An inquest into the death of Melbourne wellness influencer Stacey Warnecke has heard of the 'heroic' efforts of Frankston hospital staff to manage multiple cardiac arrests and ongoing bleeding. Warnecke, 30, died in September from a treatable complication after giving birth at home to her son Axel without any trained medical staff present.
Details of the Birth
Her husband, Nathan Warnecke, and Melbourne birthkeeper Emily Lal, who she met online, were both present during the birth. A birthkeeper is an unregulated birth support worker without formal medical training, operating entirely outside the medical system. About 25 minutes after giving birth to Axel, she delivered the placenta. Her husband estimated she lost up to 1.5 litres of blood at that time, the coroner heard.
Shortness of Breath and Reluctance to Call Ambulance
Warnecke began experiencing shortness of breath but twice declined an ambulance. Lal suggested she might be having a panic attack. Approximately an hour after birth, she was asked a third time and agreed to call an ambulance. The triple-zero call was made at 4.13am. A paramedic arrived within 10 minutes and quickly called for backup when she found Warnecke lying on the floor between the birth pool and couch, naked with yellow, clammy skin, and a large blood clot on the floor.
Hospital Arrival and Cardiac Arrest
When intensive care paramedics arrived at 4.36am, Warnecke’s blood pressure was undetectable. They stabilized her enough to transport her to Frankston hospital for emergency care. At about 5.13am, she expelled a 'big gush of blood' during transfer. By 5.15am, she was in cardiac arrest. Hospital staff made heroic efforts to manage multiple cardiac arrests and ongoing bleeding, requiring surgery including a hysterectomy and fluid drainage from her heart. The entire blood supply at the hospital was used, with reinforcements called in.
Role of the Birthkeeper
Lal provided details of the birth to staff, making them suspicious her role was more than a friend. 'Money changed hands' when she became Warnecke’s birthkeeper. After surgery, Warnecke suffered another cardiac arrest and died shortly after 11am. Lal left the hospital to clean up the house, potentially disturbing the scene.
Evidence and Testimony
One clinician noted that the only women she cared for who died from obstetric hemorrhage were in the third world. Forensic pathologist Dr Michael Burke listed the cause of death as postpartum hemorrhage in the setting of a freebirth, calling it 'eminently treatable' if recognized quickly. Counsel assisting the coroner, Rachel Ellyard, said Warnecke was 'her own person making her own choices' but the inquest aims to understand if changes can protect public health.
Growing Trend of Freebirth
Ellyard noted that Warnecke’s choice to give birth outside the health system is not unique, with a growing number of women choosing freebirth assisted by online knowledge. This places a significant burden on medical services when emergencies arise. Warnecke feared unnecessary interventions like caesareans and was concerned about vaccine mandates during the pandemic. She was described as a vibrant, active, educated woman who did her own research.
The inquest, spanning five days, will examine whether earlier medical intervention could have saved her life and the advice she used in planning the birth.
