Blackburn father delivers own baby in maternity ward (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Blackburn father delivers own baby in maternity ward
8:30am Monday 1st February 2010 in
-
- Exclusive By Catherine Pye » Reporter
A FATHER-TO-BE had to deliver his own baby at the Royal Blackburn Hospital after the midwife left the room.
Emily Baron, 26, was taken to the hospital after experiencing labour pains while boyfriend Thomas Howard arranged for his grandfather to look after the couple’s other children.
When he arrived on the maternity ward 30 minutes later, he noticed Emily was losing blood and asked the midwife if it was normal.
Mr Howard, 33, said: “When I asked the midwife she said she didn’t know, which didn’t fill me with confidence at all.
“Then she went away, leaving me and Emily on our own. It was then that I noticed I the baby’s head coming through.
“I pressed the buzzer to get some assistance, but nobody came and I decided that I would have to step in.
“I think it lasted about 15 minutes, it happened quickly, and I just had to go with it.
“I’ve never done anything like it before, but I’ve seen others do it a few times, so had a rough idea.
“The baby was lying at the end of the bed between Emily’s legs and I was cleaning the mucous out her mouth and making sure she could breathe when the midwife came back in.
“I was in shock at what had happened, but the nurse didn’t say anything to me. She just carried on as if it was normal.”
Madeline Louise Howard was born at 8.15am on Tuesday weighing 4lb 15oz.
Mr Howard and Miss Baron, of Bolton Road, Ewood, have four other children - Reece, 9, Dylan, 6, Adam, two, and Deni, one.
He said: “I know that these nurses are busy and work very hard, but I feel that the department is very understaffed.
“My one-year-old daughter was born with a cleft lip, and Adam had breathing difficulties at birth.
"They both needed assistance at delivery, and if this had have happened with them, I dread to think what the outcome would have been.
“It’s just a massive relief that this has gone okay and she’s doing well.”
Ruth Gildert, divisional general manager in Family Care for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I would like to apologise to Ms Baron and her partner for the distress they experienced when their baby was born at Royal Blackburn Hospital.
“We cannot comment in detail for reasons of patient confidentially but our midwives supervise all women very closely during labour.
“However there may, on some occasions, be the need to briefly leave the room and a baby can be born unexpectedly quickly, especially if this is not the mother’s first child.
“As a result of the concerns expressed we will be looking very closely into what happened and we will be contacting the family directly to discuss their concerns with them.
"We understand both mother and baby are doing well.”
Dr Tom Smith, Lancashire Telegraph medical expert, said: “There is no excuse for leaving a woman in the final stages of labour.
"There should have been someone at there at the birth.
“If there had been a problem it could have been very serious, for instance if the cord had wrapped around the baby’s neck it could have been starved of oxygen or if the woman began bleeding heavily she could have lost conciousness.
“This family should take the matter further.”
Campaign group the National Childbirth Trust said: “Being left alone in labour in hospital is unacceptable.
"As a civilised society we must ensure this basic need of women is met.
“Having a midwife with you when you give birth is vital to ensure there are no complications.”
Comments(38)
Forever Rover
says...
9:43am Mon 1 Feb 10
Personally I think you should expect someone to answer an alarm buzzer but one of the problems being people all to often press them for non-emergency reasons as they can't be bothered to get themselves a drink of water etc.
Fact is this shouldn't have happened but as the lady is having her fourth child things can happen very quickly indeed (when I was on a ward with my wife a lady literally gave birth quicker than my mrs could get out of bed and change into her pj's!). Babies don't come on demand and if another mother/child in another room was having serious difficulties then this could explain what has happened.
The flip side of this is that it could be bad service. My personal experience of one of the midwives at Blackburn was that she was one of the most arrogant, rudest, ignorant, obnoxious and obese humans I have ever met in my life and I was so grateful that she wasn't the wonderful lady who delivered my son.
If the family do look into things further I hope it is for answers rather than seek compensation etc. as there is a beautiful child at the end of this, that has come to no harm whatsoever and NHS money will always be best spent on staffing and equipment.
Bleachwoman
says...
10:22am Mon 1 Feb 10
ossy
says...
10:37am Mon 1 Feb 10
cutthebull
says...
10:44am Mon 1 Feb 10
Forever Rover
says...
12:02pm Mon 1 Feb 10
In regards to the parent who posted, as I mentioned I wasn't impressed by a certain midwife there either (who was just an ignorant cow to be honest) and I hope that if it was a case of her throwing a strop she is dealt with severely.
It must have been a frightening experience for you but thankfully you did what we are all capable of doing naturally. We do need to remember what sad ordeals these midwives go through on a weekly basis though and the demands, stresses and strains they are under - add to that the daily stuff we all deal with. I don't know the full details of why she buggered off and didn't come back but I hope you get your answer and I'm pretty certain it'll be a close shave the department will learn from and other parents will benefit.
mazx4
says...
12:13pm Mon 1 Feb 10
nickling
says...
12:33pm Mon 1 Feb 10
She is due to give birth again later this year and we are all dreading what the staffing situation and nursing care will be this time especially after reading this story.Management please take note
nickling
says...
12:33pm Mon 1 Feb 10
She is due to give birth again later this year and we are all dreading what the staffing situation and nursing care will be this time especially after reading this story.Management please take note
ANDREW RIGBY
says...
1:29pm Mon 1 Feb 10
I work for Granada Reports.
0161 952 6003.
Andrew Rigby
rovers666
says...
1:52pm Mon 1 Feb 10
Good to see ITV / Granada sniffing for another sensationalist story they can blow out of all proportion.
Parly
says...
1:55pm Mon 1 Feb 10
.
Whilst it’s great that Mr Howard kept as cool as a cucumber, I’m amazed he didn’t shout for help. In the same situation, I wouldn’t have even bothered to press the buzzer as though it were something routine but instead would have legged it onto the corridor and shouted for immediate help .
.
Glad to hear both Mum and Madeline are OK though. Welcome to the world little lady! :)
Bleachwoman
says...
3:20pm Mon 1 Feb 10
clitheroegirl27
says...
4:33pm Mon 1 Feb 10
The fact that the midwife didn't know the 'bleeding' was normal or not says it all to me! :(
I understand babies can come quite quick, and i speak from experience, but given being in that situation common sense sometimes falls by the way side and u just panic...i for one would of been so so so upset/anxious if my husband went out in the corridor to shout for help, and prob a good job this dad didnt as the mother would of had to deliver the tot herself... by the sounds of it...
At last some common sense...'she doesn't want to sue the hospital' just wants to make the NHS sit up and realise what a complete and utter mess our hospitals are in at the moment! Very wise lady...whats the point in suing the NHS when they have very little money/resources already?!?!
Congrats on the little one and well done to the dad :)
clitheroegirl27
says...
4:35pm Mon 1 Feb 10
Parly
says...
4:48pm Mon 1 Feb 10
.
I do agree the midwife concerned should have sought assistance from someone more experienced straight away (perhaps she was a student or newly qualified? I don’t know) and not left it so long, especially given that this woman was bleeding and had a history of complications.
.
Anyway, wishing you and your little un all the best! :)
Alixet
says...
4:53pm Mon 1 Feb 10
clitheroegirl27
says...
5:01pm Mon 1 Feb 10
Tommytucker10
says...
5:11pm Mon 1 Feb 10
And the reason why the Hospitals are in such a mess is down to our so called leaders. They have trillions of pounds to spend on bombs and weapons to kill Babys abroad though. In this so called War on Terror. So you go and get your sorry in the form this World knows best £££ (Throw some money at it, and it will go away?)
suzi007
says...
5:20pm Mon 1 Feb 10
cutthebull
says...
5:28pm Mon 1 Feb 10
chrislancs
says...
6:57pm Mon 1 Feb 10
The trust has to save a further £46million. I ask again will there be any services left?
Chris Reid PPC
English Democrats
Hyndburn
clitheroegirl27
says...
7:45pm Mon 1 Feb 10
Suing the hospital wont make a bit of difference, if it did we wouldn't be having this discussion on here now, this story wouldn't of been written as the hospital wouldn't of made this blunder!!! All that will happen is the NHS will have to make yet more cutbacks or the tax payer will end up having to shell out for the compo, it will just fuel the fire, they are making cutbacks due to apparent lack of funds, if people were to sue then this would just make the situation a whole lot worse, the money HAS to come from somewhere, and its usually out of the tax payers pockets!!!
sharonAccy
says...
8:51pm Mon 1 Feb 10
staceylovesmark
says...
8:58pm Mon 1 Feb 10
Parly
says...
9:30pm Mon 1 Feb 10
.
I agree it is unacceptable to be left for so long and that it’s not ideal to have to start shouting for help in the first place. It does need further investigation because it could have been a woman on her own with just the buzzer for help. Royal Blackburn Hospital has its problems and can be very shoddy at times and no two ways about it, but it is the best place to be if ever (God forbid) a serious problem arises.
.
It’s not often babies “toboggan” their way down and out of the birth canal like that though in fairness!!
.
I can relate to what Stacey said about the midwives being particularly unsupportive of young, first time Mums and still remember how awful they made me feel the night my daughter was born. One in particular gave me a right ticking off because I was weepy!
.
That was almost twelve years ago though now and I would like to have believed things changed, especially as they were much better with me when my son was born just two years later.
.
Anyway, wishing you both (or all four of you) the very best. xx
mr plod
says...
11:28pm Mon 1 Feb 10
Pinkerbell
says...
11:51pm Mon 1 Feb 10
"They have trillions of pounds to spend on bombs and weapons to kill Babys abroad though. In this so called War on Terror."
What an idiotic statement! We are not killing babies 'abroad' and the War on Terror is to protect us all from Al Qaeda and the Taliban. You are an ignoramus.
Tommytucker10
says...
12:15am Tue 2 Feb 10
Pinkerbell wrote:When they are dropping bombs they have no idea who those bombs are going to kill. And who do we need to be protected from? Who the T.V says we need protecting from? And who is that? you tell me mate.
Tommytucker 10 said: "They have trillions of pounds to spend on bombs and weapons to kill Babys abroad though. In this so called War on Terror." What an idiotic statement! We are not killing babies 'abroad' and the War on Terror is to protect us all from Al Qaeda and the Taliban. You are an ignoramus.
Who ever the powers that be decide to squash for their wealth.
baaa, you sheep wake-up.
Davidoff
says...
5:17am Tue 2 Feb 10
Markr
says...
8:40am Tue 2 Feb 10
My daughter was in and the midwife was supposed to come and show her how to use a breast pump, she said in a couple of minutes, they waited two hours and when her partner went to see about it and said how long theyd waited she said dont say that I will get in trouble, after taht they hurt her at every examination, feel like going in with a big stick and slapping a few of them with it, but I would get done, yet if a baby died from their incompetence they would sweep it under the carpet. If you can help it dont have your baby there.
Lancashirerose
says...
12:49pm Tue 2 Feb 10
It really annoys me when I see stories like this in the Telegraph as the work that the midwives and other healthcare professionals do day in, day out, gets undermined by one off cases like this.
Every healthcare professional that we have encountered throughout our pregnancy has been fantastic and very professional, doctors, midwives, consultants and health visitors.
We live in a blame culture, seeking to get whatever we can from wherever we get it. Although this child didn't have the most straightforward of starts to life, perhaps the parents should be blessed that they have this precious child in the first place, and that we also live in a country where healthcare is readily available and free!
I think some of the other posters that have commented on here must ask themselves the question why they think the staff had 'attitude' problems with them, perhaps the attitude problems lie with them in the first place.
clitheroegirl27
says...
4:29pm Tue 2 Feb 10
Lancashirerose wrote:maybe if it was you and your baby that it happened too then you'd think very differently...i guess no one knows what it was like unless ur in that situation....the point is no matter what the prob is or situation no one should be left for 15 minutes to deliver their own baby specialy after pressing the buzzer prior!
Although I sympathise with this couple that they did not receive the best possible care and attention at BRH, I had to comment as I recently gave birth to my first child a few weeks ago, and both myself and my husband cannot praise the staff on the Central Delivery Ward and the Maternity Wards highly enough. From the minute we arrived at the hospital in labour, I never for one moment felt that the care we received was lacking in anyway whatsoever, or that the attitude of the staff was unprofessional. It really annoys me when I see stories like this in the Telegraph as the work that the midwives and other healthcare professionals do day in, day out, gets undermined by one off cases like this. Every healthcare professional that we have encountered throughout our pregnancy has been fantastic and very professional, doctors, midwives, consultants and health visitors. We live in a blame culture, seeking to get whatever we can from wherever we get it. Although this child didn't have the most straightforward of starts to life, perhaps the parents should be blessed that they have this precious child in the first place, and that we also live in a country where healthcare is readily available and free! I think some of the other posters that have commented on here must ask themselves the question why they think the staff had 'attitude' problems with them, perhaps the attitude problems lie with them in the first place.
As regards to midwifes and attitudes it depends on who is on that day, when i was in 3 yrs ago for 7 days u get to really see what they are all like and the majority are all fine but u get the odd smart **** one that still think the ward is run in a matrons way!!
staceylovesmark
says...
8:43pm Tue 2 Feb 10
Congratulations by the way!
Lancashirerose
says...
9:07pm Tue 2 Feb 10
I think reading between the lines, with this being her 4th child there is every possibility that her labour was exceptionally quick and the Dad's '15' minutes might possibly be exaggerated! When you're in that situation time can feel a lot longer than it actually is.
Another point I'd like to make was that possibly the midwife had gone to seek other help upon the concerns that the couple had when they arrived at BRH, and although he shouldn't have had to in the first place, if there was such a problem why didn't the father run shouting onto the corridor for help from someone like anyone with common sense would do?
clitheroegirl27
says...
9:46pm Tue 2 Feb 10
Ahhhh who knows??? only them i guess......
PAULP1999
says...
11:45pm Tue 2 Feb 10
We pour billions of £s into the NHS and frankly we are wasting our time. We are very good in this country at just chucking money at a problem until it appears to have sorted itself. Just look at the education standards we have in this country. People struggle with basic communication and maths. Yet we are always told that things are improving. It's the same with NHS.
If we take action against the hospitals etc do things actualy change? No. It's just more money that taxpayers have to find.
We are all very quick to complain about the services we receive. We could be in another country where we would have to pay for medical care, education. I see a day in the not too distant future where this will happen. We currently pay out over £76billion a year in benefits and similar ammounts for the NHS and education.
Britiain in 2010. Welcome to the new decade!
pocketdragon
says...
2:47pm Fri 5 Feb 10
Alixet wrote:unfortunately it isnt at RBH, when i had my first they nearly killed me through incompetence. when i had my second i went to a different hospital and it was completely different.
clitheroegirl27 - try not to worry. I had a baby at the RBH in October and the pre natal and post natal care was fantastic. Hopefully the above story is a very unfortunate, isolated incident.
my advice is DO NOT GO TO RBH, ASK TO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL. YOU HAVE A CHOICE!
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ALL’S WELL: Thomas Howard holds baby Madeline watched by mum Emily Baron
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happycyclist says...
9:06am Mon 1 Feb 10
s don't really matter now, do they? The important thing is that Madeline was born and mother and child are both OK. Of course it shouldn't have happened, but it did. The midwife will be feeling guilty as hell and you'd get astronomical odds on this ever happening again.
Yet there will probably be a full-scale investigation and maybe even disciplinary action and somewhere along the line a stinking lawyer will pop up with a no win no fee compensation case.
Dr Tom Smith says the family should 'take the matter further' -why? So that medical staff can spend more time in meetings and inquiries instead of being on the front line? How does that help? A mistake happened. Apologies were were offered. Everyone is OK. Mr Baron now has a hell of a tale to tell at the christening. Get over it.