Thank you for the work you do and for sharing this about your job and about yourself. Without people like you investigations that may be able to bring closure for families and friends of the deceased would not occur. Brave on numerous levels is what this article tells me about you. Take care 

Sensible changes to the law as a result of this horrifically calculated and cruel crime 

@mamamia-user-482898552 - maybe like when people refer to having a stomach bug 

I’m sorry to have just read what you went through. I think your openness may be of assistance in relation to women going through any of the ordeals you went through. All the best for you and your husband and your kids 

Thanks for the advice about speaking about their loved one. I have incorrectly assumed that it may be negatively triggering to do so, so your advice or engage is helpful thank you. On a separate note, I can’t imagine the pain you go through. 

First child’s birthplace was based on prenatal classes at public hospital and was a completely natural birth. Reality was leaving it quite late to attend the same hospital after waters had broken and when the nurse at the maternity ward desk asked me my name all I replied with was a a loud, confident, pain and fear induced “EPIDURAL”. Unfortunately I was too far gone. 

Such a ridiculously low sentence for such horrendous crimes. 

Thank you for your commonsense, writing and criticism of what sounds like a ridiculously presumptuous article in the DT

Thank you Chelsea. I read your article and found the whole thing interesting but what particularly hit me was that I would never ask anyone who told me they wanted a family why they wanted a family so therefore why would I therefore ask someone who doesn’t want children why they didn’t which is probably exactly what I would have done (and probably have done unfortunately) before reading your article. 

Jesse, I can’t imagine the mental and physical strength it takes to keep going after all you’ve been through. I admire your spirit and courage and imagine that as a nurse you will have much to share and offer. I sincerely wish you all the best for your future. Ps your grandfather sounds legendary 

Whilst I did not experience obstetric violence, after the birth of my son in country maternity ward where I was the only one in the ward at the time I overheard one midwife talk extensively about what a hopeless mother I was. I was so upset to hear this less than 6 hours after giving birth that I spent the rest of the night sobbing uncontrollably and checked out of the ward the next morning, earlier than I would have liked. It mightn’t sound that bad but it really negatively impacted me and influenced my decision not to have more kids. My wonderful kids are now 21 and 20 but the short term and long term effects of even this minor incident really caused me to doubt myself as a mother for years even though I knew she was wrong. Heart felt acknowledgement to those in your story and others. 

It’s been a long time since I gave birth, but this is a great article than I imagine will be helpful to many. I too did not have a balanced view about breastfeeding and or epidurals with my first. But second time around I did not feel bad about things not going quite as I’d hoped.

As if the initial incident was traumatic enough for people, then it takes nearly a decade of additional pain to the victims for a ruling to be made. Good end result but rather than just financial compensation that he may be able to dodge care of dodgy accountant, a full time prison sentence would have been more apt for both punishment for the offender and to stop people from doing something like this in the future. Unbelievably disgusting behaviour and despite the result and case does he actually admit personal responsibility or just avoid it by comments like I never intended to cause you any pain. 

Thank you for bravely sharing your mental health struggles and diagnosis struggles. What was the break through moment in you getting the treatment at hospital? Was the initial assessment  in the acute mental health ward? 

Thank you for this insight into a different world that most of us don’t appreciate to this degree. Please never think that the vast majority of people appreciate, support and thank you for all you and your team do in extremely difficult circumstances. 

“I got in one little fight and my mum got scared. She said “you’re moving to your Aunty and Uncle in Bel Air”