From epidural to delivery in minutes—Nikolina's second baby Leo stunned even veteran doctors with his lightning-fast arrival.

Despite a physically "cruisy" pregnancy with her children just 16 months apart, Nikolina Koevska Kharoufeh battled intense anxiety about giving birth a second time. After casually attending brunch during early contractions, her labor rapidly intensified. Just as doctors prepared for her curved spine complication during the epidural, Leo's heart rate dropped, and with a single push, he arrived—prompting one doctor to declare it the quickest birth in her 20-year career. 

Nikolina's story reminds us that birth anxiety is perfectly normal the second time around, even when you've done it before.

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Diary Of A Birth features mums telling their miraculous stories of bringing life into the world. If you’d like to share your birth story, we’d love to hear from you at podcast@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note here.

THE END BITS:
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Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram

If you’re looking for something else to listen to, check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens.

Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood.
Our parenting podcast is This Glorious Mess.
If you’re pregnant, listen to The Delivery Room and Hello Bump.
And if you’re trying or preg-curious, Get Me Pregnant and Before The Bump are for you.

CREDITS:

Host: Ksenija Lukich

Birth Story: Nikolina Koevska Kharoufeh

Obstetrician & Gynaecologist:Dr Bronwyn Devine

Producers: Ksenija Lukich & Tina Matolov

Audio Producer: Leah Porges 

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

From epidural to delivery in minutes&mdash;Nikolina's second baby Leo stunned even veteran doctors with his lightning-fast arrival.
Despite a physically "cruisy" pregnancy with her children just 16 months apart, Nikolina Koevska Kharoufeh battled intense anxiety about giving birth a second time. After casually attending brunch during early contractions, her labor rapidly intensified. Just as doctors prepared for her curved spine complication during the epidural, Leo's heart rate dropped, and with a single push, he arrived&mdash;prompting one doctor to declare it the quickest birth in her 20-year career.&nbsp;
Nikolina's story reminds us that birth anxiety is perfectly normal the second time around, even when you've done it before.
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<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/diary-of-a-birth" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/diary-of-a-birth&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jEqZWcUsCKWgaf6I_aru-">Diary Of A Birth&nbsp;</a>features mums telling their miraculous stories of bringing life into the world. If you&rsquo;d like to share your birth story, we&rsquo;d love to hear from you at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@mamamia.com.au">podcast@mamamia.com.au</a>&nbsp;or send us a voice note&nbsp;<a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw29Q4adFKCb-coGIWhfqboK">here</a>. THE END BITS: <a href="https://mamamia.com.au/subscribe/?utm_source=shownotes&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=quicky&amp;utm_content=mm-birthday&amp;code=TQBIRTHDAY" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://mamamia.com.au/subscribe/?utm_source%3Dshownotes%26utm_medium%3Dpodcast%26utm_campaign%3Dquicky%26utm_content%3Dmm-birthday%26code%3DTQBIRTHDAY&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1QmYCj2XoKZIak4TzggWhi">Support independent women's media </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofabirthbymamamia?igsh=MnZrbXJ3ZzRvbTht" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/diaryofabirthbymamamia?igsh%3DMnZrbXJ3ZzRvbTht&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2KGvsMl7W7r4A-48yR2a-G">Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram</a>
If you&rsquo;re looking for something else to listen to, check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/the-baby-bubble/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/the-baby-bubble/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw10HtaL00ewX3-nUnuA1feg">The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens. </a>Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood. Our parenting podcast is<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/this-glorious-mess/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/this-glorious-mess/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1UOJHXVbbfQC9MCFEz7ZSY">&nbsp;This Glorious Mess</a>. If you&rsquo;re pregnant, listen to<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/the-delivery-room/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/the-delivery-room/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3zsoVIVlpGncRIs6fl5E-X">&nbsp;The Delivery Room</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/hello-bump/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/hello-bump/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Mg01rYum90ZK8oNoNXDpV">&nbsp;Hello Bump</a>. And if you&rsquo;re trying or preg-curious,<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/get-me-pregnant/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/get-me-pregnant/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3G5_9wgg3jjczlquxVLshz">&nbsp;Get Me Pregnant</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/before-the-bump/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/before-the-bump/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw13nESHIngbP2X-13Jix5bi">&nbsp;Before The Bump</a>&nbsp;are for you. CREDITS:
Host:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ksenijalukich?igsh=MWszeGl2ejczeTl6NA==" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/ksenijalukich?igsh%3DMWszeGl2ejczeTl6NA%3D%3D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785489000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2QQwe_vOXF_jQCq51Q6RdT">&nbsp;Ksenija Lukich</a>
Birth Story: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/heynikolinak/?hl=en">Nikolina Koevska Kharoufeh</a>
Obstetrician &amp; Gynaecologist: <a href="https://www.drbronwyndevine.com.au/">Dr Bronwyn Devine</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-kick-pregnancy-podcast/id1469497070"></a>
Producers:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ksenijalukich?igsh=MWszeGl2ejczeTl6NA==" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/ksenijalukich?igsh%3DMWszeGl2ejczeTl6NA%3D%3D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785489000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2QQwe_vOXF_jQCq51Q6RdT">Ksenija Lukich</a> &amp; Tina Matolov
Audio Producer:&nbsp;Leah Porges&nbsp;
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Giving birth is a transformative experience. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s miraculous. And no two stories are the same.

Diary Of A Birth brings you inside the delivery room to hear an extraordinary birth story every week.

Hosted by Ksenija Lukich, with expert advice from Dr. Golly, you’ll hear the real life birth stories that are everything you don’t expect when you’re expecting. 

Giving birth is a transformative experience. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s miraculous. And no two stories are the same.
Diary Of A Birth brings you inside the delivery room to hear an extraordinary birth story every week.
Hosted by Ksenija Lukich, with expert advice from Dr. Golly, you’ll hear the real life birth stories that are everything you don’t expect when you’re expecting.

Diary Of A Birth

The Mum Who's Birth Surprised Even Her Doctor

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/87842c9a-9b78-49c5-9436-b2c200210719/transcript