A mother and her newborn baby both died after she decided to have a home birth against medical advice, an inquest heard today. Jennifer Cahill, 34, delivered baby Agnes Lily at her home in the presence of her husband Rob and two midwives in June last year. She had opted for a home
A mother and her newborn baby both died after she decided to have a home birth against medical advice, an inquest heard today.
Jennifer Cahill, 34, delivered baby Agnes Lily at her home in the presence of her husband Rob and two midwives in June last year.
She had opted for a home birth after feeling 'unsupported' in hospital while delivering her son three years earlier.
But Mrs Cahill, an international export manager, became 'fatigued' after pain relief ran out as her contractions intensified, he told the hearing.
Mr Cahill had to phone for an ambulance in the early hours and accompany his newborn daughter to hospital.
Tragically while there he was told his wife, who he had left behind at their home in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, was also seriously ill.
She was brought by ambulance to join them at North Manchester General Hospital where she later died.
Baby Agnes survived for three days before passing away.
Jennifer Cahill, 34, and her newborn baby daughter Agnes Lily both died in June 2024 after she decided on a home birth having felt 'unsupported' when her son was delivered in hospital three years earlier
She was the couple's second child after their son Rudy, then three.
Mr Cahill repeatedly broke down in tears today as he told an inquest in Rochdale how his life fell apart in a few short hours.
Struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife - who he described as 'a rock' - Mr Cahill told how he had to face the fact that their daughter was only being kept alive wit the help of a life support machine.
He told coroner Joanne Kearsley: 'Agnes lived for just under four days but she was able to meet my family and I was able to introduce her.
'I held her and told her stories about her mother who never got to hold her or say goodbye to her or Rudy.
'Nothing can be done now to reverse these awful facts.'
Mr Cahill said his wife opted for a home delivery after finding giving birth in hospital with Rudy in 2021 'highly stressful'.
He said: 'There was no one midwife assigned to Jen.
After being delivered at their home in Prestwich, baby Agnes was rushed to North Manchester General Hospital where both she and her mother Jennifer, 34, tragically died
'There seemed to be lots of midwives coming and going.
'Jen did not feel she had been fully supported.
'It was a tricky time because of Covid and there were lots of restrictions.'
Mrs Cahill had suffered a postpartum haemorrhage after the first birth - a potentially fatal condition involving heavy bleeding.
As a result she was advised to also have her second child in hospital, the hearing was told.
Mr Cahill said no-one had fully explained the risks to them.
The couple believed that warnings to have Agnes delivered in hospital were based on the fact that she had suffered a Strep B infection with Rudy, who developed sepsis, he said.
She thought it could be dealt with if it happened again.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust - which runs the hospital - has accepted that Mrs Cahill should have been referred to a senior midwife after deciding on a home birth so the dangers could be discussed.
It described the home birth as 'outside of clinical guidelines' and says doctors had told her a hospital birth would be safer and preferable.
On the night she went into labour at home, two midwives arrived to help her and at first it appeared everything was going to plan.
But as her contractions intensified, the canister and tube supplying gas and air failed and one midwife had to leave to get replacements.
Mr Cahill said his wife quickly became tired even though she thought she had planned every step of her labour and delivery.
He added 'There was not enough pain relief. Jen became fatigued and lost her confidence.'
Agnes arrived at around 6.45am but immediately it became clear the baby would need support and he called for an ambulance on the advice of the midwives.
Earlier in the inquest, Mrs Cahill's mother, Cecily Howick, described how her daughter had an idyllic childhood growing up in rural Worcestershire.
She was talented and popular, excelling at music and languages which she went on to study at Manchester University.
Speaking of how she was phoned out of the blue to get to hospital, she said. 'I was not prepared for what happened.
'When I got to the hospital I saw that my beautiful daughter on life support and then to be told her life was not sustainable.
'It was a horrible experience.
'Saying goodbye to my child was the hardest thing I had to do and it haunts me to this day.'
