delayed cord clamping and epidrual

[christy]

The whole cord blood leads to jaundice thing is a myth, not to mince words. It's been done to death, and there are tons of studies that disprove any link between delayed clamping and jaundice.


And while what your OB is saying is true, it's only half the truth; while there is not much evidence to say that there is any benefit to term babies, there is also no evidence (at all, really) that might indicate that is a risk. And lets face it, if it's beneficial to premmie babies to have some extra iron, why not to term babies?

Here is one theory I have heard about how delaying clamping can help a term baby. When your baby takes it's first breath, it will be expanding it's lungs for the first time. The lungs are like big sponges with a very rich blood supply. That blood has to come from somewhere - if the cord has been clamped, the blood has to be drawn from the rest of the circulation, which leads to a drop in blood pressure. If the cord is not clamped, then the baby has a rich blood supply it can draw on.

I still don't agree with your OB, and I don't think they are really presenting a lot of evidence. It is worth keeping in mind, too, that delaying cord clamping also means that your baby will be skin-to-skin at birth, and not moved away from you to a heater by a midwife. Lots of babies are moved to a heater for an "examination" as soon as they are born when they are fine and there is just no need for it; the appropriate thing to do when a baby is born is give it to the mother and put it straight to the breast. I have even heard of babies being resuscitated while still attached to the cord - after all, if the baby is still attached and the cord is still pulsating, then it is still receiving oxygenated blood. I know of one case where a homebirth baby was born not breathing and they resuscitated it for 40 minutes, still attached. During that entire time the cord continued to pulsate and the placenta remained attached; once the baby was breathing the cord stopped pulsating and the placenta was born.

Good luck in making your final decision.

I couldn't agree more. I did heaps of research when I was pregnant with DD1 (4 1/2) and DD2 (2). Everything I read said that delaying cord clamping was beneficial to the baby, I could not find anything that said the opposite. I guess I wasn't looking for it either! With DD1 I wasn't aware that you could delay cord clamping with a caesarean birth, but you can. Its worth knowing when you can or can't let the cord continue to pulsate. Matilda's was left for 2-3 minutes before clamping, but unfortunately being a c/s it was clamped. Jovie's was left and it took 10-15 minutes before it was finished. Neither of my girls have had issues with jaundice.

[OceanPrincess]

Thanks for all this info guys. I think I want to delay it as much as I can - I am curious as to when it will stop pulsing. Schmickers I like the thought that my baby will still get blood from the cord when it takes its first breath.

More to think about...

[Cyathea]

thanks schmickers!! GREAT info, lovely to have it all in one thread like that!!

It annoys me the way the medical establishment tries to discredit delayed cord clamping...

Bilirubin actually has antioxidant properties in the body, it is a natural part of the birth process, jaundice is very rarely a problem to a baby.

[*Ash*]

Interesting thread. Can I clarify? I read the summary of the last research paper that Schmickers recommended. So, cord clamping only needs to be delayed by between 30 seconds and 5 minutes after delivery? Is there an optimum time, or is it best to wait until the cord actually stops pulsating?

I can't recall with my daughter, who was born in hospital. My son was born at home, and I know that cord clamping was delayed but I can't remember by how much.

I guess what I am asking is: Is the point to delay by a specific or approximate amount of time OR is it best to wat until the cord stops pulsating?

Thanks.

[Schmickers]

The studies all examine cord clamping delays between 30 seconds and 5 minutes because it is a topic that has only recently been looked at in terms of research, and 5 minutes is a convenient time for hospital staff. The cynic in me says that longer than 5 minutes and the midwives and obstetricians might start getting bored... :P What you will probably find is that in the coming years, now that it has been established that 5 minutes is safe, they will start looking at research into the safety and benefits letting the cord stop pulsating naturally; although it must be said that the experience of thousands of independent midwives for hundreds of years says that of course letting the cord stop pulsating itself is safe.

[*Ash*]

Thanks Schmickers.