Shaken baby's mum said she didn't get out of bed

The five-month-old baby was rushed to Cessnock Hospital with life-threatening injuries on December 12, 2020, looking 'vacant' and limp.

Her injuries included new and old rib fractures, a broken collarbone, a fractured skull, and bleeding on the brain.

There was evidence of damage to her spine, and her bladder wasn't working properly.

The baby's father, who can only be identified as GP, is on trial after pleading not guilty to a charge of inflict grievous bodily harm with intent.

The mother, giving evidence in the Newcastle District Court on Wednesday, told police in an interview the next day that she could not understand what happened.

She said that while she could get up "a million times a night to go to the toilet", she did not get out of bed after going to bed at about 10pm that night.

Under cross-examination from defence barrister Paul Rosser, KC, she was asked if it would have been unusual, at that time, for her to sleep through the night.

"Not necessarily, no," she said.

She was taken to evidence including text messages she sent to the father of her two girls in which she expressed her frustrations with the children.

In them she sometimes referred to the-then couple's toddler as "a dumb c--t", saying she was "just f--ked, I'm already about to lose it", and "I f--king hate that little bitch she ruins everything".

They were examples of things she said when she was experiencing a mental health episode, she said.

"I say a lot of horrible things," she said. "I just say 'em, and I feel bad afterwards."

She agreed that as often as not, she did not remember what she'd said.

Evidence presented to Judge Pauline David has included a list of the various medications the mother was taking to try and manage her mental health after variously being diagnosed with complex PTSD, bipolar, anxiety, and depression.

She said she was also spending about $150 a week on cannabis, which she continued to use despite her doctors' advice.

At John Hunter Hospital, where the infant was taken shortly after being assessed at Cessnock, the mother secretly recorded a conversation with hospital staff about her daughter's condition.

During that conversation, and earlier that day, the mother asserted that the baby had been kicking her legs that morning, and she could not understand what had happened.

When asked how she knew that, she said that's what GP had told her.

Mr Rosser said, however, that GP never said the baby was moving normally in the morning, that he only ever described her as being able to move her legs the night before, when he put her to bed, and when he got up at 2am to feed her.

"Presumably the prosecutor asked you and that was your explanation to her about it," Mr Rosser asked, to which she agreed.

The trial continues.