Jo: First Birth, Unexplained Infertility, Adoption Journey, Epilepsy and Chronic Kidney Disease, Consultant-Led NHS Hospital Induction, Five-Day Induction, Labour Stopped Twice, Forceps Delivery in Theatre, Episiotomy, Birth Trauma

 Jo had been trying to conceive for years. She was told she had unexplained infertility. She decided not to do IVF. She decided to adopt. And then, completely out of nowhere, she got pregnant.Jo is a mum of two girls from the North of England who shares a story unlike any other on the podcast. Her family came to her in two completely different ways. Her eldest daughter was adopted at 11 months old. Her youngest arrived as a total shock pregnancy two years later, after years of being told pregnancy was unlikely. Because of her epilepsy and chronic kidney disease, Jo was in consultant-led care throughout. Her baby was breech and had to be turned by ECV at around 35 weeks. At 38 weeks, growth concerns meant an induction was booked. What followed was five days in hospital, two pessaries, a hormone drip, labour stopped twice due to infection markers and heart rate concerns, a spinal block, a rotation in theatre, and a forceps delivery. Her daughter was born blue. Jo was vomiting from the spinal while listening to the team work on her baby. It was 90 minutes before she could hold her for the first time.In this episode we talk about:What the adoption process actually looks like from start to finish, including the stages, the home assessments, and what you are asked to considerManaging epilepsy and chronic kidney disease through pregnancy and why certain pain relief options were not available to JoWhat a five-day NHS induction feels like from the inside, and what nobody tells you about pessary removalHow the team stopped Jo's labour twice and what that experience was like in the momentWhy the birth reflection service at her hospital helped her make sense of what happened and why she wishes it had been available to her husband tooThis episode is for anyone who has had a birth that went nothing like they expected and is still trying to make sense of it.The stories shared on British Birthing Stories are real, personal experiences from real women. I am not a medical professional and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice. Every pregnancy and birth is different, and I always encourage you to speak to your midwife or doctor about your own individual care.British Birthing Stories shares real, unfiltered stories of childbirth in the UK, from pregnancy and labour to postpartum recovery.These stories reflect personal experiences and should not be taken as or replace medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.Follow us on social: Instagram · TikTok · YouTubeWant to come on the podcast? Get in touch and share your story here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.