E42 Rachael Hicks | First Birth, Homebirth, Birth Injury, Postnatal Depression

In this episode Rachel shares the story of her son Patricks birth. Rachel had a really straight forward conception and pregnancy and shares some special moments from that time, including when she discovered that she was pregnant and told her very clucky partner Liam that he was finally going to be a dad!

Rachel chose to have a big birth team with lots of family and friends, as well as her midwives, to offer support and wisdom through her labour and transition to motherhood. She shares about the different roles they each had during her birth, and how loved and supported she felt to have all of them there. Rachel takes us through each stage her long labour, and the relief she felt when her baby was finally born. 

As Patrick was being born, Rachel tore quite badly and needed an extended repair, which her midwives were able to do at home. Her description of the love, care, and attention to detail she felt from them during the repair, and her reflection of the way that that type of care, if given routinely, could create a ripple effect and change the world, is breathtaking. 

Rachel also briefly speaks about her experience of late onset postnatal depression and I would like to flag that she briefly mentions suicidal thoughts. If you’re not in a space to hear that part of the story, just pause the episode after her midwives go home and Rachel, Liam and Patrick are alone for the first time as a family of three. 

 

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