Woman, 36, who campaigned for home births dies having baby daughter at her own house

UK Daily Mail ^ | January 31, 2012 | Richard Shears

[C19fan]

An Australian woman who was a strong supporter of home births has died tragically, delivering her own baby daughter at home. Caroline Lovell, 36, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after giving birth but could not be saved. Her daughter Zahra was delivered healthily.

[The_Reader_David]

Irony. We went from home births to hospital births for a reason.

Indeed.

Unfortunately that led to physicians acting as if pregnancy was a disease and with it the abolition or overrelation of midwifery so that obstetricians could have a monopoly or near monopoly on attending births. I suspect at a spiritual level the prevalence of the attitude that pregnancy is a disease laid the foundation for the present culture of death that regards abortion in circumstances where the woman's life is not at risk from continuing the pregnancy as "health care".

One wants physicians handy when a woman is giving birth, but not actively involved unless something is awry. My wife's best deliveries were attended by midwives in hospitals -- the one attended by a physician was far more unpleasant, even though one of the midwife delivered babies was a much harder labor.

[varyouga]

Foods that fall apart when poked and are best eaten with chopsticks. Sushi for example. I would rather eat sushi with my hands than a fork.

[The Great RJ]

My father was an old time family doctor and did home deliveries from the mid 1930s until the early 1950s. The last baby he delivered was a complicated birth and he was afraid he might lose both the mother and baby but fortunately both survived. He gave up doing home deliveries after that birth.

One of Dad's favorite stories was being called for a home delivery in a blinding South Dakota blizzard. Riding in a wrecker from a local garage, he managed to make the six mile trip to the farm in about two hours but only to find the mother was in full breech birth. Not wanting to do a C-section on the kitchen table, he called the local train depot ...fortunately the trains were still running and he arranged for the train to stop at a nearby crossing. Riding with the Mother in the wrecker about a mile to the crossing, he managed to get himself and the mother into the mail car for what he described as a very cold trip to a Sioux Falls hospital for a C-section. Both mother and baby survived the ordeal.

[kactus]

Quote from a friend in the medical field~ “Home deliveries should only be for pizza (not babies).”

[JRios1968]

Woman, 36, who campaigned for home births dies having baby daughter at her own house

[Rusty0604]

My daughter recently gave birth at home to a 9.3 lb. baby girl. I tried to convince her to have it at the hospital and was worried but fortunately everything was OK.

[murron]

Cheaper than a hospital?

[murron]

I thought that’s why we have spoons.

[paterfamilias]

“I know many who desire this very thing, but they plan wisely.”

Complications from a presumably uncomplicated low-risk pregnancy.

To quote a friend and colleague Dr. W.P.P., “The only time you need an obstetrician is when you need an obstetrician.”

[montag813]

We had our last child in our bedroom, and if we have another, we will do it again. Incredible, wonderful experience. I can’t imagine how the MOTHER died. Any risk is 99.9% on the baby. Did she have undiagnosed preeclampsia or someting? Heart condition?

[chris_bdba]

Probably not, stroke was my first thought which is a risk in any delivery or Amniotic Fluid Embolism which is another thing that can happen during delivery and can be fatal to the mother.

[chris_bdba]

BTW neither are able to be predicted before birth and both have a try rapid onset.Like within a few minutes of delivery and if you do not had a crash cart handy the Mother will die.They still can die even in this hospital but both conditions can be fatal in a home birth.

[chris_bdba]

BTW neither are able to be predicted before birth and both have a very rapid onset.Like within a few minutes of delivery and if you do not had a crash cart handy the Mother will die.They still can die even in this hospital but both conditions can be fatal in a home birth.

[Marie Antoinette]

I have had 4 babies at home. It’s not for everybody, that’s for sure. If I am ever blessed with another, we will have a hospital birth. My risk factors are way higher than we can manage at home now.

[Marie Antoinette]

Attended home births (with a midwife or doctor) are illegal in many places. Not even 5 years ago, I couldn’t have a midwife legally attend my home birth in Missouri. Some locales are better than others. :)

[Tax-chick]

Her daughter Zahra was delivered healthily.

Uh, no. Little Zahra may have been born healthy, but she was not "delivered healthily" if her mother died in the process. My Kathleen was "delivered healthily."