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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Stupid questions from clueless first-timer

20 replies

RaRa1988 · 12/03/2014 17:55

So...was hoping some of you ladies on here might know more about this than me!

I've heard that you can delay cord-clamping/cutting when the baby is born to allow the blood and nutrients and whatever to pass into him/her. I kinda like the idea of this, but does that mean you can't hold the baby or have him/her cleaned up in the mean time?

I also definitely don't want to injection to make me deliver the placenta more quickly; I want to do it in my own time. Is this compatible with the above, or can you only do one or the other?

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glorious · 12/03/2014 20:06

I'm not an expert so this is just from my own research.

You can hold the baby before the cord is cut, it's usually long enough. They can wipe it a bit if you like but not clean up fully - you probably wouldn't notice or care anyway though!

People often choose to combine delayed cord clamping and no injection, it works well.

ShoeJunkie · 12/03/2014 20:11

We delayed cord clamping and I didn't have the injection.
I had DS in the birthing pool, let the cord finish pulsating, had it cut then moved to the bed to deliver the placenta. DS was pretty clean because he'd been born in the pool but I didn't care at that point - I just wanted cuddles!
Good luck OP!

midwifeandmum · 12/03/2014 21:02

you can combine the two. Delayed cord clamping and no syntometrine injection is called a Physiological Third Stage.
And yes baby can be given a wee quick clean but make sure you have a bit of skin to skin with baby as this will help placental separation.

Just be prepared incase you need the syntometrine injection after birth.

If the placenta doesnt come away without jag, then it would be wise to have it

Also, if you were to have a big bleed after baby is born, syntometrine would be used to help uterus to contract to stop bleeding.

Sometimes if baby needs a wee check over after birth, cutting and clamping cord is essential to take baby for a check

I dont mean to sound negative cause Im not. ive personally assisted women having a physiological third stage successfully and sometimez not so successful.

Keep an open mind and discuss your opinions with your midwife

Best if luck x

ikeaismylocal · 12/03/2014 21:24

I had delayed cord clamping with ds, he was born on a birthing stool and given to me, I then walked across the room carrying him with his cord still attached, ds lay on my chest/tummy and did a huge poo and the placenta came away naturally.

The baby wasn't cleaned but I didn't notice. No one elseheld the baby whilst the curd was attached.

Good luck :)

PenguinsEatSpinach · 12/03/2014 22:00

I had delayed cord clamping with DD2. She was born in the pool, so ready cleaned! I had planned a physiological third stage, but the placenta wasn't coming after quite a while so we went for the jab in the end.

With DD1 she was forceps for distress, so immediate cord cutting was necessary. AGPAR of 10 at 1 minute, so obviously not that distressed!

My third birth plan says that I want delayed clamping if possible, and whatever else best follows.

Original poster

RaRa1988 · 13/03/2014 07:56

What's 'jag', midwifeandmum? If placenta doesn't come away without jag...?

Thanks all for your responses - good to know that my preferences are actually options!

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Footle · 13/03/2014 08:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hazchem · 13/03/2014 08:37

I had delayed cord clamp. The midwife passed DS to me straight away. No cleaning. He did poo on me. I still didn't let go. Someone wiped my tummy. I had a breastfeed before he was cleaned.

Original poster

RaRa1988 · 13/03/2014 10:38

Can I get my DD cleaned up a little without the cord being removed, do you think? I'm hoping for a water birth, but assuming that doesn't happen, I'm a little squeamish about the blood and gore off her getting on my chest/tummy - I know that's ridiculous and I won't exactly be clean myself, but that's how I feel atm... Hopefully that'll change!

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ikeaismylocal · 13/03/2014 11:32

My ds had no blood on him despite me having a 2nd degree tear, he was a bit wet but not sticky or bloody.

They put a towel over him so I couldn't actually see my chest or tummy.

He was a bit blue/grey but apart from that he looked like a newborn who had just been bathed ( and I didn't have a water birth).

midwifeandmum · 13/03/2014 15:11

yes jag is scottish for injection. I did this topic for my degree essay and found lots of great research.

Personally both my dds were born by emcs and both times I was put to sleep. So I never had the chance to have a physiological third stage

TheScience · 13/03/2014 15:22

1st birth I had hoped for a physiological 3rd stage/delayed cord cutting but it wasn't possible as the baby was distressed, had a forceps delivery and baby was whisked off to be checked over/resuscitated.

2nd birth cord cutting was delayed a little (couple of minutes - which is enough to make a difference in health terms) but I started bleeding quite heavily so did need the injection in the end.

Basically it's fine to have a preference, but don't get too hung up on the details and be prepared to be flexible on the day.

glorious · 13/03/2014 17:36

Yes and what you want might change. Don't mean to scare you because it was fine, but after a 55 hour labour including 2 nights with no sleep at all I just wanted it over and changed my mind. So similar to TheScience we had a few minutes pause, clamp, injection.

hazchem · 15/03/2014 20:42

DS wasn't mucky really. It was land birth but even still just a bit of vernix (which is like in built in moisturizer) They can give baby a rub with a towel or even put a towel on you then baby on top.

MyDarlingClementine · 15/03/2014 20:45

I really dont think you will care after labour about baby being a little icky! And you will be so excited to see him/her.

stripes1 · 15/03/2014 21:10

I had this with both DS, both times waited for cord to stop pulsating before cutting it. Both times I had my baby handed straight to me, think they rubbed them a bit with a towel to get some of the blood etc off. I had my top off for skin to skin and we had a towel around us to keep baby warm. You won't care at all about the mess at that point so don't worry about that. I delivered the placenta naturally (without injection) both times, first time wasn't through choice it was just the way it went. Make sure you tell the midwife what you want at the start. I had a second midwife join midway through my labour and she had the needle out ready to inject as I was delivering and we had to shop her so we could have delayed cord clamping as planned (and agreed with the original midwife).

Original poster

RaRa1988 · 17/03/2014 13:13

Thankyou all very much!

OP posts:

addictedtosugar · 17/03/2014 13:22

Agree you need to be aware that clamping the cord straight away is often default procedure, and you need to be clear you want delayed cord clamping.

But yes, what your after is perfectly possible. It was my preference for DS1, but didn't happen, as I needed stitches, and he had the cord around his neck, so we clamped and cut incase he needed to go anywhere.

DS2 was delayed cord clamping, and natural third stage. To be fair, I don't think he was much muckier than quickly wiped down DS1. But they can be wrapped in a light blanket if you want to contain any slime. skin to skin is best for placenta ejection tho (mine took less than 10 mins, but then labour was also very very short, I think longer is more normal)

weebairn · 17/03/2014 14:29

Hello,

I had this with first baby, cuddles straight away and we didn't cut the cord for several minutes. She didn't cry straight away so I was rubbing her with a towel whilst holding her skin to skin at the direction of the midwife and she perked up right away. She was an absolute mess I'm sure but I don't remember any of that after 30 hours of labour, just delighted to have her!

Then cord was cut.

Then my boyfriend held her and we waited for the placenta. It wasn't that quick - maybe 20-30 mins before it came? I had to push mine out which was really surprisingly hard, I think I just had nothing left at that point. Also they had to put a catheter in to empty my bladder as there was some debate about whether the placenta was stopping me weeing, or the full bladder stopping me pushing the placenta out (the catheter didn't stay in). But I was pleased not to have the injection and absolutely no problems with bleeding.

I wanted to breastfeed straight away (before cord was cut) as I had read this helped with placenta coming away but the midwives were being all bossy at that point telling me what to do and I was sooooo tired I didn't care any more!

But that was my experience of it.

weebairn · 17/03/2014 14:32

Also despite DD being a bit of a mess with blood when she came out (and she also did a big meconium poo right away!) we rubbed her clean with a towel and she didn't have a bath for at least a week and was absolutely lovely and clean and sweet smelling. So I'm not sure they need cleaning as such, just a bit of a rub down. Oooh newborns smell amazing.

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