Chapter 12: Pushing – Stage 2 of labor
Lower the baby until you see
the hair on the back of her head.
Do not pull hard! Do not bend
the neck — it can break!
Keep the baby’s head tucked in
while you raise the body to deliver
the face. Let the back of the head
stay inside the mother.
The mother must relax, stop
pushing, and blow (blowing will
help her stop pushing). Let the head
come out as slowly as possible.
The back of the head should be
born slowly. If it comes too fast, the
baby could bleed in the brain and
be brain damaged or die.
Delivering a footling breech
A footling breech is more dangerous than the frank or complete breech.
Footling breech babies have a very high
chance of prolapsed cord (the cord
coming out before the baby).
It is much safer for a footling breech
to be born in a medical center. Try to
slow the labor (see page 207). Put the
mother in a knee-chest position and get
medical help.
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A Book for Midwives (2010)