Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, pre-eclampsia, induction, natural delivery, jaundice, breech, epidural, elective caesarean, big babies

Kick-starting Season 4 of the podcast is local nurse Kelly Bingham! In this episode we meet her family - her ex-military husband and two boys... born six years apart at the same weight of 9lbs 2oz!

The couple learned they were expecting their first baby in the summer of 2013, and Kelly experienced a good pregnancy - aside from nausea and working a physically demanding job. She describes a good labour and natural delivery, although with fluctuating blood pressure (pre-eclampsia) and...

Hear a gripping audio trailer of our wonderful guests, who told their unique birth experiences across episodes 26 - 40 in Season 3.

Listen to the the voices of these local mothers, and a summary of the huge range of topics covered:

💜 15 episodes (July to October 2025)

💜 Over 18 hours of audio

💜 Stories ranging from 1975 to this summer

💜 27 babies born!!

As the national broadcaster, it's been a privilege to capture these life-changing and emotional local stories... providing support and a powerful resource to others in our community. Thank you for listening, a...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, infertility, natural delivery, postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), blood transfusion, short age-gap

Welcome to part 2 of Chloe's journey - a diary special to end Season 3 of the podcast! We track Chloe's pregnancy with their surprise baby that she and her husband conceived naturally... just months after welcoming their little girl born via IVF.

Episode 39 (part one) was recorded when Chloe was 19 weeks pregnant. This episode begins at 29+2 weeks, as Chloe recaps her second trimester– with a flight to America, plus discovering an unusual gynae issue. Going into trimester 3, she’s uncertain whether to ha...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, infertility, IVF, assisted natural delivery, retained placenta, dilation & evacuation (D&E), postpartum haemorrhage (PPH)

Welcome to the first of a two-part special, to end Season 3 of the podcast! Chloe Loddo and her husband had been trying to start their family for over 2 years, before receiving a diagnosis of infertility. She speaks poignantly about the increasing impact on her mental health at that time, before the couple began their IVF journey at a Spanish private clinic in 2023.

Chloe had a successful first treatment cycle - and she describes her 'cautiously optimistic...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, chicken pox, natural deliveries, fast labour, premature, caesarean, grandmother

We're heading back to 1985, 1987 and 1991 today with Jackie Catania and her three children. This is a great episode for hearing about very smooth pregnancies... although she describes medical factors after each birth.

Jackie was 23-years old and full-term with her first child... when she got chicken pox! She was very uncomfortable, and it presented the maternity ward with a delivery challenge. A fast natural labour followed and thankfully her daughter was unaffected, but Jackie was advised not to hold or feed...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, endometriosis, laparoscopy, infertility, natural delivery, placenta previa, caesarean, haemorrhage, blood transfusion, birth trauma

⚠️Trigger warning: Discussion of birth trauma in the second half of this episode.

We're meeting Tina Reyes and her husband in this episode, whose two boys were born in 2012 and 2015. Tina underwent gynae investigations and treatments for suspected infertility, before falling pregnant with her first son. She had a textbook pregnancy before a lengthy labour and natural delivery. Tina gives a great description of her breastfeeding journey with local support.

She had a positive seco...

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 wei...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, PCOS, infertility, obesity, gestational diabetes, induction, assisted delivery, natural deliveries, short age-gap, Rh-negative blood, jaundice

Laura Bradshaw and her military husband found themselves posted to Gibraltar in 2010, at a stage where they'd already been trying to start a family for a few years - unsuccessfully. Laura describes irregular cycles, polycystic ovaries and her weight as issues in not receiving more timely help with fertility treatment... but when this was finally prescribed, it proved very effective! 

Laura had a good pregnancy and felt well, but describes rising anxiety in her sec...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, early miscarriages, subchorionic hematoma, hyperemesis, placental abruption, prematurity, emergency caesarean, pandemic, short age-gap, elective caesarean, blood transfusion, autism

We're squeezing a huge range of topics into this fascinating episode, with Lesley Anne Viñales and her husband. This couple married young and took a relaxed approach to starting their family, but as the years passed with two sad early miscarriages, they began to think parenthood could be out of reach. Happily, they became pregnant... but as the pandemic hit! Lesley speaks about the challenges of being an expectant mother when the whole wor...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, PCOS, adenomyosis/endometriosis, natural delivery, sciatica, miscarriage, multilingualism, advanced maternal age

Benvenuti to an international episode of the podcast! We’re jetting between Gibraltar and Rome in this story, with local mum Rochelle Ferreri and her Italian husband. 

Rochelle sets the scene describing gynaecological issues from her from teenage years, with PCOS and debilitating painful periods. This was medically managed through her adult life, until the couple decided to start trying for a baby. Rochelle fell pregnant quickly in 2014, and found comfort spending time at the beach. Despite sicknes...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, teenage mother, short age gap, cryptic pregnancies, natural deliveries

We're heading back to the late 1990's in this episode, to meet teenage sweethearts Claire Ellul and her then partner. Claire experienced very erratic periods, and on advice from her doctor she began medication to regulate her cycles. Some time later, she discovered she was pregnant... and already entering her third trimester! 😮 Claire describes the shock of this news and the absence of traditional early pregnancy symptoms. There's some humour with her mother-in-law's novel suggestion to confirm the pregnancy!

Claire tried old...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, large age gap, nuchal cord, placenta banking, natural deliveries, post-natal anxiety, silent reflux, nut & egg allergies, advanced maternal age, gestational diabetes, placenta previa, breech, pandemic

We’re meeting qualified nurse Nicole Pizarro in this episode, a mum who’s two daughters were born 10 years apart. She describes a good first pregnancy, with parentcraft classes helping her feel more prepared for her daughter’s arrival in 2012… a rare example of a baby born on their actual due date!

Nicole describes a natural delivery, the process of placenta stem cell retrieval, and then the...

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 aunt’ and not a mother... until her late 30’s when she naturally conceived!

After a sad miscarriage, Patricia speaks about feeling more ready for motherhood… and then becoming pregnant again in 2016. She describes feeling uncomfortably large due...

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 partner were told that their chances of natural conception were very low from medical tests, so they began a fertility journey with a Spanish clinic. Three rounds of IVF later, the couple became pregnant with their daughter. Bryony h...

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 2013. There's an unusual twist about about how the couple discovered they were expecting, but the pregnancy was straightforward and Natalie had a good natural delivery at hospital. The only concern was that she...

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 seen at the 20 week scan showed their little girl had spina bifida. This lead them on a journey away from the Rock for stressful scans and medical consultations... Lucy descr...

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 explains how to book an appointment, what to expect on attendance, and gives great advice on discussing sensitive topics such as menopause, periods, fertility, contraception and postnatal care. She mentions some useful resources, outlined in the n...

Season 2 of the podcast is complete! Thank you to our 12 wonderful guests for sharing their Gibraltar Birth Stories across episodes 14 to 25.

Season 3 coming soon! If you'd like to get involved, email: bornontherock@gbc.gi

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: 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 2000, when as a teenager Stephanie received a very rare medical diagnosis… confirming she would never naturally conceive or carry a baby. When she met her husba...

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 miscarriages, she and her ex-husband were thrilled to experience a good healthy pregnancy, and prepared for a peaceful natural birth... but due to pre-eclampsia concerns her son arrived by...

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 in the second trimester, and Claire spontaneously went into labour before her due date. Their son arrived quite quickly with a natural delivery, and she speaks movingly about how...

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. She describes the toll of three unsuccessful IVF cycles and exploratory surgery, before eventually falling pregnant. However, she suffered severe sickness and further complications in her second trimester... discovered once she...

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 husband that the pregnancy was not an April Fool’s joke (!) Heidi had a good pregnancy journey – with an unusual craving.

She received conflicting medical advice about her labour due to a back condit...

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 complex' case: a genetic mutation (MTHFR gene), a blood clotting disorder (Factor V Leiden) and a uterus abnormality requiring surgery, which - all combined - made it almost impossible to get past the...

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 husband through an organ transplant!

Victoria describes both pregnancies as healthy but very different. She experienced a frightening haematoma complication after the rapid birth of her daughter that almost led to a blo...

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 fallopian tube was followed by repeated, unexplained early miscarriages over several years. A second ectopic pregnancy and salpingectomy procedure left Krisanne unable to naturally conceive, and she describes the intense feelings of hopelessness, believing she m...

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 natural fertility. Two decades passed without the right circumstances for conceiving, and she was acutely aware of the threat of menopause as she neared h...

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 pregnant. She describes key moments in the weeks before the loss of her daughter, leading Eileen to question 'what if..?' ever since.

She explains the bewilderment of a firs...

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 natural births were painful but without complication. She describes what it was like to welcome a newborn again... 16 years after her last child! Jenny speaks about the challenges of raising a baby d...

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 experienced – plus anti-sickness treatments that left her almost bed-bound by her third pregnancy.

Jo’s first birth was an elective caesarean turned emergency, when spontaneous labour began at 38 weeks. She recover...

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!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and find all episodes on your favourite streaming platform or at gbc.gi

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

Lucinda Snape

Find 'Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories' on Facebook and Instagram for more

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, fast labour, natural birth, positive experience, midwife

To finish season 1, it’s wonderful to welcome local midwife Denise Camilleri with almost 20 years experience delivering babies on the Rock! This episode is in two halves – the first is an insight into the Maternity Unit at St Bernard’s Hospital and the workload of a midwife, as Denise gives a fascinating insight into trends over time and her many varied professional experiences.

The second half is her own positive story from naturally delivering her son in 2016... imagine giving birth in your workplace! She shar...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), infertility treatment, emergency & elective caesarean, 13-month age gap, suspected postnatal depression

In this episode we meet our first 1990's babies, born to Justine Fava-Cartwright and her ex-partner. They faced fertility struggles due to Justine's hormonal imbalances and erratic cycles... in later life she was diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Justine highlights the emotions involved when facing challenges to become pregnant. Soon after starting Clomid treatment, she conceived! Justine had a good pregnancy, but a difficult and lengthy labour resulting in an emergency caesarean under general anaesthetic. She explains...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, miscarriage, twins, premature, baby loss, caesarean, VBAC, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In this emotional episode, we meet Louise Busto and her partner: parents to twin boys born in 2010, and a third son born in 2014. As a trigger warning, please note that this episode is a very difficult listen as it involves discussion of baby loss.

Louise describes a generally good healthy pregnancy, before complications set in at 23 weeks requiring her transfer to Spain for specialist monitoring and facilities at 25 weeks pregnant. Poignantly, she describes her trust in the medical professionals...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, adolescent mother, rhesus disease, assisted delivery, wet nursing, positive support, grandmother

Our guest in this episode is Annette Tunbridge, a Gibraltarian wife, mother and grandmother in her early 70's at the time of recording (November 2024). Annette first met her husband when she was just 15 years old, and the two quickly fell in love and made plans to marry. She speaks about how they just 'knew,' they were to be together and start a family, despite their young age. She describes both families' reactions, local traditions, and their romantic honeymoon - despite the...

KEY TOPICS: 4 births, early miscarriage, triplets, hyperemis gravidarum, caesarean, cerebral-spinal fluid leak, postpartum haemorrhage, premature

In this episode we meet Katrine Borge, her husband and four sons. Kat had a tough start to motherhood with an early miscarriage, then difficult first pregnancy with hyperemisis gravidarum and an emergency caesarean. Her recovery was hindered by a complication from her spinal tap in labour… with an interesting (yet effective) cure!

Kat describes the moment two years later, that she discovered she’d naturally conceived triplets.. and the surprising initial medical advice she received. She recounts her...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, early miscarriages, stillbirth, incompetent cervix, assisted delivery, blood transfusion, retained placenta, postnatal depression, Christmas baby, expat

In today’s episode, Hetty describes her experience of starting a family with her ex-husband in the late 2000’s. As a trigger warning, please be aware that Hetty suffered miscarriages and tragically lost her daughter before viability at 22 weeks pregnant, due to her cervix shortening and spontaneous labour. There are some very upsetting and poignant descriptions about the events surrounding her little girls’ stillbirth, and listener discretion is advised for the first third of this episode. She speaks...

KEY TOPICS: 3 births, same-sex couple, IVF, twins, placenta previa, caesarean, Covid, postnatal depression, advanced maternal age

We’re meeting Kadiuska in this episode, a wife and mother of three. Kadi is one half of our first same-sex couple on the podcast, and she gave birth to their daughter in 2016 and boy/girl twins in 2022, with the assistance of a Spanish fertility clinic. She talks us through what it’s like to grow a family within a same-sex relationship and describes the many steps and tests involved, including selecting a sperm donor for the IVF process. Kadi spea...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, expat, natural delivery, PUPPPS, positive experience

We welcome our first non-Gibraltarian to the podcast in this episode: Michaela, a first-time mother from South Africa! Michaela explains how she and her husband moved to Gibraltar after the pandemic, and how the Rock quickly felt like home. They conceived their little boy very soon after trying for a baby, and she describes the one thing she couldn't tolerate through pregnancy... plus the fun ways they shared the news with both sets of parents.

In her third trimester, Michaela had symptoms of pre-eclampsia a...

KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, pre-eclampsia, assisted delivery, birth trauma, suspected embolism, blood transfusion, postnatal depression

We're heading back to 1979 for this episode, as Priscilla Mañasco tells us about having her only child - a daughter - at the old St Bernard's hospital.

Antenatal care has certainly changed since those days: Priscilla describes the many different practices surrounding health check-ups, feeding advice, visiting rules at the hospital and washing cloth nappies, plus how she felt old as a first-time mother... at 26!

Priscilla suffered pre-eclampsia in the later stages of pregnancy and en...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, fibroids, endometriosis, large babies, caesareans, hysterectomy, post-natal depression

In this episode we’re meeting Michelle Rugeroni (known as Rouge) whose two adult kids were born in 2004 and 2006. This is a fast paced chat covering a range of topics. Rouge was told to expect difficulty conceiving due to fibroids and endometriosis… yet fell pregnant very quickly after trying! She describes how large fibroid tumours on her ovaries grew during pregnancy, leading doctors to recommend caesarean sections for both of her large babies.

Rouge had good pregnancy experiences but developed post-natal depression afte...

KEY TOPICS: 7 births, twins, hyperemesis, umbilical cord prolapse, 2 emergency caesareans, 1 miscarriage

Get ready to meet our biggest family so far! In this episode, Kathy Feetham talks about giving birth seven times over an 18 year period... to all girls! She describes how each of the pregnancies compared, with a mix of 'easy' textbook journeys, alongside more complicated deliveries. There is one mention of early miscarriage towards the very end of this episode.

Kathy's stories have amazing twists and turns, as you might expect. Did she find out the gender each time? Did she bre...

KEY TOPICS: 3 pregnancies, hyperemesis gravidarum, miscarriage, Turner's syndrome, omphalocele, genetics, baby loss, secondary infertility, IVF

We're meeting Tara Montegriffo in this episode: a Gibraltarian wife and mother of one young daughter at the time of recording (November 2024). Please be aware that this is an emotional listen, involving discussion of baby loss.

Tara describes her three difficult pregnancy journeys, involving debilitating sickness until delivery. After the safe caesarean birth of her first daughter, she went on to suffer two devastating miscarriages... one in the second trimester, due to Turner's syndrome, omphalocele and cardiology complications...

KEY TOPICS: 2 births, PCOS, infertility, gestational diabetes, retained placenta, pandemic.

In the very first episode of Gibraltar Birth Stories, we meet Kathy - who has a great story about her own arrival on the Rock in the 1980's! She and her husband first met at primary school, and they have two young children together.

Kathy and her husband encountered fertility issues due to polycystic ovary syndrome when they began trying to conceive. After tests and treatment, they fell pregnant in 2020... and found out just a week before the global lockdown! She describes what i...

Welcome to Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories podcast, with Lucinda Snape

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories podcast, with Lucinda Snape

New for 2025, 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: bornontherock@gbc.gi

Find 'Born on the Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories' on Facebook and Instagram for more<...