AN ABORIGINAL mother has spoken of her distress after her only close relative was removed from the room after she had given birth two months prematurely.
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It comes as the hospital’s midwifery unit confirmed it was “not normal” procedure for anyone to be removed from the room during a natural birth without the mother’s permission.
The woman, who has asked to be anonymous because she works in the health sector, said she was treated like “it was jail” by staff at the hospital.
Her child was born eight weeks premature in March and required a month-long stay in an incubator. Her sister, who had been present during the natural birth, was told to leave the room when the premature baby was placed in an incubator.
“I don’t know what the problem was. I can understand with a cesarean how you are only allowed one person in the room, but this was a proper labour,” she said. “I just didn’t understand why she wasn’t allowed there.”
The woman also said her relatives who travelled to visit her were subject to stringent visiting hour controls, which were not opposed on other non-Aboriginal patients.
The hospital’s clinical midwifery consultant Sandra Forde said visiting hours had to be strictly enforced, but full access during the birth and afterwards was granted to immediate family and designated support people.
“It’s not normal, we have unlimited visiting hours in the birthing environment,” she said.
Acting hospital general manager Owen Thomas said work was being done to provide a culturally appropriate experience for Indigenous mothers.