Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, unexplained infertility, advanced maternal age, miscarriage, fibroids, endometriosis, polyhydramnios, elective caesarean, anemia, blood transfusion, hysterectomy, sciatica, pandemic

In this episode we meet serving police officer Patricia Gonzalez, who sets the scene with a history of gynaecological issues over many years, and a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. She accepted that she’d always be the ‘fun ...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, advanced maternal age, infertility, genetics, thalassemia, IVF, haematoma, hyperemesis, induction, natural delivery, hypoxia, placenta previa, pre-septic, emergency caesarean, small age-gap, pandemic

Get ready for a rollercoaster episode with Bryony Rovegno and her family! In just a few short years, this local Mum experienced an incredible journey with a range of unexpected complications. Bryony and her par...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, measuring small, precipitous labours, frank breech, unplanned home birth, natural deliveries, developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)

We're meeting Natalie Baitson in this episode: a mother whose labours got progressively faster - from 6 hours, to 1 hour... to just 17 minutes! 

Natalie and her partner were teenage sweethearts before starting their family in their early twenties, with baby Kaila in 20...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, gender reveal, spina bifida (myelomeningocele), frank breech, caesarean, disability, positivity

We're meeting Lucy Ware in this episode, mother to little ray of sunshine toddler Lottie! This is the most impressive gender reveal story so far, at the concert of a famous pop star in 2023 (that even made the news!) A few weeks later however, Lucy and her partner Jake were told that anomalies see...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), gestational diabetes, induction, weight, natural deliveries, anxiety, pandemic, autism parent, positivity, general practitioner

This special episode is in two parts, with General Practitioner Dr Olivia Gonzalez. In the first half she gives an overview of her professional background, and the services at the GHA Well Woman clinic where she's worked since 2020. Olivia explai...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, MRKH syndrome, genetics, infertility, IVF, surrogacy, pandemic

To complete season 2, it’s a privilege to capture the very special story of a Llanita baby born *off* the Rock, to Gibraltarian mother Stephanie Galea via a surrogate. This is a powerful and fascinating listen to a complex five-year journey, for Stephanie and her husband to become parents to their daughter.

Our story begins in the year 20...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, miscarriages, pre-eclampsia, caesareans, prolapsed bladder, pandemic, autism parent, expat

We meet Charlotte today, a mother of two boys born through the pandemic. This is a very insightful episode for anybody wondering what its like to parent a child with special needs, as her eldest child has a diagnosis of nonverbal autism. Charlotte highlights some beautiful positives in her journey.

After early misc...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, natural deliveries, miscarriage, induction, nuchal cord, positivity

In this episode we're meeting babies born to Claire Hernandez and her husband, in the noughties: 2004 & 2009. This is a very strong, loving family unit!

Claire was fortunate to become pregnant soon after the couple began trying to start their family, and had what she describes as a 'textbook' pregnancy. Her morning sickness eased off...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, infertility, advanced maternal age, IVF, hyperemesis gravidarum, placenta previa, haemorrhage & blood transfusion, emergency CS, premature, postnatal depression, expat

Hold tight for a dramatic story in this episode, as we meet Louise Ann - who arrived pregnant on the Rock in 2007! Louise and her partner began trying for a baby in the early 2000's in the UK, but were met with unexplained infertility. Sh...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, PCOS, natural deliveries, fast labours, postnatal depression, allergies & intolerances

Heidi Jeffries is our guest on an episode we’re calling ‘Plain Sailing,’ as her birth experiences were very straightforward… and the family has multiple nautical connections! We’re travelling back to the year 2000, when Heidi and her husband started their family soon after getting married. After convincing her husba...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, miscarriages, hostile uterus, genetic mutation, clotting disorder, IVF, natural birth, fast delivery, depression, fostering

In this episode we meet Megan Ballestero, who describes her unexpected parenting journey to become a family of four!

Megan and her husband began trying for a baby soon after their wedding... but experienced recurring miscarriages over several years. Extensive tests revealed a 'medically ...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, miscarriage, natural deliveries, puerperal haematoma, premature, postnatal depression, anaemia, Christmas

Let’s welcome our youngest mother to the podcast so far: Victoria Sanguinetti born in 1999. She’s packed in a rollercoaster few years since the pandemic - getting married, moving house and giving birth to her daughter in 2022, then son in 2023 (prematurely)… all while working and supporting her husban...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, miscarriage, ectopic, salpingectomy, infertility, IVF, elective caesarean, thrombophilia, pandemic

We welcome our first pregnant guest onto the podcast in this episode! Meet Krisanne Orciel, full-term with her second baby at the time of recording (February 2025).

Krisanne describes her decade-long parenting journey, including an ectopic pregnancy loss at nine weeks. The procedure to remove the affected fal...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, endometriosis, genetics, Fragile X syndrome, advanced maternal age, hyperemesis gravidarum, fast labour, natural birth

We meet Somaya Anakkar in this story, who describes her son as a miracle! She wanted to be a mother for a very long time, but discovered that she is a carrier of the genetic disorder Fragile X syndrome, which - along with a diagnosis of painful endometriosis - vastly reduced her chances of...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, natural deliveries, placental abruption, stillbirth, depression, grandparent

Today we're heading back to the old St Bernard's hospital with Eileen Sanchez, who had three children with her husband in 1985, 1986 and 1988.

⚠️ As a trigger warning, please note the first half of this episode contains discussion of baby loss, as Eileen tragically experienced the stillbirth of her first child at 8 months pregna...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, large age gap, natural deliveries, advanced maternal age, pandemic

Jenny Ainsworth is our guest today, describing the births of her three children in 2000, 2004... and 2019. Jenny's pregnancies were unplanned but straightforward, and she references feelings of strong maternal instinct. She's a single mum, and regards motherhood as the best experience of her life.

Pregnancy generally suited Jenny, and her...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, PCOS, hyperemesis gravidarum, caesarean, VBAC, precipitous labour, premature, home births

Jo Abergel and her husband are parents to three children, born in 2002, 2005 and 2011. After over a year of trying for a baby and investigations that identified PCOS, the couple conceived when they least expected! A serious issue throughout all of Jo’s journeys was the severe and debilitating vomiting she experien...

A little recap of our 13 wonderful guests from season one - we're so grateful for these beautiful and emotional shared experiences, helping launch Born on the Rock!

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New episodes released every Thursday. Contact bornontherock@gbc.gi if you'd like to get involved!

Lucinda Snape

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