The death of Stacey Warnecke, a 30-year-old nutritionist and first-time mother, has brought to light the dangers of 'freebirthing' and the role of unlicensed birth attendants. The case highlights the extreme views and practices of the Free Birth Society (FBS), a multimillion-dollar organization that promotes 'authentic midwifery' and 'sovereign birth.'
Warnecke's death from a massive postpartum hemorrhage after a freebirth attended by Emily Lal, an unlicensed birth attendant and FBS-trained 'birth keeper,' has raised questions about the safety and legality of freebirthing. The inquest heard that Warnecke had paid Lal $6,000 to attend her birth as a 'birth keeper,' a term promoted by the FBS. The inquest also revealed that Warnecke had engaged with FBS materials, including a section on 'variations of normal' in her birth plan, which downplays serious pregnancy and labor complications.
The FBS, led by Emilee Saldaya and Yolande Norris-Clark, has been criticized for its extreme views and practices. They teach that neonatal resuscitation can be a form of 'sabotage,' question the existence of gravity and whether the Earth is round, and dismiss life-threatening pregnancy complications as 'variations of normal.' The FBS provides basic advice on dealing with emergencies, but experts say it contains inaccurate, misleading, and dangerous information.
Lal, a former insurance industry worker with no medical qualifications, was personally trained by Saldaya and Norris-Clark through their Radical Birth Keeper School. In her five years as a birth keeper, Lal was named in inquests into two deaths, including Warnecke's and a newborn baby in 2022. The inquest into Warnecke's death remains open pending forensic analysis of her phone, and it is expected to determine why she chose to reject medical care.
The case of Baby E, who died hours after her birth in December 2022, also raises questions about the safety of freebirthing. The mother, who listened to the FBS podcast, decided to freebirth after reflecting on her desire for solitude during illness. The inquest concluded that Baby E's death was preventable, and there is no suggestion that Lal was present at the birth or the baby's death.
The death of Stacey Warnecke and the case of Baby E highlight the dangers of freebirthing and the role of unlicensed birth attendants. The FBS's extreme views and practices have been criticized for promoting dangerous and misleading information, and the inquests have raised questions about the safety and legality of freebirthing. The cases also underscore the importance of medical expertise and the need for unlicensed birth attendants to be held accountable for their actions.
