Delayed cord clamping

[Jjspoon]

Everything I've read is in favour of it so I don't know why it's not standard practice anyway? Has anyone had this with a previous birth or got it in their birth plan this time? Does anyone know of any reasons why it's not a good idea? Thanks!

[SingingMyOwnSpecialSong]

The doctors who treated DD for jaundice (and low blood glucose/raised red cells) after birth said delayed cord clamping is thought to be a risk factor, but the benefits outweigh the risks. DD was also slightly early at 38&3 (induced due to pre-eclampsia symptoms) and I had been given a couple of doses of blood pressure medication which are also risk factors. She was in neonatal for a week, but never in serious danger.

I think it is not possible to harvest stem cells with delayed cord clamping.

[MollyCule]

I understand that it is standard practice in many hospitals these days, but I would specifically request it just in case. This WHO website may be useful apps.who.int/rhl/pregnancy_childbirth/childbirth/3rd_stage/cd004074_abalose_com/en/

[Noodledoodledoo]

If you have conflicting blood types it can be pretty dangerous - one of my friends followed advice from NCT and her little boy ended up on NICU due to it.

Discuss with medical staff as well as guidance from elsewhere as she really regrets doing it now.

[Primaryteach87]

In the hospital I had my kids in, it is standard practice. I didn't have to ask, they said it was routine even for c sections (so long as no massive bleeds from mum etc).

[Primaryteach87]

^the statement about blood types is only true is you have not had the jabs to stop immune reaction (which again are routine). I have neg blood and babies were both positive -no issues.

[Heirhelp]

Standard practice in hospital I had my baby at.

[Noodledoodledoo]

My friend had had all the jabs but the doctors told her the issues had been caused due to the blood and delayed clamping as to why her little one ended up in NICU. As I said discuss with professionals as well as others opinions.

[Jjspoon]

Thanks everyone. I'll talk to midwife about it when doing birth plan and also the hospitals when we go to have look around to see what they say :)

[AButterflyLightsBesideUs]

I had it with DD. I asked my consultant about it and he insisted that I qualified my request for delaying cord clamping with "as long as it is safe to do so". He said the leading cause of maternal deaths is haemorrage so please would I accept syntometrine and straightaway cord clamping if the situation warranted it, otherwise crack on.

Seemed sensible. DD was born, we waited for the cord to stop pulsing and then the MW asked if I wanted to wait to deliver the placenta naturally or have the injection to hurry it up. I asked for the injection then to get it over and done with.

I gather babies who have had delayed cord clamping are much less likely to be anaemic by 6 months.

I would do it again (obv if it was safe at the time!)

[Willowfrost]

I did this for both my daughters 9 & 6 years ago, all good.

[frikadela01]

Standard practice where I gave birth 2 weeks ago (obviously only if it's safe). They waited for it to stop pulsing then gave me the injection for the placenta. Good job it's standard because I forgot my birth plan with it on and my head was all over the place after birth so I wouldn't have asked for it.

[Dixiechick17]

Standard practice in my hospital, and I was rhesus negative and DD was positive.

[pulpi]

Standard practice in my part of Scotland.

[londonrach]

Standard at when im going (37 weeks) as theres alot of benefits from what ive heard. Not had anything negative so really like to know noodle what happened to your friends son as slightly concerned as it seems only positive bits have been told to us.

[AveEldon]

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4855192/ this link suggests that delayed cord clamping may be beneficial for babies at risk of Hemolytic disease of the newborn

[frikadela01]

Forgot to say I'm rhesus negative and baby is positive, wasn't an issue.

[Jjspoon]

It's sounds like it's a lot more common than I thought then. It's not something anyone really talks about is it, people talk about the actual baby birth and then thats it, so I never thought about it until I started reading a pregnancy book when I got my BFP.

[ThinkPinkStink]

I am keen to donate stem cells from the umbilical cord, and I believe that it's not possible to do so if you delay clamping (I might be wrong, of course).

[orangebird69]

Was standard in my hospital - they didn't ask me if I wanted it, they just did it. I would rather have donated the stem cells as I think it's a loads of cobblers personally, but the hospital is not part of the scheme.

[Winegumaddict]

I did put it in my plan but I don't think anyone read it. I had a pretty big bleed after but it only became apparent after the cord was cut anyway so I had the jab to deliver the placenta and then went off to theatre to be sewn up.