This weekend, I have been lucky enough to visit Stockholm, Sweden, at the invitation of the Södersjukhuset (BB SÖS), with Dr Andrew Kotaska, author of the 2019 Canadian breech guideline. We delivered training in breech research and practice to obstetricians and midwives from across Stockholm, a contribution to their recent effort to establish city-wide guidelines.
Breech Team Leader Tove Wallström and Breech Midwife Monica Berggren
The day was organised by senior obstetrician Julia Savchenko (pictured with Andrew above). Julia and fellow senior consultant Tove Wallström lead the Labour Ward and the SÖS breech team. These inspirational women presented their local audit results, showing how their vaginal breech births have increased from 9 in 2014 to 50 so far in 2019. Almost all women give birth in an upright position, and all births are attended by a breech-experienced obstetrician and a breech-experienced midwife from the breech team.
Danish midwifery student Pernille Ravn on her elective placement, demonstrating the movement of baby to mother’s abdomen when performing the shoulder press manoeuvre
It was exciting to see a ‘Breech Team‘ service working so well in the largest maternity hospital in Stockholm. The team are able to take referrals for women pregnant with a breech-presenting baby at term who wish to give birth at SÖS. They can also provide training for other teams in Sweden who wish to improve the safety and delivery of their own services, using their own resources and presentation materials provided by the Breech Birth Network.
To ask about referral or training, please contact Julia and Tove using the form below.
Typical Swedish post-birth meal — a step up from British tea and toast!
Each family places a pin in the board to celebrate their birth as she leaves SÖS
Busy hospital!
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This doctor does forced sterilization of Indigenous women