A Perth family is going through every parent’s worst nightmare after tragically losing their newborn daughter early Saturday morning. The newborn was born in a home birth, but, sadly, was not breathing when she was born.
The baby’s father and a doula were the only two present and it is alleged that the baby became stuck during labour.
Could not be saved
The child was born at a Wattle Grove home around 3am and the dad desperately tried to revive the baby with CPR until paramedics arrived 10 minutes later. The doula reportedly did not know how to resuscitate a newborn.
Once the paramedics arrived, the baby was rushed to St John of God Midland hospital. She was then transferred to Perth Children’s Hospital but could not be saved.
There are no details surrounding what exactly happened during the labour other than the baby may have gotten stuck. There are also no details released about the mother’s pregnancy journey or whether it was considered a high-risk pregnancy.
No trained health professionals thereÂ
Other than the doula, who is not a healthcare professional and the father, there was no one else present at the birth.
Australian College of Midwives principal midwifery officer, told PerthNow that it is crucial to have a trained medical professional present if a woman is birthing at home.
As you can see in these tragic circumstances, there’s no trained health professional there to be able to recognise when there’s a deviation from the norm, there was no one there to identify the emergency situation early,’ she said.
“If a woman is birthing at home, it’s important to have a trained professional who is an expert in emergencies and has the ability to resuscitate, even though birth is inherently safe.”
A Department of Health spokesman told WAtoday that it was against the law for a doula to provide any clinical care during labour or birth. Any doula who breaches those rules is punishable by a fine of up to $30,000.
In Perth, an obstetrician can allow a home birth if the mother is deemed low risk and the birth is attended by a midwife, which can be costly. Expectant mothers can also birth at a midwifery-led family birthing centre, although places are limited and restricted to certain catchment areas.
WA Police confirmed the death of the infant was being treated as non-suspicious and the coronial investigation squad would prepare a report for the coroner.
Our hearts break for this family as they come to terms with this awful loss.
Recent free birth and home birth stories in the news
The tragic news comes just days after a mother shared her own free birth story, giving birth to her son in the Pacific Ocean with no medical intervention.Â
Ashley Graham also recently shared her home birth journey with her twins which resulted in a near-death experience after she started to haemorrhage.
Hilary Duff also shared her home birth journey with her fans which she found was a magical experience.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding home birth and free birth. While it is becoming more and more popular to birth at home, there is a lot to consider and it’s important that you discuss your options with a medical professional.
