90 Pregnancy and Childbir th
Breech birth
A breech birth is when the baby comes out buttocks
first. (See page 77 for how to check the baby’s position
before birth.) If this is a first baby, it may be best for the
woman to have the baby in the hospital. If she stays at
home, try to have an experienced midwife or doctor there
to help her.
What to do for a breech birth:
1. Help the mother keep from pushing until you see the baby’s bottom at the
vagina. It is very important for the cervix to be fully open.
2. Have the
mother
get into a
standing
squat
position.
Or if the mother is
unable to squat, help
move her bottom
to the edge of the
bed as soon as
the baby’s legs or
bottom come out.
3. Encourage her to push the
rest of the baby’s body out
slowly. The legs usually fall
out but you may need to
put your fingers inside the
mother to bring them out.
4. Gently loosen the cord a little so it does not
get pulled tight later. If the cord is still under
the mother’s pubic bone, move the cord to
the side where the flesh is softer.
5. Wrap the baby’s body in a dry warm cloth.
This will help you hold the baby better and
will keep the baby from trying to breathe
before the head is born. (In the rest of the
pictures, we will not draw the towel. This is
so that you can see better. But in a real birth,
keep the baby wrapped while you deliver it.)
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012