'I will never forget the pain and fear': Wagga birth trauma inquiry begins

The Wagga hearing of the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Birth Trauma began on Tuesday morning with personal accounts of birth trauma in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District.

Inquiry chair Emma Hurst warned witnesses that while their testimony was covered by parliamentary privilege, but warned them not to mention any specific healthcare providers or locations.

Witness Francesca Male set off a chain of tears among the witnesses as she told the inquiry about the terror she felt when doctors began to cut into her flesh while she was conscious and feeling.

She said the hospital "pushed" her into an induction at 37 weeks, against the advice of her GP.

Undergoing a difficult birth, doctors decided to intervene in her pregnancy against her wishes.

She said the physical pain was excruciating, but it was feeling unheard and out of control.

"I raised concerns about my spinal block due to my scoliosis directly to my anaesthetist and was brushed off. The resident was allowed to attempt my spinal block without my consent," she said.

"When I could still feel both the ice test and towel claps, my concerns were dismissed twice, and the surgeon was given the go ahead.

"I will never forget the pain and fear I felt in the minutes that followed ... my husband was stunned, unable to advocate for me."

Her testimony was followed by Stephanie Poll, who said she was laughed at by hospital staff after she expressed fear about losing her baby

After a physically difficult birth, Ms Poll said her baby was handed untagged to another mother.

"The midwife grabbed my daughter as I was bleeding heavily and walked out of the room," she said.

"About an hour went passed and she returned laughing saying she'd just given my baby to another woman.

"My daughter's older now, and I still look at her and think, I'm not sure, what if - she could have been given to any family. They just thought this was funny. They laughed in my face."

Mother of eight Carmel Biddle told the inquiry despite her experience giving birth, she was not trusted by medical staff to know her own body.

She said she was forced to argue with the obstetrician while giving birth to her twins.

She said this dynamic had started from her first antenatal appointment, where she was told rather than asked how she would give birth.

"Every single appointment I had to restate the case for the natural birth I knew my body was capable of," she said.

"The fact I had had five children already was disregarded."

Witnesses spoke about the specific challenges of getting quality care in the bush.

Rural, regional and remote hospitals have historically struggled with resources - especially staff. This has led to women feeling like they are being shunted from place to place, without anyone really understanding what is happening to them.

Hannah Eising said the "shared care" model isn't working for women in the regions.

"I personally was juggled between three different departments," the inquiry heard.

"Every time I have I had a different person, no-one had a cohesive plan.

"They said just walk in with the yellow card that's got your baby's heart rate and weight on it. That's useless - there needs to be more detailed sharing of information."

She said it's almost impossible to get continuity of care in an under resourced area.

Ms Biddle lives 30 minutes away from Wagga, which she said presented challenges to her being able to access medical care.

She said it would be helpful for women to have access to midwives in the community, instead of having to travel to regular specialist appointments.

"I had to miss the appointments because it was too expensive, too hard to organise," she said.

"Should have a midwife drive out to the outlying towns once a week."

A number of the witnesses noted that the care in Wagga had improved in their most recent births.

Representatives of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District will speak to the inquiry for the first time at 2pm.