We as parents dread the day that we have to “cut the cord” from our children. So why are some parents so eager to do it? Babies live in this placenta paradise for roughly 9 months and this is their home before entering the world. In the natural process of things, a baby’s umbilical cord should be left intact until the pulsing stops (yes, umbilical cords pulsate!), which can be even after the placenta has passed. Delaying the cutting of the umbilical cord allows a complete transfer of placental/cord blood into the baby at a time when the baby needs that nourishment the most. Babies need all of that valuable blood, oxygen, and stem cells. Their immune systems are going through huge changes at a very rapid rate when they’re first born and by not disrupting the baby’s blood volume at that time helps prevent future disease. Furthermore, by not creating a wound at the umbilical site, the chance of infection is eliminated. “Experts” claim it can be unsanitary and could possibly lead to infections. I have yet to see any medical evidence that proves such.
A lotus birth is a practice of leaving the umbilical cord attached to the placenta until the cord naturally separates. That typically happens 3-7 days after birth. I like to keep things as natural as possible, I practiced a short-term lotus birth with my last two deliveries. After the birth of my last little bundle of joy, Daddy and I waited before he eventually severed the cord. Why on earth would anyone want to leave the placenta and baby attached might you ask? Well here’s why! The benefits only made sense and I wanted my newborn to experience the least amount of trauma and preferred not to leave it in the hands of anyone else. After about an hour of closely monitoring the cord and placenta, Daddy and I saw that the cord’s pulsing had stopped and that the tissue was just that…only tissue. We decided at that time to go ahead and cut the cord (literally) but still felt the anxious feeling that we knew we would at some point feel again later in life.
In Western civilization, there has been an increase in the interest of the placenta and cord blood, but delaying severing of the cord is considered bizarre or a crazy trend? Yet stem cell companies are making millions “storing” the blood and tissue. How ironic is that?! One message is clear for sure… it’s high in demand and there are plenty of benefits… benefits my newborn was entitled to.
Hello Samantha, thank you for sharing you’re story I never headed of this natural process until AFTER having my daughter 2 years ago. Not one person at my doctors office informed me of this option or had the courtesy to ask what would I like to do when that time came. But I do remember after I have birth I was asked what I wanted to do with my placenta but wasn’t given a chance to respond “gaff enough” so they “tossed” it. I was in the midst of getting sewn up because of a tiny tear. That moment I felt so disrespected but I didn’t want to blow up with anger because I had just given birth to my blessing. I will most defiently look more into this for my next natural birth.