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.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in episodes are those of guests and do not reflect the views of GBC.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
KEY TOPICS: 2 births, post-pandemic, natural delivery, posterior labour, mastitis
“My frontal lobe wasn’t fully developed!” That’s how local teacher Samantha Thorne reflects on a shock pregnancy discovery with her then-boyfriend in her early 20’s. She was just starting her career, and candidly describes some honest emotions in this week’s episode – as well as two completely different birth experiences.
At the age of 22, Samantha was only months into a new teaching role she loved, and rebuilding her social life after the pandemic… when she learned in an unconventional way that she was pregnant. Blindsided by the revelation, it took some time to process before telling her partner. Was she really ready for this?
Samantha describes how the shock news caused ripples within their family and friend groups – and how increasingly isolating she found the pregnancy as everyone else went about their normal lives, while her body and future were changing fast. Some people love being pregnant, but Samantha is candid about hating how poorly it made her feel. She’s a huge advocate for exercise and found this a valuable tool for both her physical health in labour, and mental health postpartum.
After a quick labour, Samantha’s son was born safely. She faced breastfeeding struggles and overwhelm, but found support from other mothers in an unexpected place. The baby’s arrival also brought a shift with her partner: the reality saw him quickly embrace fatherhood and step-up. They married a few years later, and Samantha found a sweet way to tell her husband they were expecting again.
The second pregnancy was difficult with sickness, and the labour was harder as the baby was in a back-to-back position. Samantha credits her own fitness stamina and midwife support for narrowly avoiding a caesarean, and shares an anecdote about choosing the baby’s name.
Postpartum felt more healing this time with Samantha’s increased confidence in asking for help, plus a smiley ‘easy’ baby. She outlines things she did differently – and how this birth was met with less shock and more joy all round! Thanks Samantha for sharing how parenthood can find you – ready or not! (Recorded July 2026).
Art in Movement Dance Classes: https://www.facebook.com/artinmovementgibraltar
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.
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