Health
umbilical cord trend emerges
umbilical cord trend
There is a growing trend in Western civilization for mothers to deliver their babies in what’s called a “lotus” birth.
A lotus birth involves refraining from severing the baby from the placenta via the umbilical cord; the common practice is to cut the umbilical cord at birth. Why would anyone keep the placenta attached to a newborn? The placenta still contains immunoglobulin and blood rich cells which can be infused into the baby.
Mary Ceallaigh, a birth consultant and doula from Austin, Texas, is preaching the benefits of “umbilical nonseverance”
“It is a trend getting more notice in western culture particularly among holistically inclined people,” said Ceallaigh. “[It’s] just as another way to create optimal beginnings for babies.”
It is believed that this final infusion will help promote the infant’s health at a critical juncture in its life.
Those who opt for this type of birth understand that the placenta is not refuse the body is discarding. Rather, it shares the same cellular composition as the infant and can be of benefit.
The umbilical cord will naturally fall off on its own something between the second and tenth days post-delivery. However, the connection between the infant and the umbilical cord closes naturally after just one hour. There does seem to be somewhat of a contradiction in the basic premise of a lotus birth and the fact that the infant’s body naturally closes off the connection to the placenta.
The practice has been a long-standing tradition in the Indonesia Island of Bali.
RCOG statement on umbilical non-severance or “lotus birth”
In the statement, RCOG spokesperson Patrick O’Brien said:
“If left for a period of time after the birth, there is a risk of infection in the placenta which can consequently spread to the baby. The placenta is particularly prone to infection as it contains blood. At the post-delivery stage, it has no circulation and is essentially dead tissue.”
Instead of using the words we would have gone with on the umbilical cord trend (that the idea is “really dumb, for real”), the RCOG exercised some classic British restraint in actually validating this insanity and respecting what seems a clearly biologically unintuitive practice:
“While the RCOG fully supports normal birth and believes that every woman should have the right to make informed choices about her birth and afterbirth options where appropriate, the safety and wellbeing of the mother and baby is paramount.”
On The Web:
New Birthing Trend, Don’t Cut the Cord
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/04/11/new-birthing-trend-dont-cut-the-cord/
Lotus birth: the wackiest childbirth practice ever
Lotus Birth trend keeps umbilical cord and placenta attached to baby for days
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/04/11/lotus-birth-trend-keeps-umbilical-cord-and-placenta-attached-to-baby-for-days/
Umbilical Cord Trend: Not Cutting it Off
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/14025-umbilical-cord-trend-not-cutting-it-off/
