Delayed Cord Clamping - Benefits for your Baby

[GentleBirth]

Hi eveyrone, as a follow on from the Natural/Actively Managing the 3rd stage of labour there is some great new research on the benefits to not cutting the cord immediately. It's definitely worth including in your birth preferences and discussing with your Midwife.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37342877/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

Even the WHO is now advising to leave the cord to finish pulsating before having the injection as part of a managed third stage.

Tracy

www.GentleBirth.com

I asked my midwife about this - they said no. They reckoned the benefits were outweighed by the risks of getting too much blood

MMM - I think a couple of years ago when delayed clamping was first been discussed there risk of "too much blood" was raised and there was talk that there were higher incidence of jaundice in babies who'd had delayed clamping. I've read that this has since been disproved, or the risk is so slight that the benefits outweigh it. Can't remember the research/journal though.

I delayed the clamping. It was in my birth plan and none of the midwifes questioned it. No jaundice The evidence I looked at seemed to be pretty inconclusive either way. As a lentil-weavery type I thought not clamping was more natural, and seemed to make a lot more sense...

Yes MMM the 'theory' of the baby getting too much blood was just a theory and the evidence now supports delayed cord clamping. It's definitely worth having another chat with your Midwife about this.

Tracy

not much point as baby was born 10 months ago today

funnily enough despite the clamping, he did get jaundice! although that was because he was a very big baby, and his face was really bruised from a speedy delivery

interesting info though, thanks

Can I ask: how long does it take for the cord to stop pulsating?

Please be careful. I asked for this in my birth plan, and they left it for ages. My daughter got jaundice in the first 24 hours and ended up on the neonatal Unit. Her levels went up to 400 and it really frightened us.

The paediatrician said that leaving the cord was a contributing factor to this.

I can't really remember - it wasn't very long at all - few minutes maybe? They clamped as soon as it stopped.

Thanks, I'll discuss it with the consultant next week too

DD1 - immediate cord clamping, slight jaundice.
DD2 - delayed till no pulse, no jaundice.

DD - clamped / manged third stage - jaundice (below treatment levels)

DS - no clamping / left to pulse / physiological 3rd stage - jaundice (below treatment levels)

this is interesting. I'm looking at this for my next birth as it reduces oxygen deficiency, etc.

Also curious how long it pulsates...?