Popular food influencer dies after giving birth to first child at home
White ceramic bowl with linguini and meatballs covered in red sauce with napkin and pasta mixing tool in background (Photo by Andy Katz/Corbis via Getty Images)
A prominent Australian influencer and entrepreneur died shortly after giving birth to her first child at home due to an "extremely rare complication," according to her family.
What we know:
Stacey Hatfield (Stacey Warnecke), known for her "Natural Spoonfulls" website and Instagram page promoting a toxin-free lifestyle, passed away on Sept. 29.
Her husband, Nathan Warnecke, announced her death in a heartfelt tribute on social media on Oct. 19.
According to Warnecke, Hatfield successfully gave birth to their first child, Axel, at home. However, shortly after giving birth, an "unforeseen and extremely rare complication arose," he said.
Hatfield founded her company Natural Spoonfuls in 2019 before developing the social media content creation company Waffl.
What we don't know:
Warnecke did not say what day she gave birth or elaborate about the complications.
What they're saying:
Warnecke said his wife's biggest dream in life was to be a mother, and she accomplished it "on her terms, exactly the way she always dreamed of doing it."
"She was my lighthouse in the storm and the world is less bright without her in it," he wrote. "She made me the man I am today and everything I have in life is all thanks to her."
He confirmed she "held Axel when he was born, nursed him, saw that he was a boy and loved him. She loved him so much and still, continues to love him."
Jon Downie, the newborn baby's uncle, shared that the couple had been excited for the birth of their child, but the mother was "only able to experience the joy of her new baby boy for a few short moments."
"On a day that should have been the happiest day of their life, the unimaginable occurred," Downie wrote in the Oct. 19 post. "Shortly after the arrival of their son Axel, Stacey passed away due to complications from childbirth."
"We are sincerely asking for support to help Nathan focus on what matters most, grieving, healing and bonding with his son Axel," Downie wrote.
What's next:
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to help Warnecke cover funeral costs, household bills, baby supplies, and time off work.
The campaign so far has raised $24,926 AUD toward a $28,000 goal.
The Source: All information regarding the death, circumstances of the birth, and the immediate aftermath is directly sourced from social media statements made by the husband, Nathan Warnecke, and the newborn baby's uncle, Jon Downie. The details about the GoFundMe campaign's progress were taken directly from the GoFundMe platform.