Another bad statistic case for homebirth :(

[CinderToriella]

Very sad..

I dont know much about what 'free' birth is ?

[harleysgirl]

Very sad..

I dont know much about what 'free' birth is ?

"Freebirth" is done at home all by yourself, no midwife etc

why would you blame a chiro for the babies death??
come on people it isnt a blame game.
this women would be greiving the death of her baby, i highly doubt she is blaming any one(although she may be dealing with her own feelings in regards to this)

what ****s me it that only homebirth mummas get put through the trauma of having the police come and storm in to their precious space with a baby who has passed.

I dont blame the chiro at all but unfortunetly the police will see them as someone who could have prevented this death by taking the mum to hospital. its crazy!! this poor chiro is going to suffer for trying to help someone.

Dont get me wrong i think its silly as a professional to support a free birth as its just too risky "Professional" wise. but not sure what will happen if they prove this chiro was there as a friend not as a "professional"

[Traveller]

There is a huge difference between a chiro acting as a chiro and doula, supporting a woman who would otherwise be unsupported, and a chiro acting as a midwife suggesting to a mother that birth is always without complication and that she can handle it on her own. One is commendable and the other is a gross overstep of the mark.

The problem is that more and more women will be in the situation where they put their trust in unqualified lay midwives if the legislation goes through.

So so sad that this little baby died though, and it is far to early to place blame.

[harleysgirl]

well said.

My very first thought when the homebirth law started happening was that its only going to make women choose freebirths or like you said trust in someone thats not trustworthy

[Oorki Galoorki]

I thing to remember is the hB community in Aus is VERY small.. you never know who you are talking to about others. and considering there are LOTS of details coming from some one that works at the hospital it is a breach of many rules/laws..

[blessedatlast]

I am really sorry for the poor Mama who lost her baby. That is very sad.

As for the blame game, I think any Mama who lost her bub (or even has a living bub!) has guilt.. And maybe want someone to blame.. As it was mentioned before though was the chiro there as a friend?doula? or maybe a chiro, but taking a bit too much on for the 'scope of practice?' Either way, I couldn't read this and not comment.. I agree that if this legislation passes more women will opt to free birth as they may feel they wont be able to homebirth with support. I think this is where the problem lies.. Bottom line is: If women have the choice to homebirth it can and would be done safely.. I am not saying that free birthing can't be done safely, it's just that sometimes there needs to be an objective opinion to guide you and sometimes help, sometimes that person is not yourself, but a person trained to deal with situations similar.( I know that women are often aware of their own body and limitations etc, but emotion and pain can blur the vision..)

[blackduckies]

These are truely sad cases and I am sure you would never get over the pain and it would be very hard not to blame yourself and others. My Dh.. best friends... sister is a midwife who decided on a homebirth... for various reasons by the time they picked up they had'nt heard the babies HB for a while and an ambulance got there the damage was done, the little baby boy died a couple of days later. it destroyed their friendship!!! her midwife friend could'nt live with herself and gave up her job and the mother herself moved from the hospital she was working in to another in Melb, she has since gone on the have 2 other babies both in hospital..it nearly cost them (her and her DP) there relationship and she is a very different person, just so tragic.

I guess it does'nt matter how careful you are or where you are, home or hospital....things can and do go wrong, babies and mums die, perhaps we don't hear what the numbers really are???

Footnote I noticed the other day at Monash in Clayton they have a midwife assisted homebirth clinic, the middies come to you at home for visits and the birth, I am not sure how well known these things are..I guess it is about being in the right place at the right time???

[Schmickers]

There is a huge difference between a chiro acting as a chiro and doula, supporting a woman who would otherwise be unsupported, and a chiro acting as a midwife suggesting to a mother that birth is always without complication and that she can handle it on her own. One is commendable and the other is a gross overstep of the mark.

Did it say somewhere in the article that the chiropractor gave such advice?

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

How awful, for everyone involved.
Unfortunately freebirth is often lumped into the same category as homebirth (which of course it is but it's different from having a midwife attended homebirth), so when studies examining the statistics come out saying that homebirth is X number of times more dangerous than hospital birth, freebirth (which to the best of my knowledge is not as safe as a midwife attended homebirth though I could be wrong) tends to increase the number of deaths that fall into the 'homebirth' category.

[Traveller]

Did it say somewhere in the article that the chiropractor gave such advice?

no, but there is a suggestion the chiro could be charged with something. My post was in reference to the fact that this may be fair, or completely wrong, depending on what the chiro was doing there.

As an aside, in the UK if a woman freebirths, anyone who is present can be charged with acting as a midwife (including their spouse) so if you freebirth you have to do it alone. In practice partners are rarely charged unless a baby dies but it is a legal minefield. I wonder if it is the same in Australia?

[Doodlebug]

This is so sad, the poor mother

Please excuse my ignorance on the differences, I don't know much about homebirth and freebirth but it intrigues me. Basically the difference is a homebirth has a midwife attending and is organised through an organisation (hospital or gp)???

Then how does a freebirth happen? I know a girl who had a homebirth and she had to apply for a midwife/doula (not sure?) to attend and be approved. Kind of like a screening process for high risk. Does this happen with freebirth or does the mother decide she doesn't want to have anyone with her and just doesn't go to hospital? If this is the case, does a freebirthing mother still have antenatal appts and check-ups at an ob / midwife / gp?

I hope my questions don't offend anyone, I'm not making any judgements, I'm just trying to understand a little more about the different ways to birth. Unfortunately, I have had multiple operations on my insides (ovaries, bowell, bladder) and have been strongly recommended a c-section for birth so I've never really looked into other options before.

[Oorki Galoorki]

free births are almost always homebirths.
that is why they are put together sharon women can do what they please when it comes to birth, if they want to have a highly medicalised birth they can see a doctor or OB, it is not compulsary to see a doctor when pg.
your friend would have gone through a hospital backed homebirth scheme.. Independant Midwives you look them up have a chat then decide if you want to employ them.

Im sorry that you have been strongly suggested to have a cs and not thought to see what your other options are, but you still can you have a few more weeks to decide and research if you feel like you want some thing else.