Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories
Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories
Podcast Description
Welcome to Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories podcast, with Lucinda Snape.GBC presents a collection of emotional, inspiring and true stories from parents about what it's like to have a baby on the Rock.Every experience is completely unique, and deserves to be heard! If you've had a baby in Gibraltar in any decade, we want to hear from you.To share your story or find out more, email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on various themes surrounding childbirth, maternal health, and personal journeys, with specific episodes covering topics such as traumatic births, fibroids, secondary infertility, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pregnancy. Notable examples include exploring the challenges of pre-eclampsia and postnatal depression in Episode 5, and candid discussions on IVF struggles in Episode 2.
Welcome to Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories podcast, with host and producer Lucinda Snape.
This weekly podcast is a collection of fascinating stories about what it’s like to have a baby in Gibraltar – a small British Overseas Territory, with an average of one birth per day.
These are ordinary women telling extraordinary events in their own words, capturing the emotional highs and lows involved in starting a family. There’s a huge range of topics covered including stories of twins, triplets, fast arrivals, and premature babies requiring care from outside Gibraltar… plus powerful taboos discussed, like postnatal depression, infertility and loss. Even ‘textbook’ experiences make for a fascinating listen, because becoming a mother is life-changing. We believe there’s no such thing as a boring birth story!
Stories are welcomed from across all decades, allowing GBC as the National Broadcaster to present a rich social and cultural resource for our community. The podcast is unique to Gibraltar, but relatable to anyone with an interest in parenting. If you’ve had a baby on the Rock, we want to hear from you! To share your story or find out more, email: [email protected]
Find ‘Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories’ on Facebook and Instagram for more.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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).
Find ‘Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories’ on Facebook and Instagram for more
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.