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Waiting 30 seconds to two minutes after birth to cut the umbilical cord of a premature baby appears to lessen chances of bleeding in the newborn's brain and reduce the need for transfusions, according to a new review of research.
Small delay after birth when cutting umbilical cord of a premature baby appears to lessen chances of bleeding
Seeded on Tue May 11, 2010 6:47 PM EDT
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- Public Discussion (15)
good link.. always think it is neat when we can find something simple that helps so much.
- 1 vote
#2 - Tue May 11, 2010 7:19 PM EDTI know it is probably controversial among doctors b/c there is always resistance to change even if the results seem to make a difference in the outcome of the patient. I agree that this seems like a simple thing that can decrease infant mortality rates.
- 1 vote
It's not just good practice for premies, it's good practice for all newborns. It just doesn't fit into the assembly line protocol of hospital birthing. With my last child, we had already discussed it with my midwife, but we very clearly informed the hospital staff that the baby was going straight to my chest and camping there after birth and that we would not be cutting the cord until it quit pulsing. We also told them we would be waiting for my placenta to deliver itself, not pulling it out.
- 2 votes
#3 - Tue May 11, 2010 8:07 PM EDTMy friend sent me a video link (it's linked in comment #1) that said the exact same thing...but, this was the only article that I could find that I felt was a good resource.
Good for you about taking over your delivery! Not very many women do that and they later regret it.
- 1 vote
Good for you about taking over your delivery! Not very many women do that and they later regret it.
I wish I had trusted my instincts and done a little more research with my other births. It has been a steady progression of taking over with each delivery. I would really have liked to have had the last one at home, but wound up in the hospital instead.
We have just forgotten that doctors and hospitals are service providers. They work for us, not the other way around!
- 2 votes
One of my friends had her daughter at home by accident. She woke up in full blown labor (this was her second baby) and she called her dad to take her to the hospital. She then called her husband (he was working nights as an EMT) to tell him she was going. By the time she was off the phone with him, she knew she was going to have to push before long so, she called the EMS (different than the one her husband worked for). The EMS got there, she pushed twice and her daughter was born! She had to tell the EMT's what to do as far as delivery, clamping the cord, etc. She said despite being a little scared b/c of the circumstances, she found it to be a really great experience.
- 1 vote
Wow, are they really in that much of a hurry to cut it? Why? Doesn't it take longer to deliver the afterbirth that way(cutting the cord early)?
- 1 vote
Actually they usually clamp the cord then gently tug until the placenta comes on out.
- 2 votes
I've always heard it was important to be patient at that point and just wait for it(nursing baby to stimulate contractions) to make sure that it came out in one piece so that way you make sure no pieces get left inside? Then the midwife aso checks it to make sure there are no missing pieces (which could cause an infection) . Wasn't that a leading cause of death like a hundred years ago? I'm sure with home births and hospital births they do a lot of things different.
Yes sunny, that is what should happen. But it is not usually what does happen, unless a midwife is delivering or the patient knows enough to speak up. We wonder why we ranked so poorly with maternal and infant mortality worldwide, but then you look at the way we do things and the answer becomes more clear.
- 2 votes
We wonder why we ranked so poorly with maternal and infant mortality worldwide, but then you look at the way we do things and the answer becomes more clear.
Exactly! You would think they would let women's bodies do what they are designed to do with little or no assistance. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case.
- 1 vote
Right. I thought it was very telling in the CDC report that even they had to own up to the fact that too many "elective" c-sections and early inductions (for schedule's sake) are contributing factors. Well duh!
Birth is a business here. Until that changes, the numbers won't get better.
- 2 votes
Inductions and elective C-Sections are very common practice in my area :/ Unfortunately, many women will just go along with what the doctor says and wont be an advocate for themself. I had my first baby young and I really wish that I would have had the knowledge then that I have now. There is no way the doctor would have cut into my belly without allowing me to at least attempt a trial labor.
- 1 vote
Delaying cutting the umbilical cord also lessens chance of oxygen starvation and brain damage to the neonate.
Now doctors try to "harvest" umbilical cord blood for stem cell experiments!
- 2 votes
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