How long to leave the cord before cutting?

[Foxymoron]

After reading lot's of persuasive literature about the damage that can be done by cutting the cord too quickly, I've decided this birth I want to the cord left alone.
Can someone tell me if the placenta has to be held higher than the baby? Or is there still enough pressure for the returning blood to make it's way back to the baby?

[Funkychicken]

Hi Keara,
Not sure about the technical aspects but I have also made it part of my birth plan for the cord to remain intact until I have delivered the placenta. From having spoken to others who have done this, it means only I will be able to hold baby until I have delivered the placenta due to the attachment part-literally. My midwives are more than OK with this and have said the only reason for them to cut it early will be if it is around babys neck and they are unable to undo this. After I deliver the placenta, my DH will cut the cord as he did with our other two babes.
There is a form of birthing called a Lotus birth where the cord stays attached both to baby and the placenta until such time as it parts naturally-anywhere up to two/three weeks. The placenta is kept in a special bag and carried with baby until they separate. There is probably a huge range of websites with more info on this.
I would love to hear stories from other mums who have left the cord intact until delivery of the placenta or even Lotus birth mums.
Sal-counting down in single weeks now!

[veve]

There is a form of birthing called a Lotus birth where the cord stays attached both to baby and the placenta until such time as it parts naturally-anywhere up to two/three weeks. The placenta is kept in a special bag and carried with baby until they separate. There is probably a huge range of websites with more info on this.


oh my goodness... I was with you guys till this bit :eek: I had never thought of the option of not cutting the cord straight away.. and I quite like the idea of waiting till the placenta arrives before cutting it... but... the placenta is not the most attractive thing ... really is it.???... and the idea of carrying it with the baby for over a week.??? wouldn't it get a little... ummm .. aromatic???

.. sorry .. but it just makes me shudder!!!

Has anyone out there done a lotus birth?? I would love to hear why... and the pros and cons of it!!

xxx

[Foxymoron]

I'm happy for the cord to be cut once the baby has got what s/he needs from it. I can't see myself carting a placenta with me to Uni, which I will be straight back into after the birth. My main concern is that the baby is protected from Ischemic injuries to the major organs. Having one disabled child with no 'apparent' or overt reasons I can pinpoint has made me very cautious. There are so many differing theories on causes of Austism I just want to avoid as many of them as I can.

[cosmic]

Hi Keara,

I declare up-front that I know nothing about cord-cutting or Ishemic injuries.. I've yet to research any of it in preparation for my birth.

BUT.. I did read in another thread that once the cord stops pulsing and has turned white, the baby has got what it needs from it and it's ok to cut. The person who posted that info (on a cord blood thread) indicated that there would be no cord blood to donate for research because it would all be with the baby it was attached to!! :)

Hope that helps.

[JanetF]

In terms of lotus birthing and smell, it only takes a couple of days for the baby to drop the cord and the placenta is drained after birth, and has salt sprinkled thoroughly on it which can be replaced every day. People also keep the placenta in a purpose-built bag, often in plastic too and it doesn't really smell. Smells a bit like birth, really :) It can also be done after a c-sec and I think it's an excellent idea for all hospy births so your baby isn't removed dangerously early from their placenta. It doesn't mean you *have* to keep it as a LB but putting in your birth plan keeps your baby safe from the early clamping regardless of how soon after it's stopped pulsing you may want to cut it.
This is about LB
http://sarahjbuckley.com/articles/lotus-birth.htm

And these are on cord clamping. Premature cord clamping can cause significant injuries as well as make resuscitation much more difficult.
http://www.cord-blood.org/ for info on cord blood banking

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/cordNFM.html

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/cordIssues.html

http://www.mercola.com/2002/mar/20/clamp.htm

http://www.midwifeinfo.com/feature-cordclamping.php

[DoulaFelicity]

Frederick Leboyer's "Birth Without Violence" has some fantastic information on reasons to leave the cord intact until it has at least stopped pulsing. Definitely worth a read. Made me firmly adamant that I wouldn't put my next babe through the cruelty and shock of suddenly cutting their oxygen and nutrient source off the moment they enter this world. :(

JanetF has posted some fantastic information, so there's probably not much more I can add. On the "smell" of Lotus Birth, though; amniotic fluid is one of the cleanest, yummiest smells in the world. Like the clearest ocean. :) The placenta smells like that. And, in addition to sprinkling salt on the placenta, you can also sprinkle an aromatic essence (popularly, lavender). It actually ends up smelling lovely (if you can smell it at all, through the placenta bag and nappy it is usually wrapped in).

It doesn't "rot" and smell bad, it simply dries out and shrivels to a smaller size.

The placenta was created out of nothing by your body, to nourish and hold your baby for the entire length of its stay in the womb. Doesn't it deserve awe and respect? :)

[jaydensmum]

I always thought that they just cut it straight away. I didnt even notice that it was done til someone told me. They cut my DS straight after he was born!!

jaydensmum

[AM]

I specifically asked for the cord to be left until it had stopped pulsing and turned white, but it was cut before the placenta was birthed, i think this time around i would like to leave the cord until the placenta is out, I think there is evidence that leaving the placenta attached until it is out can help to reduce bleeding, and actually helps to encourage the placenta out, and for there to be less chance of pieces breaking off and being retained.

Lotus birth is pretty fascinating, I do know people who have done it, and they would not do it any other way for subsequent babies, I don't think it is for me, and DH would be seriously wierded out by it! ;)