Hannah Witton on Pregnancy with a Stoma: What It’s Really Like

In this deeply personal and candid episode of Happy Mum Happy Baby, host Sophie interviews YouTuber and activist Hannah Witton about her journey of becoming a mother while managing a stoma due to ulcerative colitis and other chronic health conditions. Hannah shares her emotional and physical experiences of trying to conceive after being told by her doctor that her upcoming surgery could impact fertility, leading her to start trying immediately after marriage. She recounts the challenges of secondary infertility, the emotional toll of seeing pregnancy announcements from friends, and her decision to pursue private IVF. The episode dives into the unique physical realities of pregnancy with a stoma, including stoma bag adjustments, back pain, and the lack of medical guidance on the topic. Hannah describes her four-day labor, which included watching the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, and her planned C-section due to surgical risks. She reflects on the emotional complexity of her birth experience, including not being able to hold her son Rowan immediately and the trauma of hospital separation during postpartum recovery. Despite the challenges, Hannah expresses deep fulfillment in motherhood, values community, and finds joy in being active and engaged with others. Her story is one of resilience, vulnerability, and the redefinition of motherhood beyond traditional narratives.