she was pregnant with twins and the shock that brought with it. At 24 weeks gestation Una decide to finish up work, going with a gut feeling. She felt off at 27 weeks feeling feverish, so went to hospital to get things checked out.…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E234 · 11 Oct 2026 · 1 hrNew
EP234 Angel (Past Guest), Second Homebirth, Coping with Body v Mind during Fast Labour & Birth
This week I share my chat with Angel who I'm sure you all know. Angel previously shared her first experience in EP163 followed by a lovely chat around building community which I will link below. This time we chat through her second pregnancy and hope of a homebirth. As her first son was a big baby, Angel was met with concerns around the size of her second baby and whether she would in fact be suitable for another homebirth. It wasn't until her third trimester that she knew her homebirth could happen, she was signed off by her consultant and her midwife could official take her under her wing.…
E233 · 6 Oct 2026 · 57 min
EP233 NICU:Niamh, Triplet Pregnancy, Birth at 30 WKS, HDU, Navigating life in NICU & SCBU
This week I share my chat with Niamh who talks me through the birth of her three girls. Niamh shares the moment she discovered she was having triplets and what a shock it was. At 29+6 days Niamh felt something was off so was admitted to hospital, she was convinced she would get to 35 WKS but the decision was made very quickly to bring her babies into the world immediately. Each of her girls were brought to NICU under the most amazing team who were ready and waiting for their arrival. Niamh spent some time in HDU following their birth. She also shares the days and weeks that followed with one…
E232 · 29 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
EP232 NICU Series: Karen, TTC, Spontaneous Birth at 35 WKS, HDU, NICU
This week I share the first episode of the NICU Series. My guest Karen shares the birth of her first baby, Tadgh. She went into spontaneous labour at 35 weeks with her waters breaking at home. She gave birth to her little man vaginally and unmedicated and got to feel that sense of "pure love" as she held him for the first time. Karens motherly instincts told her something wasn't right with Tadgh and his feeding so she asked for help. She was listened to and quickly her baby was taken to the HDU (High Dependency Unit). Hours later she witnessed an emergency as she approached HDU, that…
E231 · 27 Sep 2026 · 1 hr
EP231 Aimee (Previous Guest EP139), Fourth Baby, CBAC Hoped for a VBAC, Acceptance
This week I share my chat with Aimee, it was such a pleasure to chat to her again, felt like chatting with a friend. She talks me through the decision that led to deciding to try for another baby and discovering she was pregnant. She invested so much time into prepping for the VBAC that she really wanted and hoped for. After much consideration and conversation with her husband and consultant Aimee decided a c-section was the best way to welcome baby. She actually went into spontaneous labour the day she was scheduled for her c-section. She laboured for as long as she could but the decision…
E230 · 20 Sep 2026 · 52 min
EP230, Matti, Induction, Haemorrhage, Doula Support, Postpartum Mental Health
This week I share my chat with Matti who talks me through the birth of her daughter. Matti was induced, she talks me through labour, having the ultimate nap and waking up to hearing the news she was 9cm dilated. She reminisces about the moment she touched her babies head just as she was being born and the rush of excitement she felt at the prospect of meeting her baby. Matti then shares how things changed very quickly after her daughter came into the world as she suffered a haemorrhage. She spent time in the HDU (High Dependancy Unit), received a blood transfusion and struggled in the days…
E229 · 13 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
EP229 Megan, Twin Pregnancy, Partial Termination (Termination For Medical Reasons) at 24 Wks, Vaginal Birth, C-section, Loss & Grief
EP229 Megan, Twin Pregnancy, Partial Termination (Termination For Medical Reasons) at 24 Wks, Vaginal Birth, C-section, Loss & Grief This week, I share my chat with Megan, who talks me through her twin pregnancy and the birth of her babies. At her 21 week anatomy scan, Megan was told that while her little boy was developing just as expected but her daughter, Selki, had been diagnosed with a life-limiting condition, spina bifida. Megan shares how the weeks that followed unfolded, including further investigations into Selki’s condition and an MRI. Together with her husband, she met with a…
E228 · 6 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 41 min
EP228 Lorna, TTC, Fertility Journey, Two Pregnancies, C-section, Homebirth, VBAC
This week I share my chat with Lorna who shares each of her two birth stories. Lorna also brings us through trying to conceive (TTC) and seeing her first positive pregnancy test after so many investigations. We then talk through her pregnancy, care and the various interactions she had with health care professionals. At 40+ weeks Lorna did go into labour herself but the decision was made to bring her bay into the world through a c-section. Her little man greeted his parents with a huge roar giving his mam and dad the relief they needed. We then move onto her second pregnancy, a very different…
E227 · 30 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 43 min
EP227 Siofra, Two Births, Birth at 33 WKS, Breech Vaginal Birth, Full-term Birth, Unmedicated Vaginal Birth (Second Baby), Pierre Robin Sequence, Postpartum Depression
This week I share my chat with Siofra who shares each of her two birth stories. Siofra was breech born vaginally at 33 weeks and spent some time in the NICU. She then talks me through her second pregnancy and the relief she felt as she got past the 33 week mark to full term. Siofra went into labour spontaneously and did want an epidural but her baby was very much on her way so there was no time to administer it. When Lucy, Siofra's daughter was born her husband could sense a change in the room. It was discovered that Lucy had a cleft pallet. Later after further investigation Lucy was…
E226 · 23 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
EP226 Lucy, Two Births, Premature Birth at 32 Wks, NICU, Didelphic Uterus, Multiple Early Pregnancy Losses, Positive C-section
This week, I share my chat with Lucy, who talks me through her two very different birth stories. Lucy’s first baby, her son, was born at 32 weeks via emergency C-section. After three weeks in NICU, he was finally discharged, and Lucy and her husband walked out of the hospital for the first time together as a family of three. When they decided the time was right to start trying for their second baby, this time TTC looked very different. After three pregnancy losses and IVF treatment that didn’t give them the results they had hoped for, they were left wondering what options remained. Lucy has…
E225 · 2 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 10 min
EP225 Kitty, One Pregnancy & Birth, Spontaneous Labour, Epidural, Postpartum Haemorrhage
This week I share my chat with Kitty, who talks me through her first pregnancy and the birth of her daughter. Kitty shares how she felt seeing a positive pregnancy test when starting a family wasn't part of her immediate plan. After taking time to process the news and sharing it with her loved ones, her mindset began to shift and started preparing for birth. She revisits going into labour spontaneously and reflects on her experience of having an epidural that wasn't as effective as she had hoped. Shortly after welcoming her daughter into the world, Kitty experienced a postpartum haemorrhage…
E224 · 26 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 28 min
EP224 Aoife, Endometriosis, Two Pregancies & Positive Births, Induction, Spontaneous Labour
This week I share my chat with Aoife. She talks me through her diagnosis of endometriosis in her 20s and the concerns she had about the impact it might have on trying to conceive. Thankfully, she conceived without delay and shares the story of her first pregnancy and the birth of her daughter. Aoife was induced just shy of 42 weeks and fully expected a long labour. Much to her surprise, her daughter arrived the very same day. We also talk about the transition to motherhood without the physical presence of her mum, who sadly passed away a short time before Aoife got married. It's an…
E223 · 19 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 31 min
EP223 Róisin, Low Lying Placenta, Hyperemesis, Emergency C-section, Birth at 31 WKS, NICU/SCBU
This week I share my chat with Róisin, who talks me through her pregnancy and the birth of her son. Throughout her pregnancy, Róisin was told she had a low-lying placenta, but the hope was that it would move as her pregnancy progressed. However, at 31 weeks, she suffered a severe haemorrhage and was admitted to hospital. Things changed suddenly, and the decision was made to bring her baby into the world immediately via an emergency caesarean section. Her son was born and taken straight to the NICU, where Róisin and her husband began an unexpected journey through early parenthood. She shares…
E222 · 12 Jul 2026 · 59 min
EP222 Chiara, Four Pregnancies, Early Pregnancy Loss, Three Homebirths
This week I share my chat with Chiara, who talks me through her four pregnancies and three home births. Chiara experienced an early pregnancy loss with her first pregnancy, which was incredibly difficult but ultimately strengthened her decision to start a family. Chiara chose to give birth to each of her babies at home, supported by two midwives and a doula. As a midwife herself, she understands just how powerful birth can be when you're surrounded by the right support. Throughout each of her births, she felt loved, held, and deeply supported not only physically, but emotionally and within…
E221 · 5 Jul 2026 · 45 min
EP221 Laura, One Pregnancy & Birth, MLU, Hospital Waterbirth
This week, I share my chat with Laura, who talks me through the birth of her daughter, Saoirse. Laura is so honest at the beginning of our conversation, sharing how she felt when she saw the positive pregnancy test. Her pregnancy was unplanned, which brought a huge shock and a mix of emotions. She changed her mindset and started putting a lot of time into educating herself and preparing for the months ahead. Laura opted for a home birth, but after it was discovered that she had a fibroid, the decision was made at 38 weeks' gestation that she would give birth in a Midwife-Led Unit (MLU).…
E220 · 29 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
EP220 Silvija, Fertility Treatment (IUI, IVF, Double Reciprocal), Multiple Pregnancy Losses, C-section
This week, I share my chat with Silvija. Together with her wife, she went through a long journey to bring their baby girl into the world. After nine fertility treatments and four pregnancy losses, they finally saw that positive pregnancy test with no fading lines. Silvija shares everything about their fertility experiences, including the decision to try double reciprocal IVF. We talk through her pregnancy and the anxiety that came with it as a result of her previous experiences. She also shares the story of her baby girl being brought into the world via an emergency C-section. Silvija also…
E219 · 21 Jun 2026 · 42 min
EP219 Paige (Previous Guest), Fourth Birth Story, Private Care, Positive Induction
This week, I share my chat with Paige, who I'm sure many of you will recognise. In this episode, Paige shares the birth of her fourth baby. During her pregnancy, Paige experienced sickness and quickly realised that medication would be necessary this time around. Later, in her third trimester, she noticed reduced fetal movements on a number of occasions. During a routine appointment with her consultant, these concerns were discussed further, and at 37 weeks the decision was made to proceed with an induction. Throughout her induction, Paige was supported by an incredible team of midwives who…
E218 · 14 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 20 min
EP218 Úna, Three Births, IUGR, C-section, VBAC, Positive Birth Story
This week, I’m sharing my chat with Úna, who talks me through her three very different birth experiences. During her first pregnancy, Úna was closely monitored after her baby was diagnosed with IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction). As concerns grew, she was admitted to hospital for more intensive monitoring, and her baby was born by c-section at just 29 weeks. Úna shares her experience of navigating life with a premature baby in the NICU. We then revisit her second pregnancy and the VBAC she had hoped for. While the birth itself was a positive experience, Úna reflects on how the everything…
E217 · 7 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 43 min
EP217 Alana, Two Pregnancies and Births, Two Unmedicated Vaginal Births, Hospital Birth, Planned Homebirth, Preeclampsia, Grief & Joy
This week I share my chat with Alana, who talks me through each of her two birth experiences. Alana dedicated a lot of time and effort to preparing for birth, making sure she stayed fit and strong throughout both of her pregnancies. With her first baby, she laboured at home for as long as possible before heading to the hospital, arriving just in time. Her baby was born shortly after, with the support of her husband and the amazing midwives she speaks so fondly of. Alana experienced profound loss with the passing of her much loved father and later mother-in-law in a very short space of time.…
E216 · 1 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
EP216 Shauna, Two Pregnancies & Births, Induction (No epidural), Spontaneous Birth, Unmedicated Birth
This week, I share my chat with Shauna who talks me through each of her birth stories. Shauna absolutely loved being pregnant and really thrived in the lead-up to welcoming her first baby. At 42 weeks pregnant, she was induced, and what followed were two long and intense days of labour. Shauna credits hypnobirthing with helping her stay grounded and focused throughout the experience. At 42 weeks + 2 days, she welcomed her little boy and felt incredibly proud to have achieved the birth she wanted, without the epidural she knew she didn’t want. Then, at six months postpartum, Shauna discovered…
E215 · 24 May 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
EP215 Sarah, TTC, Three Positive Births, Intervention, Power of Hypnobirthing, Advocacy
This week, I’m sharing my chat with Sarah as she talks through each of her three birth experiences. After spending a year trying to conceive, Sarah discovered she was pregnant just before making the final decision to move forward with fertility treatment.She reflects on the birth of her first daughter, a birth she still looks back on fondly, despite some difficult moments surrounding intervention and an unwanted episiotomy. We also chat through her two subsequent births, both of which were positive vaginal birth experiences.Sarah shares how powerful hypnobirthing was for her throughout…
E214 · 17 May 2026 · 1 hr 24 min
EP214 Gráinne, Three Positive Hospital Births, (Homebirth Care) One Hospital Waterbirth, Mastitis, Grief
This week I share my chat with Gráinne who talks me through her three positive hospital births. Gráinne gave birth to her first baby in hospital which was a positive experience once she got settled into the delivery suite. Following her first experience she decided to opt for home birth with her second baby. Although she didn't end up giving birth to her baby at home she did have the continued support of her amazing home birth midwife. When Gráinne discovered she was pregnant with her third baby, she again opted for home birth but her son was born in hospital. Her little man came into the…
E213 · 11 May 2026 · 1 hr 48 min
EP213 Stephanie, TTC, 3 Positive Vaginal Hospital Births, Early Pregnancy Losses, Expecting 4th Baby
This week, I share my chat with Stephanie, who talks me through each of her three positive hospital births. Stephanie first shares her TTC journey and everything that surrounded it, from visiting multiple HCPs for advice and support to reading a book recommended to her that changed everything. After welcoming her first baby, Stephanie experienced multiple pregnancy losses, which we discuss in detail. With further support, Stephanie went on to give birth to two gorgeous babies again in a hospital setting. As we get ready to wrap up our chat, Stephanie shares some exciting news with me, she is…
E212 · 4 May 2026 · 48 min
EP212 Leah, One Pregnancy and Birth, Planned Homebirth, Postpartum
This week I share my chat with Leah who revisits her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter. Leah discovered she was pregnant shortly after a move to New Zealand. Together Leah and her partner decided being closer to home was the best choice for them when raising a family. The made their way back to Ireland and immediately got in touch with a home birth midwife. Leah chats through labour which she found tough in parts and the moment she met her baby. She felt that immediate high and recalls saying "I need to do that again" moments after she gave birth. A gorgeous positive birth story.…
E211 · 26 Apr 2026 · 52 min
EP211 Susan, One Pregnancy and Birth, Waiting for Baby to Arrive, C-section, Breastfeeding
This week, I share my chat with Susan, who talks me through the birth of her son. Susan enjoyed her pregnancy but found the last few weeks waiting for baby to arrive really tough. She was ready to meet her baby, but each day that came and went felt so long. She shares just how tough she found waiting for signs of labour and for her baby to come into the world. Susan went into labour spontaneously, which led to great excitement, and she made her way to the hospital with all the bits and pieces in tow, ready to give birth . However, her experience in the hospital was difficult. The unit was…
E210 · 19 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 36 min
EP210 Lyndsey, Twin Pregnancy (Fertility Treatment), C-Section, Post Birth Williams Syndrome Diagnosis, Pre Eclampsia, VBAC, Chemical Pregnancy
This week, I share my chat with Lyndsey, who talks through each of her pregnancy and birth experiences. With the support of fertility treatment, Lyndsey became pregnant with twins, she was over the moon. Throughout her pregnancy, one of the twins was measuring small, so she was closely monitored. Lyndsey shares the story of the twins’ birth by caesarean section, along with everything that followed including her interactions with various healthcare professionals, her daughter’s NICU stay, and much more. At three months old Lauren, Lyndsey daughter, was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome. After…
E209 · 12 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 51 min
EP209 Nancy, 4 Pregnancies, 2 Miscarriages, C-section, Down syndrome Diagnosis, Leukemia, Induction, VBAC
This week, I share my chat with Nancy, who shares each of her experiences through pregnancy, loss, and motherhood. Nancy suffered two early pregnancy losses, including a missed miscarriage and a chemical pregnancy. Her first birth brought her daughter into the world by c-section. Shortly after her daughter’s arrival, Nancy and her partner, Niall, were told that their baby had Down syndrome. She reflects on how they navigated this diagnosis. In the months that followed, their lives changed dramatically when their daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia following a routine blood test. This…
E208 · 7 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 44 min
EP208 Julia (Austria), 4 Pregnancies, C-section, Loss at 20 WKS, VBAC Homebirth, Recent Ectopic Pregnancy
This week, I share my chat with Julia, who lives in Austria .Julia talks us through four pregnancies, each very different experiences. She begins by sharing on the birth of her first daughter, which took place in a hospital via caesarean section. Julia describes feeling unheard and unsupported throughout the process, noting that it was not the birth experience she had hoped for. This experience influenced her decisions in her subsequent pregnancy, where she felt strongly that a home birth was the right choice for her. She was able to find a supportive midwife and consultant who encouraged…
E207 · 29 Mar 2026 · 58 min
EP207 Laura One Pregnancy & Birth, Positive Hospital Birth at 42+1 WKS
This week, I share my chat with Laura, who talks us through the birth of her daughter. Together with her partner, Jack, Laura they spent time educating themselves as part of preparation for the labour and birth. As Laura approached the later stages of pregnancy, she started to hear conversations around induction. Her decision was to decline an induction which she stuck to but she recalls feeling some pushback. Laura did have a positive interaction with a consultant who took a more supportive approach and advised there was no intervention needed so she hit the road home. At 42 weeks’…
E206 · 23 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 44 min
EP206 Judy, Four Pregnancies, Premature Birth at 26 WKS, NICU, Two Early Pregnancy Losses, Cervical Cerclage at 15 WKS (4th pregnancy), TFMR at 19 WKS, Grief
This week I share my chat with Judy who talks me through each of her four pregnancies. Judy gave birth to her first little boy at 26 weeks gestation. His birth was a total shock with no indication he was on the way. Judy shares how life looks with such a premature baby from holding him for the first time, meeting other people in a similar situation to bringing her little man home. After we chat through each of Judy's two early pregnancy losses following her first experience, we then move on to revisit her fourth pregnancy. Their life was planned around this pregnancy between careers and…

About Ireland's Birth Stories

A platform for women to share their experiences with pregnancy and birth without feeling shy about the detail Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland's Birth Stories is a English kids & family podcast from Corah Gernon | She Talks Productions. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Corah Gernon | She Talks Productions
Language: English
Category: Kids & Family
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 10 min
Latest episode: 13 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1522220127

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