Nicole: First Birth, IVF Conception, Ghost Pregnancy, Positive NHS Hospital Induction, Failed Epidural, Ventouse Delivery, Episiotomy, Breastfeeding Challenges, Hospital Readmission

Nicole is an Australian mum living in the UK who welcomed her daughter Rosemary after a long IVF journey. Her pregnancy was smooth until a late scan flagged Rosemary as measuring small, and Nicole was booked in for an induction at nearly thirty seven weeks. She leaned hard on hypnobirthing and a strict no contact with the outside world rule to stay calm through days of waiting in hospital before anything even started.

Everything changed when Rosemary would not come down and Nicole ended up pushing alone for almost an hour before a doctor, who happened to be an old family friend, stepped in with a ventouse delivery and an episiotomy. What followed was an exhausting recovery, a battle to breastfeed that ended in an official complaint, and a terrifying moment days later when Rosemary was readmitted to hospital because she was not putting weight back on.

In this episode we talk about:

• What it is really like to be induced and spend days waiting for a bed on the ward
• The strange experience of a ghost pregnancy before her successful IVF transfer
• Pushing for nearly an hour before a doctor stepped in with a ventouse delivery
• Why she made an official complaint after her breastfeeding support fell short
• Being readmitted to hospital just a week after birth and what caused it

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt dismissed while trying to feed their baby, or who is heading into an induction and wondering how on earth to stay calm.

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.

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