A mother who lost her newborn baby just a week after birth recounted the distressing moment when the infant was placed on her chest by a midwife who cheerfully exclaimed, “There’s your baby,” an inquiry revealed.

The tragic incident occurred at University College Hospital in central London on October 26, 2022, following complications during a planned home birth attended by the Edgware Midwives team from Barnett Hospital, part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

During the inquest at Barnet Coroner’s Court, it emerged that the mother, Gemma Lomas, had not been informed of the risks of a natural delivery due to her previous cesarean section with her first child. Ms. Lomas described how the midwives reacted slowly when her newborn, Poppy Hope Lomas, was born in distress.

The head midwife, Alice Boardman, had encouraged a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) at home, leading Ms. Lomas to believe it was a routine procedure. However, guidelines from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommend conducting VBACs in equipped delivery suites with immediate access to cesarean resources.

Following Poppy’s distressing birth, she was rushed to University College Hospital, where it was revealed she had suffered prolonged oxygen deprivation. Tragically, Poppy passed away a week later after her breathing tube was removed.

The inquest highlighted the dismissive attitude of the midwives towards Ms. Lomas’s concerns, including her complaints of pain from her previous cesarean scar. This heartbreaking loss has been particularly challenging for the family as Poppy was healthy throughout the pregnancy, making her sudden demise even more difficult to comprehend.

The inquiry has been adjourned for further evidence from the Edgware Midwives team.