Delayed Cord Clamping: Is it worth it?

Just another thing to think about after popping out a baby! Clamping the Cord; now we usually see that cords are cut by the father/partner/family member while the baby is fresh outta the womb and everyone is still hustling around you. Nowadays, the concept of Delayed Cord clamping has become a huge trend that many mothers are following and trying to include in their births.

So what is it? Delayed cord clamping is a birth practice where the baby's umbilical cord is not clipped until after it ceases to pulsate or after your placenta is born. Typical delayed cord clamps are done between 25 seconds and 5 minutes after birth.

This may seem like the last thing on your mind after you've just pushed a human out, but over the years various research has found that delayed cord clamping has a variety of benefits for your new baby and you. Some of these advantages include an increase of red blood cells in the baby (up to 60%), an increase in neonatal blood volume in the baby (up to 30%), a decreased risk of iron deficiency anemia (as your baby receives more iron during the DCC) and your baby can make an easier transition from womb to world as he or she learns to breathe and function independently not purely by the placenta.

Although I am not going to tell you what you should and shouldn't do especially with regards to how you want to bring your baby into the world. I am here to support and care for you and your baby throughout your pregnancy journey; I do believe DCC has many vital benefits for both mother and child and I definitely think it's worth looking into if it's something that interests you. Remember the moments after just giving birth can be quite busy at times and the last thing on your mind might be the cord, but if it's something you are passionate about and if no apparent health issues have developed, then I will do my best to advocate for you and your beautiful bub and allow the cord to remain untouched.

Your choice and opinion matters in your birth.

Some information above was researched and taken from various online resources to provide statistical evidence.

Disclaimer: I am not a physician/clinically qualified; these are my opinions and research I have done.

#birth #newborn #pregnancy #choices #maternalhealth #newbornhealth #babies #umbilical #cord #DCC #delayedcordclamping #maternal