Coroner Sounds Alarm on Doulas as Baby Death Raises Concerns Over Home Birth Guidance
A coroner has warned that more babies may die if greater clarity is not provided over the role of home birth assistants, known as doulas. The warning comes after a baby girl died from a brain injury just 15 days into life due to delays in hospital treatment during her mother's difficult home labour.
The case highlights concerns about the role of doulas in delaying midwives' access to the hospital, particularly when signs of foetal distress are present. In one instance, a midwife offered transfer to hospital twice before the request was turned down, with the second time being due to "deteriorating" labour but not communicated effectively to the family.
The coroner, Henry Charles, has called for greater guidance on doulas' roles and boundaries. He noted that the presence of a doula can create a buffer between midwives and parents, leading to misunderstandings about what is and isn't acceptable in terms of birth planning.
Doulas are non-medical professionals who provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy and birth, often alongside NHS midwives. However, their role is not clearly defined, and there is currently no regulation governing their activities.
The coroner's warning has been echoed by a separate report by Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI), which found that doulas were involved in 12 of the 29 maternity investigations it had completed, with evidence suggesting they often worked outside of their defined boundaries.
Doula UK has responded to the criticism, stating that they take the implications of the coroner's report extremely seriously and are reviewing and strengthening their policies and guidance on doula practices. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to ensure doulas understand their roles and responsibilities in order to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The coroner's warning has sparked concerns about the growing use of doulas during childbirth, with many expectant mothers now choosing to work with these non-medical professionals. However, without clearer guidance on doulas' roles, there is a risk that more babies may suffer as a result of delays in hospital treatment due to misunderstandings about what is and isn't acceptable in terms of birth planning.
The government has been urged to take action to avoid similar tragedies involving doulas by providing greater clarity and guidance over their roles.
A coroner has warned that more babies may die if greater clarity is not provided over the role of home birth assistants, known as doulas. The warning comes after a baby girl died from a brain injury just 15 days into life due to delays in hospital treatment during her mother's difficult home labour.
The case highlights concerns about the role of doulas in delaying midwives' access to the hospital, particularly when signs of foetal distress are present. In one instance, a midwife offered transfer to hospital twice before the request was turned down, with the second time being due to "deteriorating" labour but not communicated effectively to the family.
The coroner, Henry Charles, has called for greater guidance on doulas' roles and boundaries. He noted that the presence of a doula can create a buffer between midwives and parents, leading to misunderstandings about what is and isn't acceptable in terms of birth planning.
Doulas are non-medical professionals who provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy and birth, often alongside NHS midwives. However, their role is not clearly defined, and there is currently no regulation governing their activities.
The coroner's warning has been echoed by a separate report by Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI), which found that doulas were involved in 12 of the 29 maternity investigations it had completed, with evidence suggesting they often worked outside of their defined boundaries.
Doula UK has responded to the criticism, stating that they take the implications of the coroner's report extremely seriously and are reviewing and strengthening their policies and guidance on doula practices. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to ensure doulas understand their roles and responsibilities in order to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The coroner's warning has sparked concerns about the growing use of doulas during childbirth, with many expectant mothers now choosing to work with these non-medical professionals. However, without clearer guidance on doulas' roles, there is a risk that more babies may suffer as a result of delays in hospital treatment due to misunderstandings about what is and isn't acceptable in terms of birth planning.
The government has been urged to take action to avoid similar tragedies involving doulas by providing greater clarity and guidance over their roles.
the coroner's warning is a total wake-up call for these doula folks 
they need some serious guidelines on what's expected of them, like, literally lives are at stake here 
i feel bad for that little baby girl and her family, they must be going through so much pain and grief 
it's crazy to me how some doulas just aren't communicating effectively with midwives or families, it's just basic human care 
the government needs to step in here and set some clear boundaries for these doula professionals 
we need more education and regulation on this whole thing so that no one has to go through what that family did 
, i mean, it's one thing to have a supportive friend or family member help you through the birth process, but when you're dealing with medical emergencies, clear communication is key 
. it's crazy that there's no regulation governing doulas' activities - how can we trust them to make decisions that might affect our baby's life if they're not even following established protocols? 
i'd love to see more clarity on their roles and boundaries so that expectant moms know what to expect and can make informed decisions about their care.
like, what's the worst-case scenario here? a baby's life is at risk and we're not sure if we can trust doulas to make the right decisions in those moments.
and i also think the government should step in here and provide some guidance on this whole doula thing. we can't just leave it to individual organizations to sort out on their own.
I'm totally on the same page as this coroner, Henry Charles 
. It's crazy that these non-medical professionals can create a buffer between midwives and parents, leading to misunderstandings about birth planning 
It's not just the coroner warning, it's Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) report too... 12 of the 29 maternity investigations involved doulas, that's a huge statistic! 
We need to get our act together and provide clearer guidance for doulas ASAP! 
gotta say, this case is really worrying... all those delays because of not knowing how to communicate effectively between midwives & parents... just imagine if it was your own baby 
... need more guidelines on doulas' role so they can help, not hinder, hospital care 
anyway, i think doulas are lovely and all, but they need to be educated on what's really going on during a birth, not just what's happening in their own little world 
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i mean, a 15-day-old baby dying from a brain injury due to delayed hospital treatment because of her parents' birthing plan? 
. and what's with this "deteriorating" labour thing? didn't the parents get any clear explanation about what was going on or why they needed to go to hospital? 
. the coroner's warning should be taken seriously and the government needs to step in and provide some clear guidelines ASAP 
The coroner's warning is a good one - we need clearer guidelines on what's acceptable and what's not. It's like, just because you've got a doula doesn't mean you can ignore the signs of foetal distress... that's just common sense, innit? 
And yeah, I get why doulas want to be involved, but if they're not qualified to do so, then maybe they shouldn't be. It's all about finding that balance between supporting mum and baby, while also ensuring their safety 
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... doula uk needs to step up and provide better guidance for these non-medical professionals 
. I get that there's been a baby death and it's super sad, but we can't just blame the doulas for everything. They're like... emotional support people, right? But maybe they need some guidance on how to help mums feel more at ease during birth? It's not like they're trying to cause any harm, you know?
. It's not just about supporting mums during birth, it's about ensuring their babies get the medical help they need ASAP 
.
!