MOTHERWISE: Pregnancy, Birth, Babies & Real Birth Stories with midwife Kathy Fray

Real Birth Stories | Ep-7 | “Reyna” | The disappointing C-Section: A Cascade of Interventions

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REAL BIRTH STORIES | EPISODE 7 | REYNA | CASCADE OF INTERVENTION

Epidural → Oxytocin Augmentation → Failure to Progress → Caesarean Section → Birth Disappointment.

In this episode of MotherWise Real Birth Stories, I share Reyna's [pseudonym] experience of the incredibly common obstetric phenomenon known as the "Cascade of Intervention."

Reyna was a healthy, low-risk young woman experiencing a normal labor, making fantastic progress towards birthing her baby.

But then came the decision to introduce an epidural and oxytocin augmentation — and, like so often, her labor progress changed dramatically. What followed was a "textbook example" of an escalating series of...

Real Birth Stories | Ep-6 | “Jamie's” | TB history, Uterine fibroids & Breastmilk Jaundice explained

10/14/2026

In this episode of Real Birth Stories, midwife Kathy Fray shares the birth story of “Jamy” (pseudonym), an AMA (advanced maternal age) mother with a history that brought several interesting considerations into her pregnancy and birth.

Jamy had a history of rapid births, along with a previous history of tuberculosis (TB) and a known uterine fibroid (a benign growth of the muscular wall of the uterus which, depending on its size and position, can sometimes influence pregnancy, fetal position, labour and birth).

With her previous fast labors very much part of the planning, Jamy’s story...

Real Birth Stories | Ep-5 | “Rowena” | 2nd Birth for Rhesus-Negative Mother & Understanding Anti-D

10/07/2026

Every birth is different. Every birth is unique. And every birth has something to teach us.

In this real birth story, you will hear about a Rhesus-negative mother’s wonderful second childbirth journey, including the importance of Anti-D during pregnancy and after birth.

In Episode 5 of “Real Birth Stories”, semi-retired senior midwife and best-selling maternity author Kathy Fray takes you through “Rowena’s” (pseudonym) labor and birth, using her actual clinical notes recorded at the time to share exactly what happened, step by step, and explain the clinical decisions and care along the way.

This bea...

Real Birth Stories | Ep-4 | “Karmen” | Increased-Risk Fetal Screen & Posterior Baby | Ventouse vacuum-assisted delivery

09/28/2026

“Karmen” (Pseudonym) – G2P0: Second Pregnancy, First Birth

Following a previous miscarriage, Karmen was pregnant for the second time and preparing for her first birth. With borderline advanced maternal age (AMA) at 39yrs of age, and mild obesity, her First Trimester Screening returned an “increased risk” result - not a diagnosis - for possible fetal chromosomal anomalies, as well as indicating increased risk for some potential pregnancy complications.

After considering their options, Karmen and her partner decided against diagnostic amniocentesis. As they knew they would not terminate the pregnancy regardless of the result, they did not wish t...

Real Birth Stories | Ep-1 | “Jaqui” | A Beautiful Due-Date Birth with a Hep B Twist

09/09/2026

Meet “Jaqui” - a pseudonym, with personal details disguised to protect her identity.

Welcome to one of those wonderfully “textbook perfect” birth journeys very common to my caseload.

Jaqui is in her late 20s and having her first baby. Labor begins spontaneously right on her Estimated Due Date - something that actually happens to only a minority of babies, despite our obsession with that magical 40-week date!

Her labour unfolds beautifully: around 4½ hours of first-stage (cervix dilatation) followed by 1½ hours of second stage (pushing), culminating in a lovely natural birth.

But Jaqu...

Real Birth Stories | Ep-2 | "Lucy" | 2nd-time Giving Birth, but 1st-time Being a Mother

09/09/2026

Meet “Lucy” — a pseudonym, with personal details disguised to protect her identity.

Lucy is in her late 20s, an immigrant with good conversational English (who chooses not to use an interpreter). She is expecting her second baby - but the first baby she will raise herself in her new homeland. Her first child lives in her original country in Southeast Asia, being raised by family.
This creates a fascinating and unusual maternity journey: Lucy knows more than most first-time mothers-to-be, but considerably less than most second-time mothers-to-be.

Lucy describes her first birth as completely natural...

Real Birth Stories | Ep-3 | “Susie & Dean” | Her 1st Labor & Birth, His 2nd-Haunted by a first

09/09/2026

Meet “Susie & Dean” - pseudonyms, with personal details disguised to protect their identities.

For Susie, this is her first birth. For Dean, it isn't. He has previously experienced the birth of a child by Caesarean section - an experience he found traumatic and still really doesn't want to talk about.

And Dean is ANXIOUS+++ by nature.

So while Susie is approaching birth for the first time, her partner is approaching it carrying memories, fears and expectations from a difficult previous experience. Supporting the birthing woman sometimes also means recognising just how much her part...