British Birth Stories

Please note that Ashley will not be resuming the podcast just yet.  Host Ashley Brenninkmeijer candidly shares her 2020 journey through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum during the pandemic with her second baby in London. What began as a low risk pregnancy aiming for a homebirth water VBAC, ended in the highest risk life or death preterm birth due to severe covid. Ashley opted for private care under Dr. Karen Joash at Queen Charlotte's Hospital alongside private midwives. Emotional and difficult to talk about in parts, Ashley navigated becoming a second time mom in the midst of three national lockdowns with long covid, relactating and postnatal depression.  Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer Music by Jonny Woodley Dr Karen Joash Private Midwives Activ Iron Dr Warren Hyer

On this week’s episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with Rebecca Robinson from Norfolk. After trying for 2.5 years to fall pregnant, she was about to embark on her first IVF round when she found out she was pregnant with her first. She opted for Midwife-Led care at her local NHS trust and initially choose a homebirth. After some growth concerns, she changed for MLU care at her local hospital. She began labour at 41 weeks after 2 sweeps and ended up having a very fast labour at home, resulting in a BBA. Her little boy spent 10 days in the NICU after respirating meconium and when they were discharged, Rebecca speaks candidly about how hard the first 6 months of postpartum were. She breastfed for 2 years and fell pregnant naturally with her second during the pandemic. She found Hypnobirthing Rebirth to be helpful in processing the trauma from her first birth. She opted for an NHS homebirth this time around and she gave birth at home with the help of a midwife just before the second lockdown in October 2020. Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer Music by Jonny Woodley Molly O’Brien Hypnobirthing Hypnobirthing Rebirth Therapy

On this week’s episode, I get the treat of chatting with Sophie Baron, founder of MamaMade and fellow expat from the states. She tells her story of having to navigate a new healthcare system here in the UK in general and the challenges that presented once she fell pregnant. She gave birth 3 years ago after falling pregnant quickly even though she had suffered PCOS previously. She opted for Midwife-led Care via the NHS in North London and found her labour very unsupported at the hospital as she waited for a room to give birth. She gave birth swiftly in a pool once a room was found for her family and she was met with conflicting feelings after achieving the birth she had hoped. She had a miscarriage in between her firstborn and her current pregnancy, and Sophie speaks candidly and openly about her loss and her experience at A&E. She is currently pregnant and due very soon, and shares her experience of being pregnant in a global pandemic. She is opting for a homebirth this time around for continuity of care and better support. ps, her company, MamaMade, is definitely worth a look as well. She offers organic, healthy, home-made baby food that is fresh and I have gifted boxes of her baby food to other moms. I will use it for my baby when weaning comes around. A great alternative to baby pouches and also to those late nights of batch cooking (which nearly broke my husband and I; it was so hard.) It’s also free from the big 8 allergens and is frozen fresh. I highly, highly recommend and am so glad it is around. A genuine rave mom-review from me. Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer Music by Jonny Woodley

On this week’s episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with Jessica Spry who tells us her story of birthing her baby boy in the height of COVID-19. After having a miscarriage, she fell pregnant with her son. She opted for a NHS homebirth but plans changed when she was told quite late on about a Group B positive test she had had in her first trimester. She then changed care and birth plans for Midwife-led care at the NHS Homerton Hospital Birth Centre. Tune in to hear her full story.  And please note I am gearing up for maternity leave so any submissions I get after Dec. 15, 2020 until April/May 2021 will be picked up in the spring of 2021. I can't wait to keep sharing your stories.  Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer Music by Jonny Woodley NCT Positive Birth Company Mindful Hypnobirthing, Sophie Fletcher Group B info and Guidance Freya App

On today’s episode, I get to chat with Amar Sanghera who shares her two NHS births in Birmingham. She shares the birth stories of her two sons, Ace and Romy. She opted for midwife-led care at the Serenity Birth Centre for Ace 18 months ago, and navigated her care with a 'surprise' anterior placenta and a posterior position for birth. With Romy, she had a BBA (birth before arrival) at home 3 months ago in the thick of COVID-19. Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer Music by Jonny Woodley The Pregnancy Podcast The Adventures of Tandem Breastfeeding, Dr. Hillary Flower Freya App Hypnobirthing, Maria Mongom Your Baby, Your Birth, Hollie de Cruz The Fourth Trimester, Kimberly Ann Johnson BRAIN Acronym: B - Benefits What are the benefits? R - Risks What are the risks? A - Alternatives What are the alternatives? I - Intuition What your intuition is telling you?   N- Do Nothing What if I do nothing?

On this week’s episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with Grace, the founder of Irie&I and mother to Iris. She gave birth to her 21 month-old via NHS midwife-led care at the Whittington Hospital in London. She gave birth vaginally and opted for diamorphine in labour. Iris spent 5 days in the NICU and Grace shares her extended breastfeeding story. She fell pregnant after Iris and miscarried at 7 weeks. She talks candidly about her journey through that loss and is currently pregnant again in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. To hear her full story, tune into this week’s episode! xo Ashley Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer Music by Jonny Woodley Irie and I, Grace’s children’s shop Claire, Tutum Hypnobirthing Your Baby, Your Birth by Hollie de Cruz Michael Odent: "I usually claim that pregnant women should not read books about pregnancy and birth. Their time is too precious. They should, rather, watch the moon and sing to their babies in the womb.”

On this week’s episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Tabaka. She shares her journey through her two births, the most recent occurring in April of 2020 (aka, the height of Covid-19 lockdown.) She walks us through unexplained fertility and falling pregnant with her first son. She chose to go via NHS midwife-led care in SE London for her care in her first birth. She talks candidly about her experience with postnatal anxiety and breastfeeding journey. For her second birth, she opted for a home birth. However, COVID-19 was ramping up and during her pregnancy, homebirths were being cancelled as there weren’t guaranteed ambulances in the event of transport. She gave birth in April 2020 to her second at the height of lockdown at a different SE hospital and shares how helpful Mammary Constriction Massage proved in her second time breastfeeding. La Leche League Silverette Nipple Cups The Art of Babymaking Mammary Constriction Massage Music by Jonny Woodley Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer

On today’s episode, I chat to Mads, who is the creative behind StudioBust and mother to two girls, Winnie and Cece. She had two different London-based births at St. Mary’s Paddington Hospital, the first in 2018 and the second in 2020. Her first daughter was a misdiagnosed breech birth that ended in an empowering c-section. She chose to return to St. Mary’s for her second birth, for a water VBAC. Cece contracted group B strep and spent a week in the NICU, just two weeks shy of the first London Lockdown of 2020. C-Section Massage in Kensington (Kinga) C-Section Scar Tape Freya App Silver Nipple Cups  Shellies Acupuncture (Sarah Collinson) HypnoBirthing (Margaux)  The Positive Birth Book Music by Jonny Woodley Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer

In her first time sharing her birth story, Ashley recounts how she was well-educated and well-prepared for her birth. She accounted for many possibilities but she didn’t expect the systemic issues of global maternal healthcare systems to have to be planned for in her birth plan. It was a 4 day long labour that ended in a botched c-section and 30 days of sepsis. She candidly shares her postnatal struggles with PND (postnatal depression) and PTSD.  She also discusses difficulty falling pregnant with her second baby and gender disappointment. You can also read her story here. Cordelia Uys, NW London Breastfeeding Consultant Emily Roberti, Doula London Trauma Specialists (EMDR) Rewind Therapy  Music by Jonny Woodley  

Welcome to the British Birth Stories Podcast, the place where mothers from around the country share their birth stories. Hosted by Ashley Brenninkmeijer. Music by Jonny Woodley. Here is the teaser intro episode. Thanks so much for being here!