Inquest opens into death of baby just three days after being born

Millie-Rae Needham was born at 1.56am on August 6, 2020 at Sheffield's Jessop Wing but sadly died in the maternity ward on August 9.

She was Skinna Beckingham’s second child.

The inquest began with the testimony of the first witness from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Yvonne Handley – one of the midwives who assisted Skinna during labour.

Ms Handley took over the care from another midwife who ended her shift on August 5, at 7.20pm.

Describing the delivery as 'completely normal', before assistant coroner Abigail Combes, she said, however, that Skinna ‘wasn't coping very well' even though she was still considered in the latent phase of labour.

She said Skinna remained in the latent stage of labour between 7.20pm and 10.50pm and when she asked for pain relief, 10ml of morphine was administered via injection at 7.50pm.

She said she would check on Skinna every hour as she was reported to have had two contractions in a 10-minute period lasting 20 to 30 seconds.

She added: "Once I was out in the other room, I could remember the midwife telling me Skinna had pressed the buzzer and that she wasn't coping with the pain anymore and she was offered an aromatherapy bath."

Skinna entered established labour at 10.50pm, and the labour initially progressed pretty smoothly.

Ms Handley also said Millie-Rae had measured in the 90th centile on her last scan, meaning she exceeded the expected weight for her gestational age, and there was a concern that her shoulder might cause an issue during labour.

It was revealed in the inquest that Millie-Rae was born "alive but not very well" and had to be resuscitated.

Ms Handley said as far as she was concerned, there was no problem with the resuscitation.

However, Ms Handley, who first listened to the infant's heart rate, said Millie-Rae’s heart rate decreased two minutes after she was born.

The inquest is scheduled to continue until Thursday (Feb 17).