A lot of decisions go into pregnancy, the waiting, and the giving birth. If you are an expectant mom, you need to learn all there is to know about the various medical interventions involved in giving birth. Then decide which ones you prefer or which ones you need to use depending on your condition. One of these aspects is delayed cord clamping.

As the term implies, delayed cord clamping is the process of clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord not immediately after birth. Immediate cord clamping and cutting would mean doing so between 10-15 seconds after birth or just a bit more. On the other hand, delayed cord clamping would generally mean doing the process after 30 seconds to about 3-5 minutes. It should also be noted that delayed cord clamping is different from lotus birth.

So what are the benefits and risks involved in delayed cord clamping, if any? According to recent research, it is especially beneficial for preterm babies. Of course, it is likewise good for full-term ones, multiple births, and the mother too. Due to the delay in clamping and subsequent cutting, the baby still receives a good amount of blood from the placenta.

A minute of waiting would give about 80mL of blood then going to about 100mL after 3 minutes. Such happening may reduce the need for blood transfusions and promote better blood circulation for preterm babies, as well as, lessen the risks of other medical problems associated with premature births. Known risk of this practice is a higher chance of acquiring jaundice. But if treatment for jaundice is available, the benefits will definitely outweigh such risk.

Without instruction from you before birth, your medical team would usually do the early clamping, that is, clamp and cut the umbilical cord a few seconds after birth.

So, if you want to practice delayed cord clamping, inform your OB-GYN or midwife at True Harmony about it beforehand together with other medical interventions you’d prefer before, during, and after your baby’s birth.