These archives contain extracts from discussions held on the UK Midwives and Consumers email list, a discussion group for people interested in midwifery in the UK. Open to midwives, students, mothers, and anyone interested in improving maternity services in UK. Posts in these archives express the views of the individual authors, and not those of the Association of Radical Midwives.
Chinning is difficult to describe in writing - one needs to really demonstrate. It is/was a method of "delivering" a baby where the head is on the perineum for A-G-E-S and there is a need, eg concern about the baby to expedite the birth, or the Mum is just getting past it and asks for a bit of help. In hospital the Ventouse would be used. However if one does not have access to the ventouse it is worth trying "chinning".
Ask mum to lie in Left Lateral position, put the first three fingers of R. hand over the occiput of fetal head, which will be emerging under the symphysis pubis every time she pushes and has been doing that for A-G-E-S and going back between contractions. Now flex the fingers of your L hand onto the palm of your L hand and pad your knuckles with either a thin sanitary towel or a clean flannel, and feel for the chin/face of the baby which can be felt between the anus and the coccyx.
During a contraction put pressure on the chin through your L hand and if you have it, you can feel that you can hold the head between your R. hand fingers on the occiput and your left knuckles on the chin through the maternal structure just posterior to the gaping anus. If the anus isn't gaping there isn't enough descent and you can't do it.
The pressure you exert is difficult to describe but what you are trying to do is hold that head down and stop it going back between contractions. Flexing the fetal head with your R hand fingers and pushing on the chin to assist descent with your L hand.
It is not a nice thing to do to a woman but they amazingly seem to know what you are trying to do and between you, that baby's birth can be achieved in a two or three contractions.
I hope that is clearer than mud; it really is hard to describe but easy to show. If you have a mature, ie nearing retirement, midwife around ask her. She may well know the trick and show you.
Mary Cronk
www.marycronkmidwiferyservices.co.uk
I only had to do it once when I had the mind-bending experience of the head getting stuck at a full crown. Homebirth; primigravida, of course; and a recent Medical school grad there to learn what midwives do!!!!
I had never cut an episiotomy, but I reached for scissors and was unable to get even an edge between the head and the perineum, so I "chinned". It worked! I was prepared for a torn perineum, but not a raw edge anywhere....
The new doctor was very impressed but I told her I was too. Thank you, all the powers who watch over birth...
Linda
Retired midwife
AH updated September 14, 2006