# What does "military presentation" mean?



## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

I'm assuming it has to do with the head position? Came across the term and I'm not having any luck with a search.


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## AutumnAir (Jun 10, 2008)

My guess would be "army crawl" style, i.e. with one hand up by the head. More commonly known as a nuchal hand. But I'm just guessing...


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## MittensKittens (Oct 26, 2008)

I am picturing a saluting baby now.







Maybe it means the hand is buy the head?


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## billikengirl (Sep 12, 2008)

I think it means the same as "brow presentation."


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

It means the babe is leading with their forehead. Unlike a babe with a nicely tucked chin, a babe with a "military presentation" has their chin up a bit, as if they were "standing at attention". It often results in a longer or more difficult birth since the presenting part is bigger than it could be if the babe tucked their chin.

You can find the term (and pictures) in nursing textbooks like this one.


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## mwherbs (Oct 24, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wombatclay* 
It means the babe is leading with their forehead. Unlike a babe with a nicely tucked chin, a babe with a "military presentation" has their chin up a bit, as if they were "standing at attention". It often results in a longer or more difficult birth since the presenting part is bigger than it could be if the babe tucked their chin.


this is what I understand it to mean as well head like at attention so the chin is NOT tucked into the chest -- a forehead presentation would be head tipped back even further and then after that would be degrees of face presentation

I wanted to add this neat link because they are pic of terracotta models at this museum site.

http://brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/museum/esim.asp?c=418023


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mwherbs* 
this is what I understand it to mean as well head like at attention so the chin is NOT tucked into the chest -- a forehead presentation would be head tipped back even further and then after that would be degrees of face presentation

I wanted to add this neat link because they are pic of terracotta models at this museum site.

http://brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/museum/esim.asp?c=418023

Wow, thank you for that link - those are incredible models!

(and wow, the embryotomy ones are... something else. I guess back then sometimes it was the only answer to bad presentation gone horribly wrong?)


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## katelove (Apr 28, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *savithny* 
(and wow, the embryotomy ones are... something else. I guess back then sometimes it was the only answer to bad presentation gone horribly wrong?)

Sadly, in some countries it is still the only solution.


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## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

Thank you! That was driving me crazy.








Wow, mwherbs, that link is amazing! Dd and I have spent the last 2 hours exploring it. I had no idea C-sections had been performed for that long; although I suppose not many Mamas lived through them?


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