As far as I know, in a lotus birth, the umbilical cord is not cut. The placenta remains attached to the baby until the cord falls off. There may be other things that are done too, but that is the one that sticks out in my mind. Mums who choose that kind of birth generally make a special bag for the placenta and fill it with lavendar and salt to keep it from smelling. I don't know if there is anyone on BB who has done a lotus birth - maybe some one else knows? Not really my thing, but obviously some find it quite appealing.