cord clamping

[sirenz]

hello everyone.

just a thought.. on the off chance that i will need a c/s, can they still wait for the cord to stop pulsating before they clamp it?

My husband is very adament that he wants the cord to stop pulsating before clamping, but i wasn't sure if this can be done if we have to have a c/s?

any ideas??

[Trillian]

Definately! Unless there is a reason why you can't (bub's comes out 'flat' etc) there is no reason at all not to do it if that's what you want.

[BellyBelly]

They can do it but its completely up to the Ob & Anaethatist if they want to. Not many women are able to do it sadly...

For more info on cord blood and clamping there is an article on BB, here: Umbilical Cord Stem Cells - Has anyone done this? - BellyBelly Forums ~ Pregnancy, Birth & Baby

[castle]

Sirenz, for my last c/sec I organized a midwife to come in with me and be our advocate. I was a private patient in a public hospital. If you have someone like that who is there on the day and can help support you, then you have a good chance of waiting to clamp. But otherwise, as Kelly said, it's up to the OB and anaesthetist.
I had to plan a c/sec at very short notice...it actually turned into an emergency c/sec just a few hours later...but having that midwife at my side was a great help to me and especially to DH.
If you have a planned c/sec, you will have an advantage because you can discuss this in advance with the OB and your desires should be in your notes. Just be aware that if for some reason your doctor is not there on the day, the replacement may well follow his own wishes. Also, you will probably have an anaesthesia consult before your EDC. Again this is something to bring up at that visit and have in the anaesthetist's notes.
If you plan a vaginal delivery, you can STILL ask for that to be in your notes, "if I have a c/sec here are my wishes". Unless the c/sec is a complete time crunch, you will have a few moments to talk to the anaesthetist and you can request delayed cord clamping at the time. It should be in your notes anyway, because under stress you or DH may forget to mention it. HTH!

[BellyBelly]

You can also hire your own anaethatist who will accomodate your wishes

[sirenz]

ok thanks for the info ladies... some how i don't think my dh will let anyone get away with clamping that cord before it finishes pulsating.. but i will make our wishes very clear before hand just in case..

[blue daisy]

Hey Sirenz

you can still make your c/s a special birth experience

your baby, your body, your day...dont ask...tell them (nicely of course)

here are some of the things that I recommend to clients that know that they are going to have a c/s

• you can request that no one speaks as your baby is being born...then your baby hears your voice for the first time in the world, not the dr or another staff member
• some special music playing
• request that the sheet be dropped as the baby is being born...you dont see anything of you, but the beautiful sight of your baby being birthed
• request that your partner or yourself take the baby directly from the dr
• have a special blanket (that you have been sleeping with that smells of you) for your baby to be wrapped in after birth
• request that you have skin to skin contact with your baby after birth
• your partner can still cut the cord...trim the cord

you can also have photos taken of the special event

hope this helps

xx yogababy