Has anyone had experiences of their baby being resuscitated with the cord intact?

[chocolateicecream]

I am keen to know if anybody has given birth to a baby either vaginally or by C/S where the baby required resuscitation at birth and the cord remained intact during the process. Has anyone had any experiences of fighting for resuscitation with the cord intact and if so where did you have your baby? Cheers x.

[silverangel]

DTs were rescuscitated after c-section at 31 weeks. I can't imagine how it would be possible with the cord intact - they get whisked off to a resuscitare (sp) so the paeds can do what they need to.

[5madthings]

My friend had a home birth for her ds2 and they did this, the cord was still pulsating and so providing him with oxygen. It wasa difficult delivery and he was in shock and not breathing.

They had to administer oxygen etc to get him breathing. He is now 8 yes old and fine.

Not sure it would be possible with a c section tho.

[PotteringAlong]

My DS was resuscitated at birth. The only thing on my mind was him fighting to breathe. Challenging the dr's or trying to fight them from doing the very best they could to save my son's life never crossed my mind.

[MrsBungleBear]

My dd was resuscitated after vaginal birth. They anticipated it and the cord was cut very quickly and she was whisked to another table with paed and nurses.

I don't see how it could have been done any other way. I was on a bed.

[MrsBungleBear]

Oh and I was having no argument/fight about anything at that point! I was just hoping to goodness she was alive. Furthest thing from my mind!

[5madthings]

I would guess at a home birth the equipment is portable? Hence being able to do it whilst attached to the cord?

But in a hospital the have the little resucitare station that they use so would have to cut the cord to move the baby?

[belindarose]

Happened so quickly for me when the turquoise blue baby was born that I didn't even know what was happening.

Why would someone want to challenge this?

DD was quickly fine. But that colour will always stick in my mind.

[5madthings]

Having just done a quick Google the WHO recommend delayed clamping and cutting even in cases where the baby needs resuscitation. The blood they get from the cord in the first minutes after the birth is oxygen rich and studies showed babies who needed resuscitation, particularly prem babies did better if cord clamping was delayed.

They are saying to delay it for a minute or two to make sure the baby gets the oxygen rich blood and the extra blood volume they need.

I can see how it would be very difficult in hospital unless they have portable resuscitation equipment.

I guess you can ask before the birth?

[MousyMouse]

dc1 didn't breathe at first but he was placed on my chest and the midwife or paed rubbed his back and had a oxigen pipe next to his phase. don't remember when the cord was cut.

[5madthings]

There wasa Cochrane report in 2010 that concluded delaying camping actually HELPS babies that need resuscitation.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

In both cases my babies had to be resuscitated. For each of them, we didn't even know whether it was a boy or girl, and it didn't occur to us to ask - we didn't want to disturb the professionals who were basically saving our baby. It would simply not have occured to me to start 'fighting' for anything with them.

Apart from anything, after ds1 I was still in stirrups after a long delivery ending in ventouse, and with ds2 i had a spinal for a CSection. I'd have had to be wheeled over to where the equipment was, on my bed. In both cases the resusctiation equipment was several yards away, and on 'worktop' attached to the wall.

Even in the event of me and the (still not delivered) placenta and cord being taken over to where baby was; for me to have been near enough, the bed would have been alongside the bench. Where would the staff have stood while they were working on the baby?

Not to mention possible damage to my uterus should the cord have been pulled on while they were handling the baby and the placenta come away before it was 'ready'.

No, I did not try to say that the cord should not be cut while they were being resuscited, at that point I was just so exhausted and so worried about the baby, it would not have occured to me to interfere with how a bunch of professionals were doing their job.

I am however intrigued as to why you ask?

[Flibbertyjibbet]

both babies were fine btw and handed to me about 5 mins after they were born.

[5madthings]

One of the things said us about the blood being oxygen rich and also not clamping can give a baby 50% more red blood cells which helps with oxygenation.

Do you know its not something I have er thought about much but its interesting reading and there is call for resuscitation equipment in delivery rooms to be made more portable as it is for a home birth.

[sandiy]

It very much depends on the situation surronding the delivery.If you deliver a very premature baby then cord clamping can be delayed to allow for transfer of blood from the placenta but only if you deliver vaginally if you have c section then the surgeon will deliver the baby in the sack and still attached to the placenta that is then transferred to the resusitaire.Also it depends on your definition of resuscitation.If your baby was born vaginally and just did nt cry with no indicators of distress in labour then what we describe as rescue breaths could be given insitu.However if your baby had been in distress during labour it is possible that baby had pooed this being the case we like to check air way before begining resuscitation.then it could nt remain attached as you need a really good view.Please do remember that healthy babies are born in a variety of shades of blue this is not usually a problem.Babys who are white in colour are the ones we worry about.Very prem babies need to be placed in plastic bags to maintain their temperature as quickly as possible after delivery so again any resus or treatment could not be done in situ.If you have concerns speak to the midwife she can reassure you.Ive just thought are you considering a lotus birth? Is this why you are concerned.If so you can tell staff at delivery and they can be prepared to be accommodating if this is safe for both you and the baby.There are loads of considerations I've just gone through the basics feel free to pm me if you think I can help.

[5madthings]

Basically early cord clamping has been standard for years, you have to ask for delayed clamping.

And the resuscitation equipment in hospitals isn't set up to be used without cutting the cord.

But it can become and us at home births.

There is a a small board a bit like a vegetable chopping board! That can be brought to the bed to lay baby on so they haveafirm flat surface an do obviously the oxygen equipment needs to be portable etc.

[5madthings]

sandy I have a midwife friend and she said about delivering c-sectionbabiesin the sac with placenta attached. Its beneficial for prem babies, amazing they can do it.

[AmandinePoulain]

It's just not feasible, sorry. I'm a NICU nurse so attend resuscitations. The baby needs to be kept warm, hence the overhead heater on a resuscitaire - there has been massive amounts of research done that demonstrates the improved outcomes in babies kept warm, the only exception to this is the rare cases where the baby is actively cooled to prevent brain damage. They also need to be dried and either wrapped or placed in a plastic bag. The baby needs to be on a hard surface with good lighting, and good access to observe/intervene. Oxygen and suction need to be available. There may be several members of staff attending to the baby and they all need access, at a height that enables them to pass ET tubes, insert lines (some of which may actually need to be inserted directly into the cord) or perform whatever other interventions are needed. I just can't see how we could do that at the mother's bedside

[5madthings]

www.inditherm.com/default.asp?langid=1&contentid=1366

This equipment has been designed so babies can be resuscitated without clamping the cord.

So it is possible.

[5madthings]

www.inditherm.com/default.asp?langid=1&contentid=1366