Anyone planning on NOT cutting the cord ASAP?

MRSGOLABONTE · October 2008

I read somewhere that it's better for the baby to wait a bit before cutting the cord. Is anyone else planning on doing this? Pros? Cons?

Kentuckychick_8201 · October 2008

I have never heard of not cutting it. Not sure what purpose that would serve.

Kentuckychick_8201 · October 2008

If you post this during the day someone might know something about it. This time of night very few people are on.

deemariegirlie · October 2008

I'm asking for the cord to stop pulsating before it's clamped and cut. There's a valid reason for waiting and its not necessary to cut the cord right away, but I'm way too tired to remember or look it up.

tinychefjackson · October 2008

I'm pretty sure the benefit of leaving it until it stop pulsating is a decreased risk for anemia. Too lazy to look it up, though.

I'm asking that the cord stop pulsating before it's cut.?

NicoleOSU · October 2008

I wanted to do that, but my doctor said she wouldn't let me.

fiasco · October 2008

ditto the pps w/ waiting till it stops pulsating. Those last few pumps of blood are supposedly rich in iron and other important things, plus it's just creepy to cut it when it still seems "alive." Why would a doctor say no? It's just a few minutes extra!

jenjen3247 · October 2008

I'm an L&D nurse and we don't seem to see pros/cons. Do what feels right to you.

mrskadams · October 2008

I don't know anything about cord cutting, but I wanted to say hi! I haven't talked to you in awhile. Wow, you're almost there!

JARbaby · October 2008

I am having a planned c-section and want to be closed up ASAP, the longer we wait to get me closed the more risk I am to infection.

There are benefits to waiting after a v-birth however I am not sure it makes too much of a difference in the end.

eisenberg0814 · October 2008

evidence had shown that through vaginal delivery some of the baby's blood is pushed back into the placenta and needs some time to return back to the baby's body. Most of the blood will have return (including important antibodies etc) by around 5 min. Cord cutting asap is just done to speed up delivery process for doctors and hospitals. We are going to wait 5-8 min before cutting.

angelynn8411 · October 2008

ditto, eisenberg

GAMomma · October 2008

I asked my midwife about this and she told me that they routinely wait several minutes before clamping/cutting the cord. I guess they waited with DS too, but I was too out of it to realize

One of the biggest cons is that you cannot bank or donate cord blood if you delay clamping. This isn't an issue for us because we cannot afford to have it banked privately and our hospital doesn't participate with any donation sites. If we could donate it, I likely would. But, since we cannot, my baby might as well reap the benefits. Another issue may be that babies are more likely to become jaundiced if clamping/cutting the cord is delayed. Can't remember the details on this right now...

jdekzoo · October 2008

Waiting for the cord to stop pulsating allows the baby to receive all of his/her blood from the placenta. According to our birth instructor, research shows that this can help prevent anemia. However, there is an increased likelihood of jaundice. It can be more difficult to treat anemia in young babies than treating jaundice. Doesn't seem like there is a big recommendation from the medical field one way or the other though, so do what feels right to you and is safest for you and the baby.

MRSGOLABONTE · October 2008

Thanks for the feedback ladies. I asked this on a couple of other boards, and it sounded like the benefits outweighed the cons. I am anemic myself, so if I can help Baby Girl retain some of her iron, then I'm willing. We also weren't going to bank our cord due to the cost involved, so this makes more sense.

One woman did write that it took over 20 minutes for her placenta to stop pulsating, and that it caused her daughter to get really high red blood cell count. She said that there are benefits to keeping it attached, but just don't go so long. I think after the five minute mark, I'll have them cut if it hasn't stopped pulsating by then.

[Hey Adams! I've been thinking about you and wondering how things are going!]

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