Has anyone done delayed cord clamping??

[Roryrory]

his opinion was that why would 2-5 minutes matter when you have had blood flowing through the cord for 9+ months

This is why : placenta and cord info

Excerpts:

“The suggested neonatal benefits associated with this increased placental transfusion include higher haemoglobin levels (Prendiville 1989), additional iron stores and less anaemia later in infancy (Chaparro 2006; WHO 1998b), higher red blood cell flow to vital organs, better cardiopulmonary adaptation, and increased duration of early breastfeeding (Mercer 2001; Mercer 2006). There is growing evidence that delaying cord clamping confers improved iron status in infants up to six months post birth (Chaparro 2006; Mercer 2006; van Rheenen 2004).”

The baby/placenta has a separate blood system from the mother. The placenta does the job of the lungs by exchanging gas (oxygen and carbon dioxide) via the intervillous space between the baby’s and the mother’s blood system. Before birth, a third of the baby/placenta blood volume is in the placenta at any given time to facilitate this gas exchange.

After birth this ‘placental’ blood volume is transferred through the pulsing cord into the baby increasing the baby’s circulating blood volume. This has two major effects:

1. Provides the extra blood volume needed for the heart to direct 50% of it’s output to the lungs (8% before birth). This extra blood fills the capillaries in the lungs making them expand to provide support for the alveoli to open. It also aids lung fluid clearance from the alveoli. These changes allow the baby to breath effectively.
2. Increases the number of circulating red blood cells which carry oxygen. This increases the baby’s capacity to send oxygen around the body.

This transfer of blood volume from placenta to lungs takes place over a number of minutes following birth. Textbooks will tell you 3-7 minutes, but I have felt cords pulse for a lot longer than that. While these changes take place, oxygen continues to be provided by the placenta until the baby is ready to begin breathing.

Strange that your OB is unaware of these studies....

[*EJ*]

Maggie Pie i could have written the exact same post. I too am expecting my 3rd and was never aware of delayed clamping until recently. Why are we not informed about this from Dr's, Ob's?? So glad i found this and that we both get the information we are searching for from the lovely BB members.

In my Belly Belly group with DS2 one mentioned this but i never looked into it at the time.

It wasn't until i was looking into the stem cell storage (during this current pregnancy) that i became aware of delayed clamping.

So for my 3rd (and final) pregnancy i actually am thinking of going in with some kind of birth plan and will be requesting delayed clamping aswell. Lets hope we both get what we are wishing for

[Schmickers]

We have delayed cord clamping with all three births. We have waited until the cord stopped pulsating - around 15 minutes to 20 minutes if I recall correctly, although we were probably a bit longer because we didn't cut the cord until the placenta was born and DW was almost out of the water.

And yes, there are lots of well understood benefits to delayed cord clamping, although many OBs are still wary of the practice because of a mistaken belief that it increases the risk of the baby developing jaundice.