How to Deliver a Baby in Breech Presentation

First, recognize breech presentation when the buttocks appear in the birth canal before the head does. Experienced providers can deliver some babies in frank or complete breech presentations. Have a cloth or surgical towel available as well as other instruments used for routine deliveries and prepare for what to do if vaginal delivery is unsuccessful.

This position is a frank breech.

This position is a complete breech.

And this position is an incomplete complete breech.

Allow delivery to the level of the umbilicus with maternal effort. If possible, do this without touching the infant. Anticipate umbilical cord compression and possibly fetal decelerations.

To deliver a leg, splint the medial thigh parallel to the femur and sweep the thigh laterally. Repeat this procedure to deliver the other leg.

Wrap a towel around the infant, putting your fingers on the anterior superior iliac spines and your thumbs on the sacrum.

Assist the mother’s efforts during contractions by applying gentle traction to help deliver the body to the level of the scapulas.

Rotate the body in either direction to make one shoulder anterior. Deliver the anterior arm by sweeping it across the chest. Rotate the infant 180 degrees in either direction. Deliver the arm that is now anterior the same way the other arm was delivered. Move the towel up to cover the arms and rotate the body to make the back anterior.

To deliver the head, place your index and middle fingers of one hand over the fetal maxilla to flex the head, while the body rests on your palm and forearm, as shown here. With your other hand, hook 2 fingers over the neck, grasp the shoulder, and apply gentle downward traction. Have an assistant apply suprapubic pressure to help maintain head flexion and deliver the head.