husband and mother of a girl who died hours after a horrific home birth are accused of being in a conspiracy to protect the midwives who are accused of killing

The widower and mother-in-law of a young mother who died following a horrific home birth have been accused of conspiring to protect the midwives charged with her manslaughter. 

Nick Lovell and Brenda Lovell have defended the level of care provided by Gaye Demanuele and Melody Bourne while they assisted Nick's late wife Caroline Lovell with her home birth in January 2012.

Ms Lovell, 36, died just hours after the birth of her second daughter Zahra.

Both the Lovells have denied accusations from Demanuele's barrister Rishi Nathwani that they both planned to withhold the truth about what happened following the 36-year-old's death.

'That's not true. There's no conspiracy. That's not true,' Mr Lovell told the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

Caroline Lovell tragically died after the home birth of her second daughter Zahra in January 2012

Gaye Demanuele's barrister Rishi Nathwani suggested in court Mr Lovell and his mother attempted to 'cover up' details surrounding the death of Caroline Lovell

Brenda Lovell also categorically denied any notion of a cover-up, saying she had been there to support her son and found the midwives to be a lifeline. 

'There was no collusion. It was about looking after (the baby), it was about dealing with our grief as best we could,' she said.    

Midwives Gaye Demanuele and Melody Bourne have been charged with manslaughter, allegedly as a result of gross negligence in their care of Ms Lovell. 

Mr Lovell said he didn't know either of the women before they were hired to help Ms Lovell with her home birth, but knew Demanuele had previously assisted his sister to give birth.  

Brenda Lovell admitted she was embarrassed at a conversation she'd had with Ms Lovell's mother Jade Markiewicz just days after Ms Lovell's death.

She said Ms Markiewicz had accused the midwives of 'something to do with the fact that Caroline had died'. 

'She was not very kind to them and they were trying to support us. I think I asked Jade to leave my house and said they were very important people to us - the midwives - they were a lifeline,' she said. 

Prosecutors argue Demanuele and Bourne were grossly negligent in caring for Ms Lovell.

It is alleged they had been given copies of her medical records, which showed complications including a postpartum haemorrhage during her first birth. 

Paramedic Maree Daley said she had suspected the same occurred during the second birth, though ambulance records from the day suggest an amniotic fluid embolism caused Ms Lovell to go into cardiac arrest. 

Bourne's barrister Robert Richter QC said there was nothing in the notes to indicate a postpartum haemorrhage. 

Midwives Gaye Demanuele and Melody Bourne have been charged with manslaughter, allegedly as a result of gross negligence in their care of Ms Lovell

Lovell had insisted on a home birth for her second child in 2012 after feeling disempowered during the hospital birth of her first daughter three years earlier

The court heard midwives Gaye Demanuele and Melody Bourne were given Lovell's health records which showed complications during previous births

Ms Daley said she had thought at the time Ms Lovell might have had enough blood loss to indicate a haemorrhage, but she couldn't remember if she raised it with colleagues. 

Mr Richter also criticised Ms Daley for throwing away a pocket notebook she had used at the time, accusing her of 'destroying the primary evidence'. 

Ms Daley said she had transcribed what she believed to be the relevant parts of the notebook and hadn't appreciated in 2012 that the notebook would be relevant nine years later. 

A committal hearing is set to continue for two weeks.