Babies born after being in a breech position can have specific characteristics and health concerns because of the way they were sitting in the womb, even if they are born by caesarean. These can include:
Head shape. Babies who lie in a breech position have constant pressure on the top of their head from the top of their mother's uterus. This pressure moulds their head temporarily into a flat-top shape, making the back of their head more prominent. The baby's head is usually rounder in shape within a few days after birth. This also occurs for breech babies born by caesarean.
Image 6-46 shows how the baby's head can be shaped after being in a breech position during the pregnancy.
Position of their legs. If your baby has been in a
frank breech position, then it is likely they will maintain this position for days or even a few weeks after birth. This can make dressing them and putting on a nappy more difficult, also hindering you from wrapping them up in a snug way.
You can keep gently encouraging your baby to bring their feet down.
Deep relaxation bathing may assist when gently encouraging their feet to move down while in the bath. Many parents use
baby massage before or after the bath to help their baby return to a more normal posture.
You may wish to see a
physiotherapist at the hospital and ask them to show you some gentle exercises to do with your baby each day. You could incorporate some of these exercises at bath time.
Image 6-47 shows how the baby's legs can lie after being in a Frank breech position.
Clicky hips and hip dislocation Clicky hips means the baby's hip(s) 'clicks' if the baby moves or is being changed.