Ernesta Chirwa and her partner, Chifundo Bingala, suffered an unimaginable loss after giving birth to stillborn twins. They have come to the conclusion that this horrible, tragic loss was due to the lack of care given by Caitlyn Collins, a South African unlicensed midwife. The couple’s ordeal is raising many eyebrows, and Collins’ practices are drawing allegations of malfeasance right and left. She’s a graduate of the equally controversial Free Birth Society program and recently co-founded a new practice known as Circle of Elephants with fellow midwife Emilee Saldaya.
Chirwa knew exactly what kind of birth experience she wanted: a natural delivery. She contacted Collins, who now goes by Collins Herland, for advice and mentorship. Court filings show that Collins provided some “shockingly poor” medical advice. Worst of all, he denied her basic prenatal care throughout Chirwa’s pregnancy. Specifically, Collins failed to recommend key tests like ultrasounds, blood tests, or even a blood-pressure test. She forgot to record Chirwa’s fundal height, or the size of her baby bump. Instead, she told her that 43 weeks was “normal” and going past her due date was fine.
Chirwa’s experience as a patient turned upside down when she went into labor. According to reports, Collins showed up at Chirwa’s home after midnight, reportedly falling asleep as the labor process began. Eyewitnesses say the last thing she did was turn off the lights in the delivery room. This rendered Chirwa and Bingala absent during a critical moment without any support.
Upon discovering that their twins had no heartbeat, a nurse reportedly stated, “You know what? There’s no longer any heartbeat here. There’s nothing happening.” This heartbreaking news has left Chirwa and Bingala in shock as they continue to process their loss and wonder whether they received the best possible care.
Collins’ approach to midwifery is rooted in teachings from the Radical Birth Keeper school, which emphasizes personal responsibility in childbirth. During a previous interview, Collins stated, “Midwifery means with women. It doesn’t mean with the system … let’s take back birth, sisters.” This philosophy has faced increasing backlash in the wake of shocking results from her practice.
Since the twins’ death, Collins has met with Bingala only twice, providing what many consider completely unacceptable assistance. In fact, reports state that she even proposed the idea of massaging Chirwa’s stomach following the heartbreaking news. In a response to the civil proceedings initiated against her in March 2024, Collins left South Africa for an overseas trip and later visited Saldaya at her home while abroad.
One individual physician who works at Mowbray Hospital did more than complain about the status quo. They reported Collins to various healthcare authorities because Collins’ care raised some deeply serious concerns. Despite this backlash, Collins and her collaborator Norris-Clark have been defiant in real life, shrugging off criticism aimed at their approach. Norris-Clark took to the airwaves to declare that women who were not supportive just needed to shut up and enjoy the ride.
Saldaya defended Collins in a recent statement, asserting that “to be crystal clear, a radical birth keeper is in practice an authentic midwife.” This statement casts doubt on the very nature of what midwifery is, and what is expected of practitioners in South Africa’s midwifery primary health care approach.
As Chirwa and Bingala navigate their grief and seek justice for their loss, they highlight the importance of proper care and oversight in childbirth practices. Their story underscores the need for stringent regulations and accountability within midwifery to protect vulnerable families during one of life’s most significant moments.