Lotus birth, or leaving the cord attached instead of cutting it?

Question

Has anyone out there done this? What do you think of it?

Instead of clamping and cutting the umbilical cord immediately or shortly after baby's birth, leaving it attached (with the placenta) until it falls off on its own (within a week or two)?

I am planning on doing this when my baby is born. Wanted to hear from others on this, see what the "knee jerk reaction" is, see how it went for others. And so forth.

Also anyone who knows of complications that could arise by this method, please provide me with references and sources.

Thanks so much for your time.

I heard of this through different natural birthing sites, as well as references in some books I've read about pregnancy and birth.

The reason I am interested in this, is because of the quick recovery time (cord and placenta are said to fall away within 3-7 days, as opposed to the 10-30 for a cord stump)

Also there is concern to how "important" the placenta is to baby. Recent years docs have been clamping and severing cords at record speeds (usually within seconds of birth). medical evidence suggests this to be dangerous to the baby, as up to half his/her blood volume is retained in the placenta, instead of following natural order and flowing slowly into baby. Damages done could be low apgar scores, bluish tinge, unresponsiveness, and respiratory distress. (This is from cutting the cord Way too early, so I figured, why not just leave it alone?)

I haven't found any thing to suggest a danger for leaving the cord and placenta attached, besides the "gross out factor".

As for what to do with it, I would probably rinse it after birth, place it in a cloth nappie or specially made bag, and simply carry it around with the baby (on his/her tummy). Since it will only be on there a week, and I don't feel up to going out and doing anything anyways, I don't see how it could be too inconvenient.

Also anecdotal evidence suggests babies are comforted by this, and lie playing with the cord with their feet or holding it in their hands admiring it. Since they have been familiar with this for 9 months, I figure why not make that transition to the "outside" a little easier with this built-in "security blanket". And of course it Will fall off naturally... so no worries, he won't have it forever! :)

I guess it would be for warm fuzzie reasons, as well as we don't fully know what the placenta is capable of doing since our culture is used to snapping it off so soon.

Wow, alot of hostility. I am not trying to get people riled up by any means, and I did ask for opinions / gut reaction. This is kind of suprising to me, though, how many are afraid of this (ie suggesting someone call CPS??). I am still searching for reasons this could be dangerous (ie rotting or infection). Nothing yet... I'll certainly inform you if I find it!

an alternate idea was indeed to consume at least some part of the placenta for the Vitamin K (I will be breastfeeding, and this extra vitamin K from the placenta will eliminate the need for Vitamin K injections) as well as the extra nutrients and burst of energy.

Oh and there are animals that practice this, some species of monkey. Other animials do consume it, probably because of the risk of predators finding their babies by the blood, and because of the nutrients it contains.

Answer 1

I never heard of this so I googled it and I must say I am taken aback...it looks gross

Answer 2

I definately agree that the cord should not be cut until it has completely stopped pulsating, and the placenta has been born. (naturaly detatched vs tearing it out of you, as is the practice of at least 1 hospital in NW Florida.)

I strongly believe that when the baby comes through such a tight "canal" when born, that a good portion of the blood would be pushed back in to the placenta, therefore it makes perfect sense to leave it attatched until it is done pulsating, and sealing off the various holes in the heart, etc...

I also strongly believe that clamping the cord within minutes, and sometimes only seconds of birth, and as Doodlestuff stated: that if it is wrapped around the baby's neck, they cut it before the baby is even out, rather than just unwrapping it, as they did when my son was born, robs the baby of a good portion of it's blood, and oxygen at birth resulting in low apgar scores, blueish tinge, lethargy, respiratory distress, and who knows what other problems blood and oxygen deprivation at birth can cause later in life. I really really wonder if there is a connection to Autism, as well as vaccinating babies, who are too young and too small, and giving them 37 different vaccinations by the time they are 18 months old. When you combine the two factors, along with all the crap that they use in vaccinations, it almost makes sense.

I REALLY wonder if there is a relation to early cord clamping and Autism, and ADHD and the fact that the rates have risen so drastically in the last 20 years. When I had my children, the Dr. always waited untill the cord stopped pulsating before he clamped it, and waited for the placenta to come out on it's own. I don't know when the practice of early cord clamping started, but I have serious reservations about the practice of doing so.

Now as far as the Lotus Method, that is a personal choice you must make, and I no you will research the h*ll out of it, before you make any decisions. I myself would probably be too grossed out by it, especially in my younger years when my children were born. I am aware also that it is very nutritious for the mother to eat at least a portion of the placenta, and that it contains a lot of iron and vitamin K, which are necessary if one is breastfeeding. There are probably cultures that do just that. I do remember our cats and dogs licking the puppies clean, and there was never a placenta, or membranes left laying around, and when the cows had their calves, that they immediately ate the placenta, and many mammals do for both the nutrition, and preditor factors.

Answer 3

I didn't cut the cord for nearly 7 hours, but lugging the placenta around until it falls off just doesn't appeal to me. I probably would have cut the cord after an hour or so but we just couldn't seem to get around to it.

I completely agree that the cord should not be cut until it closes on its own and preferably not until the placenta has been birthed, which can take a fair amount of time I suppose.

My sons umbilical cord stump fell off on the 5th day, if that helps you any.

(PS umbilical cords are COLD, holy cow once they stop being full of blood they are like ICE)


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Just for the other people you SALT the placenta to stop it from rotting. Seriously people.

Saturday's Child 56:

Animals do not cut/bite the cord until after the placenta is born. If you were to immediately cut/bite through the cord after birth the baby would bleed to death. Many times the animal leaves the placenta for even longer than that, they have other things to attend to such as making sure to lick the entire baby/babies to make sure that they are dry, no membrane remains anywhere important, and licking also stimulates breathing.

It was a mere 100 years ago that immediate cord clamping was grounds for a doctor to loose their license at best, and serve jail time and other possible worse penalties. Cutting the cord before it stopped pulsating got you a tribunal, now there are rare cases in which it is necessary the obvious one being if the cord is already bleeding from another tear. Clamping it is obviously necessary to save the life of the child.

http://neoreviews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/extract/5/4/e142
"Another thing very injurious to the child is the tying and cutting of the navel string too soon, which should always be left till the child has not only repeatedly breathed but till all pulsation in the cord ceases. As otherwise the child is much weaker than it ought to be, a part of the blood being left in the placenta which ought to have been in the child and at the same time the placenta does not so naturally collapse and withdraw itself from the sides of the uterus, and is not therefore removed with so much safety and certainty."—Erasmus Darwin (1801) (1)

http://www.whale.to/a/cord4.html
1842 Meigs: Regarding clamping a cord around the neck:

“The head is born: perhaps the cord is turned once, or even more than once around the child’s neck, which it encircles so closely as to strangulate it. Let the loop be loosened to enable it to be cast off over the head. … [or] by slipping it down over the shoulders. … If this seems impossible, it should be left alone; and in the great majority of cases, it will not prevent the birth from taking place, after which the cord may be cast off. … Should the child be detained by the tightness of the cord, as does rarely happen, … the funis may be cut … Under such a necessity as this, a due respect for one’s own reputation should induce him to explain, to the bystanders, the reasons which rendered so considerable a departure from the ordinary practice so indispensable. I have known an accoucheur’s capability called harshly into question upon this very point of practice. I have never felt it necessary to do it but once. … The cord should not be cut until the pulsations have ceased.”

Meigs C. Professor of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children, Jefferson Medical College. A Philadelphia Practice of Midwifery, 1842

Answer 4

I know of two women who did this and the cord fell off in only 4-5 days in both cases. The only complication is the odor that can occur. Otherwise, it is no different than complications that come from a stump. Diapers and clothing (as well as swabbing with alcohol) actually delay the drying of the cord. It normally falls off in less than a week otherwise. Did you know that?

Every animal that I know of chomps off the placenta leaving only a short cord. I see no real benefit to the Lotus method.

Edited to add: folks, ONLY THE CORD is kept attached. The placenta is tied off and removed.

Yes, you can ask your doctor (remind him just before the birth) that you want him to wait to clamp until after it stops pulsating. The only exception is if your baby has RH disease (but you would know that already). If there are problems with a wrapped cord, of course, the doc has no choice but to clamp, sometimes before the baby is even all the way out, but I'm talking about a normal, uncomplicated birth. There are studies that do show that waiting until the baby gets all the blood from the cord results in far higher iron levels and oxygen saturation. The cord blood continues to supply oxygenation, which is useful if the baby isn't breathing immediately.

Answer 5

"Lotus birth, or Umbilical Nonseverance,is the practice of leaving the umbilical cord intact following birth, allowing the physiological process of the cord substance known as Wharton's jelly to naturally seal the cord within 10-20 minutes postpartum."
Actually, after reading about the process, I can see the benefits of leaving the cord uncut until it has naturally sealed (10-20 minutes)... I can also see the point in allowing the placenta to detach naturally... after all, our bodies are MEANT to perform this function...
As far as complications, the germ factor would be my biggest concern, followed by fear of tearing the cord off if the placenta should be dropped...
If this is something you're considering, either in part or fully, discuss it with your doctor and your hospital/birthing center... SOP is to discard the placenta... make sure they are aware of your wishes/rights!

Answer 6

Not so sure about this one! With all 3 births we waited a good while til the cord had stopped pulsating, therefore stopped doing its job, before cutting it. We kept all 3 placentas, which we subsequently buried. I would say that believe me, the placenta is not only weighty, but it starts to smell quite offensive after not very long. It is a large and bloody thing, which has provided your baby with everything it possibly can whilst in the womb. It would be pretty impractical to say the least. Surely with your baby's new life it is time to say goodbye to the old? Wishing you a beautiful birth whatever you do..

Answer 7

Anywhere between 5-45 minutes after the child is born the mother "births" the placenta and the cord!

Answer 8

There must be a good reason that doctors have always cut the cord soon after birth. I would be very concerned with the bad things that could happen from having a rotting peice of unneccesary flesh still attached to my baby. (Like infections) Also I don't beleive for a minute that anything flows from the placenta to the baby for any longer than the first few seconds after birth. Even in the animal kingdom instinct tells the mother cat, dog, etc to bite the cord right after birth, so how can you think leaving it on is natural? Bottom line - if you want to delay cutting it, delay by a few minutes, not a few days!

Answer 9

I'm a member of Mothering dot Commune and there are plenty of moms there who have had lotus births. You can read their birth stories there. Just follow the link and look up lotus birth in their search engine.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions

Personally, I'm not sure what benefit there is to be had once the placenta stops functioning. There are certainly benefits from prolonging cord clamping and cutting, but once the cord stops pulsing I'm not sure what more the baby can gain from its placenta.

Answer 10

never done it... think it sounds interesting. though I have to say sorry, no way am I consuming any of it!!! LOL, you took a step passed hippie, granola, mother Earth for my taste

I do know of a few friends who at least wait until the cord stops pulsating before cutting it. I do plan on asking my ob next time we have a baby about doing this. Though I'll have a scheduled csection again (previous CLASSICAL csection, my uterus has 2 scars that look like an anchor making my risk of an unsuccessful VBAC too great for me to consider).

If you do all this stuff, repost with an update... I'd love to hear the results!!!

Answer 11

Never heard of it, but find it intriguing! My older sis who is having her first birth (hopefully at home) might like to learn about this! For my first child, we tried doing the not cutting until the cord stop pulsing, which we accomplished, but also wanted to wait until it dried out. However, doctors were ignorant and annoying so we just agreed to finally cut it. My second we had no chance because of difficulties so I cut him immediately. My next child, I could also consider doing something similar, but might be too anxious to wait for 3-7 days, so we'll see! Thank you for bring this to mind though!