Ambulance should have been called before baby’s home birth, inquest hears

LocalFamily & Parenting
22 Apr 2026 • 3:54 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Baby Poppy Hope Lomas died aged seven days on 26 October 2022, following complications from a "high-risk" home birth.
  • Midwife Sasha Field stated at an inquest that an ambulance should have been called approximately 90 minutes before Poppy's birth, when her heart rate slowed.
  • Poppy's mother, Gemma Lomas, claimed she was encouraged to have a home vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) despite a previous C-section, and was not fully informed of the risks.
  • Senior Coroner Andrew Walker suggested that Ms Lomas should not have been put in a position to have a high-risk birth at home without hospital equipment.
  • Guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists states that VBACs should occur in a suitably staffed and equipped delivery suite.

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