The Massage Doula

Azeeta interviews Kira about her two very different birth stories: a tense hospital induction after late-onset preeclampsia and a peaceful second baby home water birth. Kira shares appointments, choices like antenatal education and hiring a doula, and the emotional impact of being told she was at risk. The episode follows the detailed labour journeys—induction, monitoring, and the use of a rebozo and team support to help deliver Dougal—and contrasts that with a faster, calmer home birth second time around where instincts, continuity of care, and a relaxed environment made all the difference. Kira ends with one top tip for parents-to-be: trust your instincts when making decisions about pregnancy, birth, and newborn care.

In this episode of The Massage Doula, Azeeta welcomes Victoria, who shares her journey through pregnancy and home birth. Victoria delves into her decision to have a home birth, inspired by community midwives and fueled by her disassociation of hospitals as safe places due to past experiences. She embarked on a reading journey, gathering knowledge on home births, doulas, and the importance of a comfortable environment to support oxytocin release and labour progression. Encouraged by positive insights and her husband's support, she sought the assistance of a doula named Gail. The episode takes listeners through Victoria's labour experience, sharing how breaking away from traditional norms allowed her to create a birth plan that worked best for her needs. With the support of her husband, a skilled doula, and understanding midwives, Victoria successfully had her baby in the comfort of her home, cherishing the empowering experience of bringing her child into the world on her own terms.

* Trigger warning* - Discussions around a sweep without consent. In this episode of The Massage Doula, we sit down with Lauren as she recounts her pregnancy journey, filled with unexpected joys and challenges. Despite battling endometriosis, Lauren experienced her pregnancy as a time of energy and happiness, defying the usual discomfort often associated with it. She shares how her overdue period was met with joy, cherishing every kick until labour finally arrived. Lauren walks us through the highs and lows of her labour experience, from enduring a 3.5-day labour journey to the unexpected surprise of a caesarean birth. She candidly discusses the emotional turmoil and eventual acceptance she faced during this critical period, shedding light on her thought process and the support from her husband Joe. The episode captures Lauren's hospital experience, the moments leading to her daughter's birth, and the transformative power of seeing her newborn for the first time. It recounts the challenges of bringing her daughter home, navigating early motherhood, and the emotional acknowledgment of newfound unconditional love over time. Join us for an intimate conversation that explores the resilience of mothers, the importance of self-advocacy in childbirth, and the profound journey from pregnancy to motherhood.    

Join Tracy as she delves into the lessons learnt through each of her three different birth journeys. 

Abby delves into her two birth stories from a hospital birth a week before the first Covid lockdown to a planned homebirth of a suspected “big baby”.  If you would like to have a think about your place of birth here is a useful resource:      https://birthrights.org.uk/factsheets/choice-of-place-of-birth/

Trigger Warning: Life saving emergency hysterectomy after birth and a haemorrhage.  Join us on Claire’s three birth journeys with her three boys. We explore two different hospitals and their care, caesarean births, induction with an assisted delivery and a life saving emergency surgery after her third baby was born.  This is an incredibly powerful and emotive journey for Claire and I am honoured to have heard her story.  The stats(NHS): “How often does it happen? Post-partum hysterectomies happen in 0.05-0.1% of all births (less than one out every 1000) and 0.5% of all caesarean births (one in 200 Caesarean births) At the RBH we do about four hysterectomies a year immediately after childbirth. Although the procedure is not common, with increased numbers of Caesarean births we are seeing the number of post-partum hysterectomies increase also as shown in the above statistics.” For more information on a hysterectomy after birth this is a good document to have a read:   https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/uxuajfak/hysterectomy-post-partum.pdf        

Lois was a dream to talk to about her high risk pregnancy and birth with low Papp-A. An empowered labour and birth where Lois channelled her inner trust but also reflects on what could of been improved in her care. A great listen and I had the honour of teaching her NCT charity classes a few years ago.

A wonderful chat with my husband reminiscing on the birth’s of our three boys. Talking about the NHS, private midwives, doula’s and how it felt for him.

Rachel delves into her birth experience with her son Fred six years ago at Princess Alexandra hospital in Harlow. From meconium in waters to the oxytocin drip and an empowering pushing stage where she listened to her inner self. Rachel is now a third year student midwife and fills us in on her thoughts and feelings and how she plans to be going forward in practice.