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The latest death was of that Melbourne nutrition influencer Stacey Hatfield (also known as Stacey Warnecke), who was rushed to hospital in September over a serious postpartum haemorrhage she suffered after a freebirth. Hatfield’s son survived. The two medical bodies are calling on health ministers to introduce and pass legislation that expressly restricts labour and birth management, including the three stages of labour, to appropriately trained and registered practitioners. They want unlicensed or unregulated workers – sometimes known as birth keepers – prohibited from any labour management outside what is specified in legislation, and want regulatory frameworks to be harmonised to protect all Australian women. In South Australia, birth workers who perform restricted birthing practices can be fined up to $30,000 or jailed for up to 12 months.
