James Doughty
My Story
Just over two years ago, I became a father. I am so incredibly proud of my son, and my wife for everything that she did and went through during the pregnancy and birth. Her being the amazing person that she is, she researched everything; read all the books; we joined classes; prepped and babyproofed the house; and went to all the meetings and appointments. For me, I was naïve and excited, happy that it was my turn to experience this major event in life.
Unfortunately, our experience on the day he was born was not a positive one. We knew what we wanted. We were prepared and when labour started, my wife was incredible but the staff we encountered did not provide adequate "care" and thus ruined our experience. Staff didn’t know what facilities they had in the hospital and vital equipment wasn’t in working condition. We were treated, not as individuals, but as just another case to deal with. Staff didn’t seem to care about how important this was to us and seemed put out by our questions and by us wanting to make informed decisions rather than blindly follow their preferences. We were forced into "treatment" pathways we did not consent to and were actively declining and witnessed staff breaking their own NHS policies on multiple occasions (such as respecting the wishes of their patient).
This led me and my wife to personally develop a huge mistrust of the medical staff who we are brought up to trust to care for us and families in our most vulnerable moments. The experience made me want to advocate for mothers and families, particularly for the rights of those giving birth and the need for informed consent. This is a hugely important moment in a family, and/or individual’s life, and should be treated as such.
For me, Baby Lifeline shows me that there is a better way forward. We need these services to continue but we also need them to improve. The training and support that Baby Lifeline provides to healthcare professionals is highly needed. Whether it is supporting hospitals to ensure they have vital equipment that works; training medical staff on consent and caring for new-borns and their families; or leading research, Baby Lifeline help to keep families safe. Baby Lifeline provides just that: a lifeline for babies and their families to provide care and support that is safe and respectful.
