In the following sections, I will describe some ways of both helping to prevent and manage posterior and breech presentations.

Prevention of Malpresentation
   I have been recommending that all throughout pregnancy a certain regime of yoga postures and exercises be followed. In part, these movements are ways of opening and preparing your womb and your pelvis for the baby to find its right position. If such a program is followed there is the greatest chance that the baby will be in the preferred position. There are several well known factors considered to be the primary causes of unusual presentations and which yoga asanas definitely help to combat. The most well correlated information on this relates to the mother’s previous birthing experience.
   Malpresentation is known to be linked to: (i) first time mothers with abdominal and pelvic tension such that the baby has not enough room in the uterus to move around and get into the right position; and (ii) mothers who have had several babies where the uterus and pelvic muscles have become too slack, such that the baby has too much room to move around and is not “hugged down” into a head first position. To help prevent this, for first timers, all the usual pre-natal yoga practices are advised to relieve abdominal and pelvic tension. Emotional and sexual tensions may also need to be resolved through Yoga Nidra. For the previous mums, avoidance of a possible breech requires strengthening slack abdominal, pelvic and spinal muscles well in advance of pregnancy (see Prescriptive Yoga Program – “Back Problems”, on page 2012), plus regular attention to these areas in the first term (use Pre-Natal Program – “0 - 12 Weeks”). Where there is foreknowledge of a breech, deep squats, late in pregnancy, must be avoided, as squats would ensure that the baby settles further into the pelvis with his head upwards, reducing any chance for him to turn.
   Some people have suggested that breech babies position their head closer to their mother’s heart. For whatever reason, the baby may need to hear or feel the mother’s heart function more strongly.
   Another reason thought to cause malpresen-tations is the positioning of the placenta. It is agreed by most authorities that a baby will usually orientate itself to face its placenta, and that this makes it less likely for him to get tangled up in the cord during birth. It is also considered that the very best place for the placenta is high up and on the back wall of the uterus. This ensures that the placenta will not grow to block the cervical exit for the baby and, I

believe, this position would make it most likely that the baby grows to position itself head down and facing backwards (the preferred position). This begs the question – How can we best influence the placement of the placenta, that is, the place of lodgement for the newly fertilised zygote (young embryo) which arrives from up in the fallopian tubes looking for a nice place to settle in the womb?
   At present, very little understanding of the implantation stage exists, and most people believe a woman could not influence the way in which this happens. However, several answers are feasible. From the physiological viewpoint, a fertilised cell will prefer to implant where the lining of the womb is most hospitable, most conducive to its development. The known factors contributing to this are the correct structure and chemistry of the endometrium. Things which can disturb this are scar tissue from reproductive infections, past surgery, poor uterine health and poor nutrition. In theory, prevention or improvement of these conditions could improve the chances of a preferred placental placement and therefore preferred presentation for birth.
   From the yogic viewpoint, on top of these physical factors, another likely factor for lodgement of the embryo is its proximity to Manipura Chakra, the heat and pranic energy centre of the body. This energy centre is located in the spine, around the position of the lumbar plexus, not far behind the top and rear section of the (empty) uterus. It is, to my mind, no coincidence that a young embryo would want to migrate and settle nearest to this area, the “warmest patch” in the body, to grow up. This therefore suggests that a highly energetic Manipura Chakra, radiating a deep and strong solar energy into the conceiving woman, would also help in advantageously positioning the placenta. Should there be less energy in Manipura Chakra than in Swadhisthana Chakra (the coccygeal and sexual plexus below it) the attraction for implantation would be lower and more towards the front. The implication here is that a good strong triple-heater mechanism (which maintains internal body temperature), a good strong digestive system, healthy abdominal breathing habits, a well balanced adrenal system, a strong self confidence – along with all the other attributes of Manipura – should all be developed well in advance of conception and be maintained throughout pregnancy.
   Subsequent to the position at which the placenta attaches, the most common cause of unusual presentations, and the most easily preventable, is poor postural habits. As the baby grows inside you, from time to time it will kick and move