Lotus birth

[GhostShip]

Has anyone had a lotus birth?
(a lotus birth is when the baby is delivered, the cord isn't cut. The placenta is delivered but stays attached to the baby via its cord. The cord dries out and drops off, detaching the baby from the placenta in a matter of days. Usually the placenta is put in a special bag and treated with herbs)
If you had one what were your reasons for having one?
Did you notice any benefits?

And if you haven't had one, would you?

Sorry I'm not a journo, just a nosy reg who hopes to become a midwife one day and finds the subject very interesting!

in relation to getting midwives to agree, it has been a matter of bringing them up to speed first ime. I have had to point out the research, the reasoning and argue for it. For the first birth, it was easy to get the point about delayed clamping across and there were no arguments, but in the event, lotus just wasn't going to work and I wasn't married to the idea, just wanted to try it if possible. Second birth, different midwife, she had no idea, wasn't particularly interested and only agreed to put the delayed clamping in birth plan as I pointed out that the other people at the birth would be making sure it happened even if I didn't. As it was, chord was wrapped around the neck and I had no choice.
To me Lotus isn't about what is done in nature (I certainly wasn't going to have a first snack of raw or cooked placenta- also done in nature), it was about slowing the post partum process down, getting baby all the nutrients possible. In our local culture (NZ), it is the father's role to bury the placenta within 24 hours. what is 'natural' or 'wild' is variable, imho.

I'm all for a natural third stage; letting the cord stop pulsing and getting that vital blood into your baby. But keeping the placenta hanging around for days? That's just weird, asking for infection and not natural. Animals eat placentas. They never remain attached to baby animals.

I'm eating my placenta. Raw. DH and my doula are making it into some fruit smoothies for me

delish!

I had never heard of this till today when midwife mentioned it in antenatal class. She'd come across it once with someone who had a home birth. Apparently asked them to cut it off two days later because it smelt so bad! Not for me anyway!

Thanks for all the input ladies! Has been really interesting!

I wish they'd show one on One Born..

bound to be one somewhere on youtube!

I've seen a couple of them, just wanted womens personal experiences :o