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Childbirth

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

Original poster

lotus birth

62 replies

oatcake · 18/04/2005 11:03

for those of you who don't know, lotus birth is where you keep the placenta and cord attached to the baby until it drops off naturally.

has anyone done this after their birth experience? Could I ask why? And did it achieve what you wanted it to achieve?

Friend, whom I plan to be a birthing partner to, wants to practise this and I would like to know more about it.

OP posts:
suzywong · 18/04/2005 11:05

there was a thread about this a year ago
you need to sprinkle them with lavender flowers or is it salt to stop the whiff

Nice to do if you can handle it I suppose but not very practical

motherinferior · 18/04/2005 11:06

Salt, I think. As a preservative.

Personally I think new babies are hard enough to deal with sans placenta, but hey what do I know.

ggglimpopo · 18/04/2005 11:07

Message withdrawn

SPARKLER1 · 18/04/2005 11:08

I'd never heard of this before now. How long would it take to drop off then? Not sure I fancy it the smell must be horrendous. It's bad enough waiting for the stump of cord to fall off.

suzywong · 18/04/2005 11:09

DayknowhaddImean!

sounds like an enormous amount of extra hassle and your friend may get upset if it's not possible to do it, you know what your expectations are like when you are a new mum

motherinferior · 18/04/2005 11:10

I expected chaos punctuated by occasional vodka

ggglimpopo · 18/04/2005 11:11

Message withdrawn

snafu · 18/04/2005 11:11

oatcake, have a look at this link for some interesting pictures. Scroll down and click on the picture gallery link.

Original poster
oatcake · 18/04/2005 11:13

She's due mid June so if it's a hot one, I can almost smell it now... as a student midwife, I know that fresh placentas don't smell so great...

I will try and find out about some evidence-based literature, but doubt there'll be much available because it's not something that's practised so often.

And yes, my colleagues on shift yesterday did mention that animals actually chew the cord off...

Food for thought eh...

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suzywong · 18/04/2005 11:19

after looking at that I have to say no no no no

No.

NomDePlume · 18/04/2005 11:19

"placenta draining onto a towel" - ick, yuck,

ggglimpopo · 18/04/2005 11:21

Message withdrawn

snafu · 18/04/2005 11:21

Can't say it appeals to me. And I'm not really sure of the point. There's probably slightly less risk of infection, but that's about the only plus I can think of.

NomDePlume · 18/04/2005 11:22

It looks hideous and the flesh is starting to rot FFS ! It will be a redundant lump of rotting flesh once delivered, no matter many cute towelling nappies you wrap it in. I'd imagine it would frighten the living daylights out of my older kids if we'd have presented DD to them with the placenta still attached, revolting.

I really don't see the point.

Original poster
oatcake · 18/04/2005 11:22

thank you snafu... it would not actually be for me... but my job is to support my friend non-judgementally. she's had a fantastically 'alternative' birth so far. after detoxing for 2 years, she conceived straight away and has had no scans and refuses the use of sonicaids and has hired an independent midwife who is more in line with her thinking.

each to their own eh?

OP posts:
SPARKLER1 · 18/04/2005 11:22

Oh Snafu that link is awful. How, why do they do it. Sorry - it's not for me! Bleeeuuurrrgh.

SPARKLER1 · 18/04/2005 11:23

OMG - I never even knew this happened. You learn something new every day on MN!!!

Original poster
oatcake · 18/04/2005 11:23

LOL, NDP. Luckily, no other kids involved!

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NomDePlume · 18/04/2005 11:24

Of course, each to their own, but the more I read bout this 'method', the more bewildered I am by it !

suzywong · 18/04/2005 11:24

well yes, I agree each to there own, just hope it goes OK... be bloody awful if there was something the scan could have picked up that caused complications though, but yes each to their own

[I'm sure a lot of people think I'm a wierdo for still BFing ds2 19 months at night]

snafu · 18/04/2005 11:24

I think there's also some stuff on the ARM site, oatcake. Might have some links to research?

suzywong · 18/04/2005 11:26

look in archives, there was a link ot a different thread a in 2003

can't be arsed to do it myself

motherinferior · 18/04/2005 11:26

Was she trying to conceive while detoxing? Just wondered. What with personally having got up duff instantly and somewhat accidentally on a wash of booze

snafu · 18/04/2005 11:28

Can't find the thread but another link here

Original poster
oatcake · 18/04/2005 11:29

ARM - what's that?

Well, she says she's aware of what she's doing and admits she'd be devastated if there was a problem with the baby... There's no reason for anything to go wrong but I know to expect the unexpected with births and her independent midwife has made it perfectly clear that she'll want her to birth at hospital if she detects a problem...

I'm quite excited about it actually...

Home birth - naturally - haven't seen one yet, and it's one of my closest friends. What more could I want (apart from a healthy baby of course!)

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