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Ok so I have been researching the donation of the cord once our little one is born and I would like to know is there anything we're not allowing the baby to have from not letting it pump through a little bit? I think if I could donate and help somebody else out it would be wonderful but if its going to cause something to happen to our little miracle I wouldn't sign up to do it...
Thanks in advance :)
there are some great advantages of letting your baby take all its blood with it :), i do think that it is more important for your baby to have its cord blood then to donate it as all the goodness you are donating to someone else has to be inportant for your baby.. yk?
i am pretty sure there is an article on the main page.
I have looked into this a little bit and decided to do delayed clamping (ie no donation will be possible) for a number of reasons.
My understanding is that it is good to let a newborn get the blood from the cord as they get the benefits from the oxygen while their little lungs get used to working for the first time. Nature seems to have designed it this way to take the pressure off the lungs.
Allowing the blood to flow also benefits you as there is less blood left in the placenta - making it easier for the uterus to expel it and less chance of hemorrhage.
I read somewhere - can't remember now sorry - that babies seem to have an inbuilt system for getting the blood they need from the placenta/cord after birth. If they need more blood they tend to cry more and cause more blood flow, if they need less, they tend to be calmer. I think that sounds pretty cool, pretty clever and I have faith in a great natural system like that.
So for me, all things considered I am not keen for an early clamp.
I am sure some people do have good reasons for a quick clamp and/or storage of cord blood, everyone has to work out what is best for them. I just wish there was more information out there and that the hospitals themselves were more informed!
Thankyou very much for this bit of information ladies its really opened my eyes up :) And helped me rethink the decision I am glad I asked rather than just doing it! See before I even googled it before I didn't realize it was clamped and cut soo quickly either, I wonder how many people jump straight into it without looking into it!
Many, many, many! There are so many things to consider when planning a birth and it is impossible to keep on top of it all!
I think it depends on who you speak to and what you read. I was inspired by Sarah Buckley - Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering, and followed it up from there.
I have also read that if a baby needs a bit of help with breathing or resus, mostly it can be done on the mother's thigh with the cord attached so they get the best of both worlds, medical hands and mother's blood/free flowing oxygen. Sounds good to me.
It just seems to be one of those things that has become 'policy' and not questioned... whether or not it is best. Don't get me started on Hep B vaccs for newborns ;)
Woo Hoo for informed choice!
I was disappointed that DS didn't get his cord blood, due to the circumstances of his birth. I'm hoping next time will be different. I do think, on the whole, it's better for my baby to get their cord blood rather than store it. (plus it's super exxy)
If you want to delay clamping you may have to press the point with your OB as they tend to just do it right away and get your DH or birth partner to stay on alert as your baby is born. Same if, for example, you want a physiological 3rd stage and don't want the synto injection.
Here's that cord blood article.
Thankyou for that Marcellus!
And thankyou jackrose!
I will definately ask for a delayed clamping now you have really opened my eyes and made me realize it is soo important to have that done then donate it!! So thankyou soo much!