A newborn girl whose mother was discharged from Wellington Hospital five hours after the birth died later that night.

Her first-time parents believe her sudden death might have been an "avoidable tragedy".

The baby died last Friday, just as Capital and Coast District Health Board was issuing a memo encouraging midwives to discharge mothers within six hours of giving birth, directly from the delivery suite. That policy did not apply to first-time mothers and came into effect only yesterday.

The hospital says the early discharge decision was made by the independent midwife. The midwife said the decision was up to the couple, and she believed they knew they could have stayed longer.

The devastated father, 28, told The Dominion Post yesterday that though he and his wife, also 28, were not forced to leave the hospital, it was not made clear they could stay if they wanted to.

The baby was born about 5am on Thursday, after a 20-hour labour. The family left the hospital at 10.30am. The baby died early on Friday. An autopsy will be done.

The parents did not see a doctor or a nurse after the birth. When they asked their midwife how long they would stay, she told them they could go home immediately if they wanted.

"They were the professionals with the experience and we relied on their advice. No one ever expressed any doubt about her going home.

"We do not blame anyone - the midwife and the hospital staff did a good job - but we are speaking out because we do not want this tragedy to happen to anyone else."

The couple did not know whether their baby would have survived if she had stayed in hospital, he said. "But maybe there was something that could have been picked up ... We didn't know there was any risk. We just did what we were told."

Stillbirth and Newborn Death Support coordinator Joan Curle, who has been supporting the couple, said she was shocked they had been allowed to leave so soon.

"She was a first-time mother, she was recovering from an episiotomy [a cut made to help childbirth], she hadn't slept in 30 hours, she did not have the support of extended family, the baby hadn't even learned how to latch on."

Capital and Coast issued a memo last week encouraging midwives to discharge mothers who had their second or subsequent child without complications directly from the birthing suites. They could stay in the suites up to six hours.

The DHB came in for strong criticism for saying women who went home directly from the delivery suite would be given a $100 supermarket voucher. It backtracked on the voucher scheme on Thursday.

Capital and Coast's clinical director of women's health services, John Tait, said last night postnatal beds were always available for women having their first baby.

"The decision for early discharge was made between the lead maternity carer [the midwife] and the woman. The hospital was not formally consulted about discharge."

The midwife said the couple knew they could stay longer. "Nobody tells them to leave." There was "no way" she would have discharged the family if she thought the woman was not well enough to leave.

Email a Friend | Printable View | Have Your Say

I think that there should be at a mimium 24 hour stay. i know back in the day there were mostly home births, but there were also higher infant mortality then too. It is important that new babies are assess after birth by professionals for at least 24 hours. What if the baby's temp kept dropping or had feeding probs or maybe a bowel issue that was not seen during pregnancy by US. No one would know until something tragic happened! I wonder if the insurance companies are putting pressure on the hospitals to make hospital stays even shorter and that's why the new change? Insurance companies are EVIL!!

Healthcare is suppose to be just that----Care of Health. Money is controlling every aspect of LIFE and that is sad! I have given birth three times myself and I can truly say it is exhausting. Having said that she should been allowed--made to stay at least over night. Too many things could go wrong in the first few hours--infection! number 1. They should re-think their policy before more articles like this surface.

Am I living in the United States of America? Here a young couple has lost their first baby and everyone is pointing fingers. I do not care if someone has had 5 kids with no complications to send the mother and baby home after 6 hours is a crime. This hospital should never be allowed to deliver another baby ever.

You go-cdnurse! P.S. I am so sorry for your losses. My oldest daughter died at age 4. It's something you never get over!

Somewhat calmer now. I see that this hospital is not in the U.S> Only calmer because it is not a U.S> hospital. Not calmer about the situation. I will still send them a letter and encourage all of you to do so. It will happen here. Mark my word.

In Australia , which is New Zealands neighbor, we have early discharge but its usually 24hrs and the option for 48. Nobody goes home after six hours, thank goodness unless you sign a waiver of discharge at own risk. I can't think how a first time mother could be discharged so early.... the midwives have a responsibilty to discourage such a short stay and unfortunatley it takes something like this tradgedy for everyone to re think these ridiculous time frames. We have a policy at our hospital that the new mums have bubs latched on and feeding and the mums themselves have to be cleared, as well as our 'well baby checks' before discharge. A paediatrician has to sign a baby out for discharge. And then the parents have home midwives everyday to visit for the first week and then twice weekly then weekly - its a good system , tho I'm sure not foolproof. I feel badly for these parents, it's tragic, I have lost a child in the latter stages of pregnancy and that itself changes a person forever.... I've got three kids now and spent about five days minimum in hospital... !

I agree with everyone, especially when it's your first birth, and it's a natural birth. The mother's life could of been jeopardized also, 20 hours of labor is alot for a first time mother,mind you she hadn't slept in 30 hours. The mother needed to be taught how to care for herself and her newborn, you can't teach that in six hours. I agree with being discharge early, when it's your second or third child, and even that can be risky, because each pregnancy is different, and especially older maternal births. Has anyone read about California risky trend an over-40 babyboom.

WOW!! that is just unbeliavable. Giving birth is not an easy job! I just cannot believe that they discharged that woman after 6 hours. They did not even see a doctor or a nurse!! How could they be discharged without seeing an OB or pediatrician? I am one of those women that cannot give birth naturally and i was required to stay a minimum 3 days with all 3 births. I also feel that natural births require at least 24 hour observation for mom and baby.

First of all, my most sincere condolences to the family. I've never lost a baby post partum, but had two miscarriages, and I know that in and of itself was not easy to deal with. I cannot fathom sending ANY mother home after only 6 hours post delivery! Where was the pediatrician providing the care for the newborn? The midwife has her job done once the baby is born, and should not have the responsibility of discharging...pardon my ignorance, but why is a nurse midwife given this role? Shouldn't that still be left to an MD?

I also cannot believe that a hospital would do this. Where I live, it's 24-48 hour minimum for a natural birth with no complications. A c-section is longer. Also, the woman's OB has to discharge her and the newborn's pediatrician has to discharge him. Not always at the same time, either. I'm glad I knew my babies were being taken care of before they came home with a scared new mom. My deepest condolences to the family of the baby.

Didn't Bill Clinton, while he was in office, pass a law to get rid of "drive-by births?"

I personally believe that in order to properly assess not only the newborn but the mother, and to properly asure that the checklists for care and feedings and so on is analyzed and confirmed, the patients must remain for at least 24--48 hours. i think it is serverly uncooth that this would have happened. and i am surpirised and very shocked. this is insane and completely revolting.
this hospital is responsible for the health and well being of both child and mother and the comment about they can only have a stay room if this is their first child and if not then they are to leave 6 hours after birth..that is rediculous... our economy and everything is just sickening sometimes... this is all about money....like i once was told.. money is the root of all evil..