As she wished, it was at home that Charlotte gave birth to her little boy. If everything finally went well, her companion and she had to make a difficult decision after a visit to the hospital. In the presence of Isabelle Koenig, the liberal midwife who accompanied this home birth, the couple testified in “Special Envoy”.
Three days before giving birth to her baby, the mum-to-be had a fever attack and went to the hospital on the advice of the midwife. The examinations carried out on the spot did not make it possible to determine the origin, the doctors recommended inducing the delivery immediately.
“They started talking to me about a caesarean (…). The midwife [de l’hôpital] arrived with two large sticks to pierce my pocket, and there, I was seized with great panic…”
Charlotte, a young mother who chose to give birth at homein “Special Envoy”
After discussion, the couple maintained their choice of a home birth against medical advice, and left the hospital. They immediately informed Isabelle Koenig. “I could have told you ‘No, but the children, that’s not reasonable, we’re going to go back’, testifies to this. But no, in fact, I had the clinical signs of the mother, the clinical signs of the baby, which showed that everything was fine.
The maternity unit made a report
Reached by telephone, one of the caregivers who examined Charlotte at the hospital reported the risks of infection for the baby, and the impossibility of emergency intervention when the birth took place outside the maternity ward. . According to him, once informed of the potential risks, the future parents nevertheless remained free of their choice.
Maternity, however, reported the couple to the Directorate of Prevention and Child Protection. Charlotte and her companion were notified by mail of the visit of a childcare worker responsible for assessing the danger to their baby. In the event of a procedure, they risked having custody of their child withdrawn… Their case was finally dismissed.
Excerpt from “I give birth at home”, a report to see in “Special Envoy” on October 27, 2022.
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