Heartbroken Mum Speaks Out on Devastating Loss of Newborn After Midwife’s Tragic Mistake
Laura Bowtell, a grieving mother, has opened up about the trauma she endures following the tragic loss of her newborn daughter, Margot. Laura says she now suffers from PTSD, a condition she believes will be with her for life, after her experience at Cheltenham Birth Centre, according to the Daily Mail.
During her labor, Laura had asked midwives for an ambulance multiple times as she felt something was wrong. However, midwife Lisa Land insisted on using “oils” and different positions to ease Laura’s labor pains, dismissing Laura’s request twice before finally calling for paramedics. By the time the ambulance arrived, Margot’s heart rate had dropped significantly, and three days later, her life support was withdrawn. In the wake of this tragedy, Land, along with another midwife, Hazel Williams, has been struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after investigations linked their actions to the deaths of Margot and another newborn, Jasper White.
An independent investigation by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) found that bleeding during Laura’s labor indicated that she should have been transferred to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital sooner. The report suggested that an earlier transfer might have saved Margot’s life. The NMC panel’s decision to remove Land and Williams from the profession cited a “breach of fundamental tenets” of midwifery, noting that their misconduct and dishonest record-keeping could undermine public trust in birthing units.
Reflecting on the incident, Laura shared how she felt she had no choice but to trust the midwives as it was her first pregnancy. “It was my first pregnancy, so you don’t know what to expect. I completely put my trust in the midwives. She was very chilled; she kept telling me I was low risk,” Laura recalled. She recounted how she first requested an ambulance at 10 a.m., feeling utterly exhausted and overwhelmed, but was met with the suggestion to try oils instead.
During the labor, Laura experienced blood in her amniotic fluid and a low body temperature, both of which should have prompted an immediate transfer. At birth, Margot required resuscitation due to oxygen deprivation, and though she was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit, she passed away three days later.
The NMC’s report also noted disturbing details about midwife Hazel Williams’ handling of emergency situations. During Margot’s birth, when her fetal heart rate dropped below 60 bpm, Williams used a standard call bell for assistance rather than the emergency bell, which she reportedly left switched off to create a “home from home” atmosphere at the center.
Laura, who now has a 10-month-old daughter born via C-section, remains haunted by her experience. “The PTSD I have will stay with me for the rest of my life,” she said, adding that she will always carry the thought that “Margot would still be here” if things had been different.