Newborn died after lengthy ‘freebirth' in home pool
A coroner said the 41-year-old woman's prolonged 'freebirth' probably contributed to the preventable death of her baby in 2022.
A finding on the death, released on Thursday, said the mother fell pregnant in March 2022 and did not see a doctor for regular antenatal tests or scans but reported feeling fantastic.
During the only medical visit during her pregnancy, at 36 weeks, the mother, who cannot be named due to a court order, declined a blood screen or ultrasound, telling the GP she had a 'team' organising her birth.
The mother said her reason for visiting the GP that day was to ascertain whether there was one heartbeat or two.
'[She] described the remainder of her pregnancy as 'smooth and uneventful' and she did not notice anything out of the ordinary,' coroner Catherine Fitzgerald said.
During this time, the mother saw an Instagram post on a page called The Authentic Birthkeeper, run by Emily Lal, which advertised birthing pools for hire and she later obtained one.
The mother went into labour about 7.30am on December 27, 2022. She spent the entire day and night in the birthing pool, and most of the next day. The baby was born about 10.30pm on December 28, 2022.
The coroner said the parents then went to bed with the child in their arms, without first delivering the placenta or cutting the cord. The next morning, the mother checked on the baby and thought she felt a heartbeat, but upon reflection, believes she was feeling her own heartbeat through her fingers.
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2 days ago
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3 days ago
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3 days ago
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Death of freebirther's baby during homebirth ‘preventable', Authentic Birthkeeper Emily Lal actions examined
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