[breech] Why doesn't "breeched" exist when it comes to childbirth?

While approaching the latter half of my octogenarian years, during the
casual conversations which occur while visiting the family doctor for a
checkup, I said to a doctor that I was a 'breeched baby'.

The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left it at
that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I looked it up.

This search for "breechED baby" invariably shows the MD is correct.
https://www.google.com/search?q=breeched+baby

Even this search forcing the "breechED" shows the same thing as above.
https://www.google.com/search?q=breeched+baby+%2Bbreeched

Why?

Looking it up, of course, I find this:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/breach-breech-usage

According to that, a "breech" is the "rear part of a person" (or gun).

Etymology: (same source)
Breech and breach go back over 1,000 years, and both stem ultimately to Old
English: breech to the noun brec, which was the plural of a word that
referred to leg coverings; and breach to the noun braec, which means "an
act of breaking." Though breech and breach had similar spellings in Middle
English, they weren't often confused. The contexts generally made it clear
which breche was being referred to."

"...breech is almost always used of physical situations, not metaphorical
ones: a breech birth, the breech of a rifle, the baby's breech
presentation, a pair of breeches. Breach is used of more metaphorical
situations: a breach of contract, moving into the breach, the law being
breached. If that's still too abstract, perhaps rely on the mnemonic that
to heal a breach requires a reach across something."

Hence, in the end, a breached baby may make sense; but not a breeched one.

On 25/04/24 22:46, Ken Blake wrote:

> [breech] Why doesn't "breeched" exist when it comes to childbirth?
>
> While approaching the latter half of my octogenarian years, during
> the casual conversations which occur while visiting the family doctor
> for a checkup, I said to a doctor that I was a 'breeched baby'.
>
> The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left
> it at that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I looked
> it up.

A breech baby is one who comes out breech first. And breeches (now
commonly spelt britches) are what you wear over your breech.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:13:14 +1000, Peter Moylan
<peter@pmoylan.org.invalid> wrote:

>On 25/04/24 22:46, Ken Blake wrote:
>
>> [breech] Why doesn't "breeched" exist when it comes to childbirth?
>>
>> While approaching the latter half of my octogenarian years, during
>> the casual conversations which occur while visiting the family doctor
>> for a checkup, I said to a doctor that I was a 'breeched baby'.
>>
>> The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left
>> it at that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I looked
>> it up.
>
>A breech baby is one who comes out breech first. And breeches (now
>commonly spelt britches) are what you wear over your breech.

And a "breeched baby" is one who graduates from nappies to britches.

--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:33:59 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:

>>> The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left
>>> it at that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I looked
>>> it up.
>>
>>A breech baby is one who comes out breech first. And breeches (now
>>commonly spelt britches) are what you wear over your breech.
>
> And a "breeched baby" is one who graduates from nappies to britches.

Both apropos, and quite funny. Thanks for the interlocking clarifications.

Ken Blake <Ken@OneOfMany.com> writes:

> On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:33:59 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:
>
>>>> The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left
>>>> it at that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I looked
>>>> it up.
>>>
>>> A breech baby is one who comes out breech first. And breeches (now
>>> commonly spelt britches) are what you wear over your breech.
>>
>> And a "breeched baby" is one who graduates from nappies to britches.
>
> Both apropos, and quite funny. Thanks for the interlocking clarifications.

Any connection to "Thar she blows and breeches" in whaling?

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

On Thu, 25 Apr 2024 22:18:39 -0600, Ken Blake <Ken@OneOfMany.com>
wrote:

>On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:33:59 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:
>
>>>> The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left
>>>> it at that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I looked
>>>> it up.
>>>
>>>A breech baby is one who comes out breech first. And breeches (now
>>>commonly spelt britches) are what you wear over your breech.
>>
>> And a "breeched baby" is one who graduates from nappies to britches.
>
>Both apropos, and quite funny. Thanks for the interlocking clarifications.

I think I got it from "Tristram Shandy".

--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

On 26/04/24 15:32, Mike Spencer wrote:
> Ken Blake <Ken@OneOfMany.com> writes:
>
>> On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:33:59 +0200, Steve Hayes wrote:
>>
>>>>> The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left
>>>>> it at that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I looked
>>>>> it up.
>>>>
>>>> A breech baby is one who comes out breech first. And breeches (now
>>>> commonly spelt britches) are what you wear over your breech.
>>>
>>> And a "breeched baby" is one who graduates from nappies to britches.
>>
>> Both apropos, and quite funny. Thanks for the interlocking clarifications.
>
> Any connection to "Thar she blows and breeches" in whaling?

I think that's a reference to the whale breaching (note spelling) the
surface.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On 2024-04-25 12:46:41 +0000, Ken Blake said:

> [breech] Why doesn't "breeched" exist when it comes to childbirth?
>
> While approaching the latter half of my octogenarian years, during the
> casual conversations which occur while visiting the family doctor for a
> checkup, I said to a doctor that I was a 'breeched baby'.
>
> The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left it at
> that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I looked it up.

My youngest granddaughter thought it would be fun to be a breech baby,
and the obstetrician only suceeded in getting her in the right
configuration moments just before a caesarian would have been needed.
Her brother, born 20 minutes earler, had read the textbooks and came
out in the approved way with no manipulation needed.
>
> This search for "breechED baby" invariably shows the MD is correct.
> https://www.google.com/search?q=breeched+baby
>
> Even this search forcing the "breechED" shows the same thing as above.
> https://www.google.com/search?q=breeched+baby+%2Bbreeched
>
> Why?
>
> Looking it up, of course, I find this:
> https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/breach-breech-usage
>
> According to that, a "breech" is the "rear part of a person" (or gun).
>
> Etymology: (same source)
> Breech and breach go back over 1,000 years, and both stem ultimately to Old
> English: breech to the noun brec, which was the plural of a word that
> referred to leg coverings; and breach to the noun braec, which means "an
> act of breaking." Though breech and breach had similar spellings in Middle
> English, they weren't often confused. The contexts generally made it clear
> which breche was being referred to."
>
> "...breech is almost always used of physical situations, not metaphorical
> ones: a breech birth, the breech of a rifle, the baby's breech
> presentation, a pair of breeches. Breach is used of more metaphorical
> situations: a breach of contract, moving into the breach, the law being
> breached. If that's still too abstract, perhaps rely on the mnemonic that
> to heal a breach requires a reach across something."
>
> Hence, in the end, a breached baby may make sense; but not a breeched one.

--
Athel -- French and British, living in Marseilles for 37 years; mainly
in England until 1987.

On 26/04/24 17:38, Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
> On 2024-04-25 12:46:41 +0000, Ken Blake said:
>
>> [breech] Why doesn't "breeched" exist when it comes to childbirth?
>>
>> While approaching the latter half of my octogenarian years, during
>> the casual conversations which occur while visiting the family
>> doctor for a checkup, I said to a doctor that I was a 'breeched
>> baby'.
>>
>> The MD sternly corrected me saying I was a "breech baby" and I left
>> it at that as I accepted her opinion - and when back home - I
>> looked it up.
>
> My youngest granddaughter thought it would be fun to be a breech
> baby, and the obstetrician only suceeded in getting her in the right
> configuration moments just before a caesarian would have been
> needed. Her brother, born 20 minutes earler, had read the textbooks
> and came out in the approved way with no manipulation needed.

When we had twins, the two of them spent a lot of the pregnancy in
opposite directions. "Don't worry", said the obstretician, "They often
turn towards the end of the pregnancy".

And they did. Turned so that both were in breech position. After quite a
few hours of the birth not working, a Caesarian was the only available
solution.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

Den 26-04-2024 kl. 09:38 skrev Athel Cornish-Bowden:
> My youngest granddaughter thought it would be fun to be a breech baby,
> and the obstetrician only suceeded in getting her in the right
> configuration moments just before a caesarian would have been needed.

Young people nowadays! When I was born, my mother had had enough of
caesarians, and just delivered me, breech first.

> Her brother, born 20 minutes earler, had read the textbooks and came out
> in the approved way with no manipulation needed.

I have never before heard of carving out the second twin as an option.
But, needs must, I suppose.

/Anders, Denmark, not a twin