Scary.
Women give birth every day, so OB-GYNs
have come up with a pretty standard
routine. But not all everything in that
routine is what's best for mother and
baby.
Luckily, things are changing with more
research, but some studies have found
that the normal practice of clamping and
cutting the umbilical cord as fast as 60
seconds after birth is harmful. Isn't that
parenting advice you wish you knew
before giving birth?
Babble's Chaunie Bruise, a midwife,
argues against clamping and cutting the
umbilical cord so soon after birth, and
with good reason.
Babies get oxygen from the
umbilical cord, so by cutting it soon
after the baby is born, the baby's
lungs struggle to match the pace of
blood that's rushing into them to get
the first breath of air.
Waiting to cut the cord also leads to
higher birth weights, reduces risk of
hemorrhaging, higher hemoglobin levels,
an increase in iron, and lowers risk of
anemia later in life.
Although it's not regularly used for
babies, waiting to clamp is often part of
the routine for premature babies who
need the blood cells.
If it has all of these benefits, why do
doctors cut the cord right after
birth?
Simple: it's easier for them to move the
baby if it's clean and no longer attached.
It also makes the process quicker, which
is a huge motivation for doctors, sadly.
So, how long after birth should the
cord be cut? World Health Organization
recommends waiting one to three
minutes before clamping the cord to
prevent iron deficiency and anemia.
Once again, America is way behind. In the
United Kingdom, the National Institute
for Health and Care Excellence changed
their guidelines to delay clamping for at
least five minutes, according to Daily
Mail.
If you want to wait to clamp, make sure
your doctor knows about your plan.
Women give birth every day, so OB-GYNs
have come up with a pretty standard
routine. But not all everything in that
routine is what's best for mother and
baby.
Luckily, things are changing with more
research, but some studies have found
that the normal practice of clamping and
cutting the umbilical cord as fast as 60
seconds after birth is harmful. Isn't that
parenting advice you wish you knew
before giving birth?
Babble's Chaunie Bruise, a midwife,
argues against clamping and cutting the
umbilical cord so soon after birth, and
with good reason.
Babies get oxygen from the
umbilical cord, so by cutting it soon
after the baby is born, the baby's
lungs struggle to match the pace of
blood that's rushing into them to get
the first breath of air.
Waiting to cut the cord also leads to
higher birth weights, reduces risk of
hemorrhaging, higher hemoglobin levels,
an increase in iron, and lowers risk of
anemia later in life.
Although it's not regularly used for
babies, waiting to clamp is often part of
the routine for premature babies who
need the blood cells.
If it has all of these benefits, why do
doctors cut the cord right after
birth?
Simple: it's easier for them to move the
baby if it's clean and no longer attached.
It also makes the process quicker, which
is a huge motivation for doctors, sadly.
So, how long after birth should the
cord be cut? World Health Organization
recommends waiting one to three
minutes before clamping the cord to
prevent iron deficiency and anemia.
Once again, America is way behind. In the
United Kingdom, the National Institute
for Health and Care Excellence changed
their guidelines to delay clamping for at
least five minutes, according to Daily
Mail.
If you want to wait to clamp, make sure
your doctor knows about your plan.
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