SOMERSAULT BIRTH
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THE FOUR F'S
FLEX - FIXATE - FORCE - FREE

1. flex

The first step in the somersault maneuver is to encourage the baby to bend the back forwards.
AFTER the external rotation gently flex baby's head towards the mothers inner thigh.
Flexion of the head and neck automatically causes a forward bend in the baby's back. 
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2. fixate 

Now hold the head in a flexed position near the mother's leg to make the baby's head the pivot point (the point the rest of the body will turn around).
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3. force

We are referring to the force of the contraction and the force of the woman's pushing efforts.
The birth attendant should NOT use any force in this maneuver. 
The baby's back is bent forwards and the head is in a fixed position so that the force of the contraction will push against the baby's bottom and cause a circling movement around it's head: a somersault!

Try it out: Stand up and try to touch your chest with your chin. Most likely you will bend your back forwards in the process. Now imagine someone giving your bottom a shove (like the push of a contraction against baby's bottom). The result would be a somersault movement. 
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4. free

Once the baby is born, unwrap the cord from the neck and body. With the cord intact, delayed cord clamping is possible. 


A mother can perform this maneuver herself and will most likely intuitively do so when birthing alone. When she reaches out to pull the head of the baby towards her, she could flex and fixate the head herself and this would cause the baby to somersault it's way into life.  

Published: 2nd of November 2020.


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