Baby born in hospital toilet, says dad
May 6, 2008 - 11:20AM, smh
A father says his wife had to give birth without anaesthetic in a toilet at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital.
The man, identified as Nick Patfaidif, called Fairfax Radio Network in Sydney on Tuesday, saying staff had been "too busy" to administer an epidural.
"Basically we were told to wait, there was no staff," he said.
"She was basically screaming down the whole place, she was screaming in agony.
"(We) requested an epidural an hour and half before the water was broken.
"(We were told) `Guess what guys, the anesthetist is too busy' ... the anesthetist never showed up."
Mr Patfaidif said his wife got up and screamed in agony.
"The midwife's not done anything, just held my wife there, not done an internal examination or anything," he said.
"My wife then said, `I need go to the toilet'.
"As she's in the toilet, the midwife's disappeared.
"My wife says, `Something's coming out of me, there's a head coming out of me'.
"And I ran into the toilet, and there's my little baby girl, coming out of my wife with the umbilical cord around her neck, turning blue.
"This baby gets pushed out, I held it, then all the nurses come in, and basically I went into shock myself, lost complete control, walked straight out."
Mr Patfaidif said both his wife and daughter were in good health. The Nine Network said the incident happened on Tuesday.
He also said that he was then barred access to his wife by hospital security.
"The midwives got the security on to me ... to basically tell me that I can't go up there unless I calm down," he said.
He was very critical of the hospital's staff and expressed concern that the alleged incident happens regularly.
"They were too busy, everyone was too busy. The whole day we were there, there was no activity," he said.
"Apparently this is normal, guys, and this happens all the time."
The case has similarities to the ordeal of Jana Horska at the same hospital in September last year.
Ms Horska miscarried in a toilet after waiting in the emergency department for two hours.
Her husband Mark Dreyer said the hospital staff provided no care and comfort to his wife.
An inquiry into hospitals in NSW, triggered by another incident at Royal North Shore Hospital, is currently underway.
Urgent comment is being sought from health authorities.
© 2008 AAPBrought to you by
About Me
- JENNY'S RED NEWS
- Dear Fellow Bloggers, For some time I have thought about starting a left of centre news and commentary service and I have tried to do this by using email. But as some good, but email overloaded friends have suggested, a better way to go may be by blogging. So here it is! Jenny's Red News. My primary interests are left of centre politics and the very important question of how can we get left of centre parties, groups and grouplets in Australia working together more co-operatively. The right of centre predominates politics in this country at the present time, and they are on the march. We on the left of centre need to work together more co-operatively and constructively to put the left of centre agenda out there, for the perusal and consumption of the Australian people. Particular topics that will be reported on and on which comments are welcome are: Industrial relations - Opposition to Workchoices Refugee and Asylum Seekers Human Rights Civil Liberties Opposition to the Welfare to Work Changes Health System Reform Aboriginal Health and Reconciliation Jenny Haines posted by JENNY'S RED NEWS at 12:50 AM 0 comments