Birthkeeper Testifies at Inquest, States Role Was to Provide Support, Not Clinical Safety

A birthkeeper hired by a woman who died after a home birth told a coroner that her purpose was “not to make a birth safer.”

Emily Lal gave evidence on Tuesday at the inquest into the death of 30‑year‑old Stacey Warnecke, who died on 29 September at Frankston Hospital after giving birth at home with her husband and Lal present.

Warnecke had chosen a freebirth, meaning no trained medical professionals were involved in most of the pregnancy, and hired Lal as her birthkeeper. Lal said Warnecke had already decided on a freebirth before contacting her.

Birthkeepers have no medical training and operate outside the formal health system.

Earlier testimony revealed that Lal asked Warnecke three times whether she wanted an ambulance after she delivered the placenta, lost up to 1.5 litres of blood, and began struggling to breathe. Warnecke sounded panicked and said, “I don’t want you to leave me.”

Warnecke finally agreed on the third ask, but by the time paramedics arrived she was seriously ill from a massive postpartum haemorrhage. Lal said the three requests were made within a five‑minute period.

Warnecke died in hospital several hours later from related complications.

Lal told the coroner, under questioning by counsel Rachel Ellyard, that although Warnecke paid $6,000 for a full freebirth support package, Lal’s role was primarily that of a friend, and the fee covered her time.

She emphasized that her role was not medical and that she would not override the wishes of the mother and her family.

Ellyard asked about Lal’s website, which offers education, antenatal support, birth attendance and postpartum support, and whether she saw her role as also helping to keep mothers safe.

“How would I help people stay safe during birth?” Lal replied. “I don’t think me being there makes the birth more safe.”

When asked about the purpose of her birthkeeper role, she responded: “I’m attending as a friend in a support role.”

During a call to paramedics played for the court, Lal told them Warnecke was having difficulty breathing but that the bleeding had stopped.

Lal said she believed Warnecke had lost more blood than normal, but she did not consider it her role to inform the mother unless asked: “I wouldn’t say to her, ‘I think you’ve lost too much blood.’ That’s not my role.”

“But you’re being paid to be there,” Ellyard noted.

Lal responded: “I’m attending as a supportive friend. I’m not there to make a birth safer. I can’t do that. I’m not clinically trained. It’s not my role to assess blood loss.”

Lal disclosed that she had taken an online course offered by the Free Birth Society, a multimillion‑dollar business that promotes births without medical assistance. The society has faced criticism from health professionals who argue its guidance on bleeding, newborn health and placental care is dangerous.

Lal recalled that Warnecke once asked whether her blood loss was normal, and Lal answered, “It’s more than I would consider to be normal.” She added, “If it were me, I would have been concerned.”

She maintained she would not make the decision to call an ambulance for a mother, stressing that respecting autonomy was central to her support.

With hindsight, Lal said she might have pressed harder for Warnecke to agree to call an ambulance, but she still would not have made the final decision herself.

The inquest noted that deaths from postpartum haemorrhage are rare when women give birth in hospital or under medical supervision, as rapid treatment is available.

When asked whether Warnecke might have benefited from faster medical access, Lal replied, “I can’t say what would have happened,” but she agreed that postpartum haemorrhage is more dangerous at home than in a hospital.

Lal stopped working as a birthkeeper immediately after Warnecke’s death, saying she feared bringing trauma to any future births she attended.

The Health Complaints Commissioner subsequently suspended Lal from providing or advertising health services while an investigation into her practices continues.

The court heard that after Warnecke was taken to surgery, Lal returned to the home, cleaned up, and disposed of the blood‑soaked carpet in her own bin because it would not fit in Warnecke’s. She refused to give a statement to police.

When asked if her actions reflected concern for herself after Warnecke’s death, Lal said, “I think that’s really unfair.” She explained her concern was to spare Warnecke’s husband from seeing the scene on his return.

Lal said she sought legal advice after Warnecke’s death because of a previous freebirth death where she felt blamed by the media.

“I wasn’t legally required to make a statement to police, so I chose not to,” she said. “I am still sad and distressed about Stacey’s death.”

The inquest continues.

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