Born on The Rock: Gibraltar Birth Stories – Details, episodes & analysis

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 it was like to be pregnant at that vulnerable time, plus the fast natural births of her daughter, and then son almost two years later. Kathy was at risk of pre-eclampsia with her first birth, and talks about recovery from retained placenta with her second. She shares her experience of becoming a family of four, and the advice she would go back and give herself as a new mother.

This is a really heartwarming listen (with quite a few food references too!) - and I'm hugely grateful for Kathy's support in being the very first Born on the Rock podcast story. This episode was recorded in October 2024.

Find more about Kathy's story and the podcast on Instagram: born_on_the_rock

If you'd like to tell your story, email: bornontherock@gbc.gi 

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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

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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. Tara speaks candidly about the trauma surrounding the loss of her second child, including weeks of travelling between Spain, Gibraltar and London for genetic testing and specialist care.

As Tara and her husband dream of growing their family, she describes the challenges in facing secondary infertility, including hidden costs and burdens involved in the IVF process. I'm very grateful to Tara for sharing her story, to help raise awareness and normalise conversations for others going through difficult pregnancy journeys. She feels strongly about women supporting one another, and during our discussion Tara spoke so eloquently and with composure about her experiences. I would love to welcome Tara back on the podcast in future, hopefully with happy news of a sibling for her daughter.

If you feel affected by details in this story, BabySTEPPS Gibraltar offer baby loss support through pregnancy and parenthood:

https://www.facebook.com/BABYSTEPPSGIB

Find more about Tara's story on Facebook and Instagram: born_on_the_rock

If you'd like to tell YOUR story, email: bornontherock@gbc.gi 

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KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, aortic valve displacement/replacement, blood clot, advanced maternal age, premature, caesarean, hip dysplasia

Meet poker manager Colette Stewart, who had a high-stakes journey to motherhood! It’s an extraordinary listen as Colette describes a complication with her artificial heart valve, that led to her daughter’s emergency caesarean… alongside her own heart surgery in the same procedure.

Colette moved to the Rock in 2000 with a managed heart condition. There were known risks to becoming pregnant, but her medication was adjusted and she conceived with her then-partner. She had a good textbook pregnancy with a due date the end of January 2013, however as she entered her third trimester, Colette felt crushing fatigue. An emergency check-up confirmed the frightening presence of a heart complication.

What followed was a dramatic race to Cadiz for emergency care, as a team of specialists urgently consulted: how to save both mother and baby? With huge risks, uncertainty and a language barrier, Colette faced the real possibility that she might not survive to meet her baby. It’s an emotional listen as she describes undergoing a caesarean AND a heart valve replacement… within the same hour. More surgery followed to fit a pacemaker, and five days passed before Colette could meet her premature little girl.

Thankfully both recovered well and returned home for Christmas. We discuss how Colette’s daughter was treated for hip dysplasia, but has since been in excellent health with no inherited heart issues... and is now actually taller than Colette! It’s heart-warming to hear about the invaluable support she had from friends and family, as Colette beat the odds to become a mother. She tells this incredible journey in such a down-to-earth way! Thank you Colette, for sharing your birth story (Recorded March 2026).  

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KEY TOPICS: 5 pregnancies, missed miscarriages, second trimester loss, birth trauma, retained placenta, D&C, cervical lip, assisted delivery, autism, thyroiditis, pandemic

Angelique Cavilla describes her parenting journey involving five pregnancies and her three sons… so please note this episode contains discussion of loss, including the second trimester.

Angelique and her husband were expecting their first baby in 2013. It was a good pregnancy, although the induced delivery of their little boy was tricky with Angelique’s cervical lip. Over time, she noticed her son’s development differed from other babies, and he received a diagnosis of autism as a toddler.

Angelique’s second pregnancy in 2016 went well, with a delivery similar to her first although more intense. Their second son was born quickly and Angelique recovered well. Despite nights of poor sleep and communication issues with her eldest, she expressed the feeling: “I’m not done yet.” However the journey to reach their third child saw two devastating losses – in the pandemic year of 2020.

At almost 16 weeks the couple’s world fell apart at a gender scan, when instead, they discovered no heartbeat. It’s a harrowing description of traumatic delivery… while background TV’s announced lockdown. Angeliques explains the cruelty of a ‘missed miscarriage,’ – when the body gives no sign that a pregnancy has ended weeks before – and the hardest part: explaining to her young sons.

Social distancing meant Angelique’s recovery was lonely, while working and home-schooling. It was a bleak time, made harder by the discovery of another missed miscarriage at 8 weeks. A rollercoaster of emotions followed – and another pregnancy. Thankfully Angelique reached full-term, before a difficult labour and forceps delivery of her longed-for son.

We discuss the bond between her boys, family life, plus coping with health anxiety and physical repercussions after her births and losses. Angelique hope her story of a 'rainbow baby' shows that hope can exist after loss. I’m very grateful to Angelique for so honestly sharing her Gibraltar Birth Stories (Recorded March 2026).

If you've been affected by topics in this episode, please find local support online: Baby STEPPs (Support Through Early Parenthood & Pregnancies) Gibraltar

or with https://gibsams.gi for a free confidential listening service.

More support is available at: https://www.tommys.org/ and https://www.sands.org.uk/

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KEY TOPICS: 2 births, caesarean, nuchal cord, jaundice, ABO incompatibility, haemolytic disease of newborn (HDN), blood transfusion, grandmother

We’re heading back to the late 80’s today, with Ivana Finlayson and her husband – both nurses at the old St Bernard’s hospital. It’s a dramatic and emotional listen for the second half of our story.

Ivana was a young mother with a good pregnancy, and her son was born on his actual due date! She required a caesarean with both of her children – at a time when these were carried out under general anaesthetic. She returned to work two months postpartum, and speaks about a special bond with her own mother.

By 1991, Ivana was expecting again. Soon after the birth, her baby’s health deteriorated due to differing blood types between mother and baby (ABO incompatibility now rarely presents complications, thanks to advances in early detection).

She describes a traumatic few days as her daughter’s jaundice worsened; she became so poorly that a priest was called. Just two days postpartum, Ivana took a flight to King’s College Hospital, terrified by warnings that her baby might die. She remembers emergency care being excellent, as staff discovered the shocking reason her daughter hadn’t improved in Gibraltar.

Back on the Rock, Ivana adjusted to life with a newborn and toddler… while taking her nursing exams. She feels that navigating her daughter’s near-fatal experience made her a more empathetic nurse, and she describes a touching ‘full-circle’ moment towards the end of our chat. It was lovely to hear Ivana’s advice to her younger self, as well what it’s like to be a grandmother. Thank you Ivana for sharing your two Gibraltar Birth Stories (Recorded December 2025).

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KEY TOPICS: 2 births, miscarriage, fertility, posterior uterus, transverse lie, induction, natural delivery, advanced maternal age, pandemic

Welcome to an uplifting episode of empowerment, positivity and humour! We meet Dulcie Edwards, her husband and their two children, born either side of the pandemic.

For years Dulcie never dreamed of becoming a parent - but when the time came to start a family in her early 30's, she describes tricky menstrual cycles and hormonal treatment for fertility issues. After a sad miscarriage, the couple found they were expecting their daughter in 2019.

There's some very funny anecdotes through Dulcie's pregnancy journey (especially from her workplace at a school!), before a long labour began. She describes how her baby seemed 'stuck,' due to a transverse position and her posterior uterus. A fast birth followed with a good recovery for both, though Dulcie speaks about processing her emotions in the early postpartum months.

After the pandemic, the family found they were expecting a little boy. At full-term Dulcie was induced due to the risk of infection. She describes an intense labour with no pain relief, and her son making his arrival known! We chat about her recovery, the children's bond and personalities, plus her hopes for their futures - especially in a digital world. This was a fun and empowering one to record, and I'm very grateful to Dulcie for sharing her two Gibraltar Birth Stories! (Recorded December 2025).

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KEY TOPICS: 3 births, natural delivery, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, breech, elective caesarean, Klipper-Feil syndrome (KFS), large age gap

We meet Nicole Byrne this week: a mother of three boys who really learned to speak up! It's an episode of growth as Nicole overcame challenges and stigma - she describes negative local attitudes to being young, pregnant and unmarried in the 1990's.

For all three pregnancies, Nicole experienced nausea, sensitivity to smell and minimal weight gain. Much of her first labour was without pain relief, and her son was born with no complications. Despite him being a 'good' baby, Nicole's fatigue led to a diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, requiring lifelong treatment.

When pregnant with her second son, Nicole was advised to have a caesarean due to his breech position. In the months after his birth, she felt certain there was something wrong... yet felt dismissed by doctors with no medical answers. Nicole insisted on a referral to a UK hospital - where he was diagnosed with a very rare condition affecting the neck, shoulder and spine (Klipper-Feil Syndrome with Sprengel's deformity). Despite family support it was a difficult time for Nicole - she became involved with the Disability Society and took a career break to care for her young boys.

There's humour in our chat as Nicole describes a surprise pregnancy with her new partner, almost a decade later! After a scare in the third trimester, her third son was born very quickly. We have a lovely chat about the boys' relationships, and what it's like to parent adults. This was such an interesting episode about trusting your intuition, learning to advocate, and growing in confidence as a mother. I'm so grateful to Nicole for sharing her Gibraltar Birth Stories! (Recorded November 2025).

http://www.gibraltardisabilitysociety.com

Disclaimer: views expressed in podcast episodes are those of guests, and do not reflect the views of GBC.

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KEY TOPICS: 2 births, endometriosis, hyperemesis, assisted delivery, elective caesarean, pandemic

We meet local mother Roxane and her husband in this episode, plus their son and daughter born two years apart. Roxane discovered she was pregnant after treatment for endometriosis... and just as the world locked down with the pandemic in 2020.

She describes the uncertainty of changing Covid restrictions, and how severe sickness from six weeks made for a challenging pregnancy. After a lengthy labour, their little girl arrived by assisted delivery. Roxane describes the use of forceps as traumatic, and her recovery slow as they adjusted to life as a family of three.

In her second pregnancy, Roxane again suffered with hyperemesis that led to three hospital admissions in her first trimester. This time she accepted more family support, and describes finding a pattern to taking anti-sickness medications... while parenting her toddler.

Due to her previous difficult experience, Roxane was offered an elective caesarean. She describes feeling torn between her options, before a 'lightbulb' decisive moment. However, the birth of her son coincided with an unsettling event for the family, leading to an emotional week in hospital.

Despite being major surgery, Roxane describes her caesarean recovery as far less painful and a complete contrast to her first birth experience. It's lovely to hear her increased self-confidence across this episode! We also discuss her hopes and concerns for the children's futures - including the rise of social media, and her positive parenting approach from a counselling background. Thank you Roxane for sharing your two Gibraltar Birth Stories! (Recorded October 2025).

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KEY TOPICS: 1 birth, type-1 diabetes, blood thinning injections, induction, natural delivery, jaundice, athlete

This is a great episode about what it's like for a world class athlete to undergo dramatic physical changes to become a mother, as well as manage type one diabetes through pregnancy. Olivia and her husband Mark are parents to a one year old little girl and are both elite cyclists, having represented Gibraltar at the Commonwealth and Island Games.

The couple had to find time period between competitive events to try for a family, and quickly became pregnant in 2023. The physical change for Olivia was stark - from 100km cycles and personal bests, to a 25kg weight gain and being breathless climbing the stairs. She describes becoming hyper-vigilant in monitoring her daily sugar levels to ensure the baby's healthy development. She also experienced an erratic heart rate and nausea through pregnancy, alongside working full-time and moving house!

This is a great example of a successful induction and straightforward labour without complications - aside from the smell of her husband's lunch! It was emotional meeting their daughter for the first time, and after a short stay in hospital due to jaundice, they settled into life as a family of three.

Olivia's postpartum journey saw her restart gentle exercise with her husband's support a few weeks later. Remarkably within just three months, she regained much of her fitness and qualified for the Orkney Island Games! Olivia went on to win gold and bronze medals at the event in 2025 - when her daughter was just over a year old. She describes juggling training and parenting in such a down-to-earth way - I loved recording this fun and inspirational episode! Thanks Olivia for sharing your Gibraltar Birth Story (Recorded September 2025).

https://www.gbc.gi/news/orkney-island-games-two-gold-a-bronze-for-gibraltars-womens-cycling-team

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