An obstetrician who delivered a baby who died days later said "We got George out a little bit too late", an Adelaide inquest has been told.
The baby's father, David Key, told the inquest he was "pretty confident" that those were the words used by Dr Basil Antonas when he accompanied his partner to a consultation after his son's death.
Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Sheppard on Monday began the inquest into the death of George Darcy Key, who was born with a severe brain injury at the North Eastern Community Hospital on October 21, 2011.
He died on October 29 after an emergency transfer to Flinders Medical Centre.
Counsel assisting, Tim Griffin, said the baby had an undersized placenta, which could cause problems, but this was not identified before the birth.
At birth, the baby presented with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, he said.
Evidence would be given about attempts to telephone Dr Antonas and to fax him updates on the baby's condition.
Mr Griffin referred to competing evidence about whether those results indicated an urgent need for delivery to occur.
Mr Key told the inquest there had been some concern about staff not being able to contact Dr Antonas but no-one suggested getting another obstetrician.
He did not remember being told that Dr Antonas was at another hospital doing an emergency caesarean.
Later that evening, Dr Antonas also delivered George by an emergency caesarean.
Mr Key said his son was blue-grey in colour and had a large indentation on the side of his head.
The inquest, which will hear from various medical witnesses including Dr Antonas, is continuing.
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