Melbourne woman's death exposes danger of freebirthing movement
Emilee Saldaya, founder of the Free Birth Society, has repeatedly claimed no woman has ever died in the "sovereign birth" world. A Guardian investigation into the death of a Melbourne wellness influencer challenges that claim for the first time. Australian "birth keeper" Emily Lal, the central witness at the coroner's inquest, is linked to Saldaya's multimillion-dollar organisation, which has been tied to baby deaths worldwide.
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Guardian investigation exposes full links between a US business linked to baby deaths around the world and Australian ‘birth keeper’ Emily Lal, the central witness at the inquest into the death of a Melbourne wellness influencer
How a Melbourne woman’s death is shining light on the dangers of non-medical births – Full Story podcast
Find more from The birth keepers series here
During her time at the helm of a multimillion-dollar organisation linked to baby deaths around the world , Emilee Saldaya has always avowed one thing: she’s never heard of a woman dying after a freebirth.
“I’ve never heard of a mother dying in childbirth in the sovereign birth world,” the Free Birth Society founder said in a December 2024 appearance on The Way Forward podcast, adding: “In the sovereign birth world we aren’t losing mothers.”
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