Julia Geis-Clements and her husband, Lee Clements, allege that the midwife at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London was negligent in properly teaching them to breastfeed — and observing them — immediately after the July 2012 birth of their daughter Cerys.
During that first feeding, Geis-Clements said that Cerys stopped breathing,according toThe Times. The now-5-year-old girl has cerebral palsy, epilepsy and visual impairment, and the couple believes she would not have these health problems if the midwife had properly taught them to keep her airway clearduring nursing.
“Cerys had suffered an episode of hypoxia which had caused her severe brain damage,” the couple’s lawyer, Angus Moon, said in court. He added that Cerys now has “significant neuro-developmental problems”.
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Cerys Clements
Geis-Clements said that she did attend pre-natal classes tolearn about breastfeeding, but after the birth she was “exhausted.” She and her husband believe the midwife should have paid closer attention during that time, returned to their room 10 minutes into nursing and told them to keep Cerys’ nostrils open.
During that first breastfeeding, Geis-Clements remembers that Cerys slipped off her breast so she readjusted, and Cerys looked as though she fell asleep soon after.
“She did not want to disturb Cerys as she thought that she was sleeping,” Moon said. But Geis-Clements panicked when Cerys became “pale and floppy.” Clements ran to get the midwife, who found that Cerys did not have a pulse.
Geis-Clements also claimed that the midwife did not properly advise her when she had questions about ensuring that Cerys was breathing during nursing.
Because Cerys now needs 24-hour care, the coupleis suingfor “maximum value,” and could win millions in the lawsuit.
PEOPLE had contacted the NHS, Britain’s health care system, for comment.
source: people.com
