Monitoring in the Birthing Pool

[rzl]

Our baby died due to a lack of oxygen around the time of his birth. We are unable to pinpoint the exact time or cause of the oxygen starvation but my wife was in the water just before the birth and the midwife found it very difficult to monitor the heartbeat. She says that she could feel the pulsation on the monitor but no-one I have spoken to (incl. an obs consultant) has ever heard of this ? can anyone help?

The second stage lasted less than half-an-hour and the fetal heart rate was monitored just twice in this time and in both cases the midwife has recorded that it was difficult to pick up. We feel that the monitoring was insufficient and perhaps there could have been a different outcome if the monitoring had been done properly and more often.

rzl

was there not a second MW present if the birth was imminent? that is the normal course of action....

Our baby was born at the beginning of June and the hospital's investigation was completed two weeks ago.

FH was recorded throughout and was within range.

We have the medical notes. A consultant obstetrician not connected with the case has reviewed them (I mention his comments above). The notes have also been reviewed by the coroner so I think that her review will be the "independent professional" examination that you mean?

I have not yet heard if there have been any recommendations from the hospital investigation.

There are occasions Lulumama when it is so busy that no one answers the call for a second midwife! and if that happens, it should be documented.

I have known a few very experienced midwifes who preferred to deliver on their own, usually with no problems.

A second midwife was present for the birth

ah, noname, i am used to comparitively quiet labour ward... outside of london and big cities.

just wondering why,if there were two midwives in the room, that the HB issue was not picked up on by either

either way, it is just unbearably sad.

Thank you for the answers rzl, I know this must be still very painful for you and your wife.

From my experience it is usual, that if a change in practice and/or procedure can prevent a similiar outcome, the parents are advised of the steps to be taken.

Although the situation cannot change for parents, it is helpful in their grieving to know that hopefully the same thing doesn't happen again to other parents in the same circumstances.

The Consultant Obstetrician who reviwed the notes may not have been involved with your wife's care but is he independent from the Hospital Trust?

The second midwife is usually called when the head is about to deliver and may not necessarily have been there when the FH was last listend to.