Delayed Cord Clamping

Just wanting advice/information from parents who delayed cord clamping. I will be discussing with my Dr & doing some research but wanted to hear from parents who did it & whether the midwives were accommodating (they can be so funny when you request they do something differently) & what you believed to be the biggest positive (& if you researched any negatives).

Midwife explains Delayed Cord Clamping here

• We delayed clamping until the placenta was delivered. For us it was the benefits of the full stem cells and red blood cells being delivered to bub – as well as continuing her oxygen supply post delivery. It is becoming far more the norm now, and you have the right to demand it. Shelley

• We had it in our birth plan that the cord be a allowed to stop pulsing before clamping and that bub attach and feed before they took him from me. Nurse read the plan and never questioned it. Was fabulous. Do it!! Rach

• This was my only request on my birth plan aside from skin-to-skin directly after birth. My hospital was very accommodating and said that’s it more the norm now, but still let them know. My doctor and midwives were very pro our choice and agree with the research on the benefits of delayed cord clamping.Emma

• here’s the link to the video. I recommend every expectant parent watches this
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw53X98EvLQ… Monique

• If you need more back up read Dr Sarah Buckley MD and her book Gentle Birth Gentle Mothering excellent chapter on delayed cord… Natalie

• We delayed cord clamping and definitely will be doing it again. Midwife agreed it should be standard practice at our hospital however, she had to mention that we wanted it to the other midwife so I gathered from that it wasn’t done routinely and I had to mention it a couple of times. Great TED talk on all the benefits – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw53X98EvLQ. Alison

• We delayed with both till after the hour of skin on skin, was over, so many benefits, kicked most hospital staff out and it gave us both a breather and a chance to assimilate the latest changes, lol Mish

• The midwives were happy to wait, and said it’s now the norm to wait until the cord stops pulsing prior to cutting it.Sayya

• Did it with both babies, there is actually no real medical reason to cut it…it just speeds up the process for the doctors so procedure based….midwives really supportive some also funny about it when i refused the syntocin injection….i ignored and trusted the process….biggest positive is all those wonderful natural endorphins from a natural birth were exchanged between baby and i, both babies had agar scores of 9, they get all those wonderful red blood cell benefits and a truly peaceful start to life…doctors might be sceptical because they think procedure but stand your ground and wait until the cord stops pulsating which for #1 was 30minutes, loads of skin on skin, breastfeeding. Natalie

• We did it I didnt research negatives my mudwives were very accomodating and actually mentioned it too me. I had thought about donating my cord blood but couldnt do that at the hospital I was at so thought why not my bub can have it all. I had said if for any reason they needed to cut it quickly then do it but if everything went smoothly I was to delay the clamp.Charlie

• I never mentioned it to my obstetrician but she did it anyway. I was very impressed. It was something I wanted but didn’t get around to discussing Jessica

• Who cares what the birthing staff think. It’s your birth. And they have to accommodate your wishes without a bloody good reason. We delayed clamping until the placenta was delivered physiologically. This meant that not only did my daughter get 30% if her blood back from the placenta but also that they couldn’t take her away from me immediately.Roselea

• The midwives were very accommodating of my request to delay cord clamping but ensured that I was aware that it is not feasible when mother or baby needs immediate medical attention after the birth. I don’t regret my decision as I wanted what was best for my baby but have a couple of things for you to think about. One, delayed cord clamping isn’t compatible with donating/banking cord blood (I am in a regional area and there are no services here to take donations so that wasn’t an issue for me), and two, you might not be able to breast feed for a while due to the time it takes for the cord to stop pulsing and the umbilical cord being too short (I didn’t have to wait long but I wasn’t aware that some babies can’t make it to the nipple while still attached). Sarah

• There is absolutely no benefit to immediate clamping. None whatsoever. Even your doctor will admit this My first son had a minute and a half before his cord was clamped (in hospital), and I home birthed my second son and we left the cord intact for a few hours. A third of your baby’s blood is outside of his body at birth, and he needs it! As well as them stem cells, the iron stores, everything! Funnily enough, hospitals are generally more ‘ok’ with lotus birthing than they are with DCC, so tell them to make a big note on your file that you are lotus birthing so there is no ‘accidental’ clamping of the cord, and then you can always decide later on when to cut it Watch the TED talk on you Tube called “90 Seconds To Change The World”, a must see for every expecting parent Monique

• We decided to delay cord clamping. The midwives had no issue. However my son was jaundiced which luckily did not need phototherapy, just extra monitoring & a few extra heel pricks (probably the worst bit about it). I don’t regret the decision & would do it again provided there were no other issues with the pregnancy or during the birth.Karlie

• At our hospital (public) all natural birthday are delayed clamping. So much better for the baby, they get so much more blood into their body and are less likely to be jaundiced. There’s so many benefits to it. Good luck Ashlee

• We did with my little girl and the biggest plus I think has worked for us is no jaundice. She was born a week early and had a little trouble breastfeeding the first 2-3 days.. Paige

• I had a delayed cord clamping best decision 3rd stage labour was quick and painless bub got the extra blood and oxygen that he wouldn’t have received if we cut early ( so that right there has to be a bonus?) we had a private midwife so she was all for it recommended it and told the hospital staff what we wanted so they weren’t fussed, the hospital midwife said that she hasnt seen such a quick 3rd stage! If you want to do it be strong about it cause different midwives and drs won’t listen! I couldn’t find any negatives in doing it?! Jacinta

• The midwives were accommodating, so long as you know what they believe are the risks, I had it on my birth plan (my prenatal appointment nurses even wrote in my plan that they had discussed it all with me) and as I walked into the labour room I straight away said delayed cord clamping, they asked for how long, I told them I’d prefer until it stops pulsating, but I’d like about 5mins. Unfortunately my daughter had to be rushed off but they still delayed the cord clamping for as long as possible which I was really happy about. Dannii

• I wanted delayed cord clamping and my midwife encouraged me to research full physiological third stage! I’m so glad I did! In the end I needed the injection to birth the placenta as it didn’t happen within the hour. But the positive is I got to cuddle and feed baby for a whole hour before cord clamping or any intervention!Ashley

• The hospital I went to use this as everyday procedure and the midwife I spoke to about it was very impressed that people still do their research Sammy

• We did delayed cord cutting with are fella. Definitely recommend it, the only risk seems to be they can get a bit jaundiced. The nurses didn’t pick up on any but there was a distinct colour change in his face when he was about a week old. He’s 4wk1d and thriving now! He’s over 1kg heavier than his birth weight and developmentally advanced – not to say delayed cord cutting will do that necessarily, just our fella is thriving, I see no real risks involved with delaying the cord cutting assuming there are no complications that require it done ASAP. Where we had him at the royal women’s, Melbourne, they actually do it as a regular practice Amelia

• I asked my ob and she said there was less benefit to it if the baby is full term. She didnt say no but put my off it a bit which was unfortubate as I wanted to do it. I had baby on Wednesday and the cord was short so if I had delayed cord clamping I wouldnt havr been able to hold him properly up on my chest. My placenta came out a minute later.Annie

• I think you will find that delayed cord clamping is becoming quite common so just let them know.Kristie

• I did it with my birth only a week ago. Midwives at RHW in Sydney were happy to comply…. I remember when they were cutting the cord I was saying ‘are you sure it has stopped pulsing’ lol. I didn’t believe them. I also delivered my placenta naturally without the injection. Took about an extra 20 minutes but I had that time with my baby on chest. I researched it a lot nothing negative I have found. Also this ted talk was very interesting about cord clamping. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw53X98EvLQ Venora

• We did delayed cord clamping and the midwives were great about it. They even showed hubby when it was time to clamp the cord that the blood flow had stopped so we knew for sure they had done what we asked!Jo

• the only negative I found was that bub will be more likely to get jaundice from the extra blood they have to process. The midwives were really great for me. We did it no problems and my bub didn’t get jaundice at all which everyone was surprised about. I’d recommend doing it as you’re giving the bub all its blood back. Only takes a minute or so Rebecca

• The research I found was that it can increase the risk of the mother hemorrhaging and losing a lot of blood quickly therefore needing emergency treatment. This can be that bub doesn’t get time to latch etc. all labor and deliveries have risks. Pick the ones that have beneficial for you and suit you and your bub. The doctor is the best person to discus this with. The benefits are great as well.Anna

• Midwife didn’t have a problem with waiting. I’ve also just had a friend who’s 10yo has just been diagnosed with leukaemia asked if she had donated cord blood because if so it would have to be thrown out.Janet

• We did it, it seems almost routine in London….nobody was surprised we asked for it. No probs or fuss Kate

• delayed for clamping done with both my births. One was at home and the other at hospital. I researched it fully, at length. It really is slowly becoming standard practise but like all things in birth evidence based care is not always the norm!! Basic resus/bagging can easily be done with bub still on your chest or next to you so that’s not an issue. You can’t collect cord blood to be banked but in this case the benefits (far less chance of anaemia at 6 months of age – which has been shown to affect IQ and development for example) outweigh any future possible benefits from cord blood banking. It can easily be accommodated in caesareans too. There are very few valid situations where it is not feasible to delay cord clamping. Undisturbed connection between mum and bub (skin to skin preferably and starting breast feeding) lower the risks of post partum haemorrhage too!! Insist!!!!!!!Bree

• Midwives were very accommodating when we made the choice to delay cord clamping for my second son! I just wish I had of done it with my first son Amanda

• Roselea Fitzpatrick I think ‘who cares what birthing staff say’ isnt the right way to look at it, totally ur choice if it is an informed choice n midwives are for advocating for the mother but there is times when that isnt possible, in the case of PPH or traumatic birth or baby need resus so yes it is important for them to know n also the mother to be aware of all possibles Abbey

• We had it on our birth plan to delay cord clamping & it was no problem with the midwives at all.Erin

• We asked the Midwife to do delayed cord clamping. She had no problem. But not sure how long they delayed clamping for as the excitement of the birth took over!Emily

• I did it and they were fine with it although it did take a little while (I had the shot to help speed delivery of placenta and still took around 30 mins) and they started looking concerned and checking on me more often and giving each other “looks” like they were worried but it was all good in the end I’m very glad I did it. The only negative thing I had read was the myth that it can lead to jaundice (completely false) and that sometimes the cord can be a bit short, making it uncomfortable, but that didn’t happen with me and as for jaundice- not even a hint. All the midwives and doctors commented on his fantastic “colour”Chloe

• I had in my birth plan to wait until the cord had stopped pulsating before clamping it. The midwives didn’t question it & were very helpful. I was very happy after researching it, I know what a great benefit it is. I wish I knew more about it back when I had my older 2 kids, but I’m blessed they are all healthy. Good luck!Angela

• We had a homebirth, so midwives didn’t even try to clamp the cord until we were ready. It was great to sit with our son and enjoy our first few hours without any interruptions. Plus he got all the benefits of the extra blood etc. I’d also suggest having a physiological third stage, except if you have heavy bleeding. Have your information ready re what you want and the midwives/ doctors should accommodate your desires, unless there are any specific issues that arise during or after the birth.Charlotte

• Midwives should be accommodating. We delayed it’s really only 5 mins or so. My midwife told me the cord blood they get in that time is equivalent to a blood transfusion for a baby. Worth doing, there’s no rushJaime

• It is part of normal protocol at the hospital I gave birth at and endorsed by my OB, so you may be surprised when you discuss it with your OB as it may be just what they consider normal Tamara

• they clap to cut no matter what but the midwives also have other babies to bring in the world too so ado long as your labour ward is quite I see no problem with it.. If its busy like my labour my midwife had to leave me with another one cause there was an emergency c section with twins that needed her..Carly

• I made my decision about cord clamping and insisted that it happen! However, in the heat of the moment the midwife clamped after a few minutes then announced how proficient my baby was because she was finished with the cord blood so quickly… I was so angry!! There was no way it was finished in that time.. It was still pulsing! If I could go back again, I would give a time frame of 10 minutes and have someone of sane mind overseeing this!Kerryn

• I believe this is becoming very common and standard. It was also the midwives who gave me this advice and you also get to choose how you would like your third stage to progress so you will most likely find no one will blink an eye. I had a water birth in a public hospital.Meaghan

• Delayed clamping with 2nd baby. Colour was heaps better, no jaundice and more settled baby too. She was only 5lb 6oz and perfectly healthy. Midwives were all good. Kym

• We have done delayed cord clamping. Our Midwives said its standard practice but have still gone to cut it before it’s stopped pulsing and hubby has stopped them. I also wanted to deliver the placenta naturally and they haven’t let me so it might just be the hospital -seems like they just want everything done and finished.Rebekah

• I agree with the others that delayed clamping is standard practice these days however there may be situations that they will be unable to accommodate it. I got quite an extensive tear during birthing and lost a fair amount of blood so they had to clamp instantly and slow down/stop my blood loss. Just keep in mind that what ever your birthing plan is, things may change in the moment, just go with it. It doesn’t in any way take away the magic that is the birth of your baby.Alana

• I delayed until cord stopped pulsing. My midwife was cool. I even had a trainee midwife excited, who came to talk to me about it later when she found out. For my research it certainly does no harm and can be beneficial Nicole

• We are in a regional area and delayed cord clamping is standard Taya

• My first midwife recommended it. I hadn’t researched it but was all for it. I forgot to mention it with the second birth but I had a water birth so by the time I had delivered and recovered enough to get out of the bath the cord had well and truly stopped pulsating.Amanda

• I didn’t discuss it with my OB/midwife, they just waited until it stopped pulsing and then clamped it after a few mins so it could be cut. I only read after the birth that this was a good thing! So maybe it’s not as unusual as it used to be? This was in a private hospital though.Sarah

• We delayed cord clamping after extensive research & will do it again. Our midwife is all for it & agrees that it’s great for tge baby.Rachael
• Just had my 2nd bub & delay clamping is their standard practice. Definately request!Chrissy

• I was told they do it automatically for just a minute or two however in delivery suite I mentioned it again and they did delay until all pulsating stopped super accommodating (mater mothers private Brisbane). Hell they even asked ME if I wanted to keep my placenta for any reason (I didn’t).Ange

• I think most doctors try to delay clamping these days anyway. I mentioned it to my obstetrician and he said he does it every time (unless there’s a specific reason he can’t)…Bree

• Yes we did delayed cord clamping for a few minutes AND did cord blood banking too. It’s possible to do both and everyone was fine with our decision and no dramas. Yes I researched everything. Too much blood from the cord leads to jaundice as basically described as having too much blood for a while. No delay is no worries but the cord blood is full of great things so why not get some if its there? We got heaps of stored cord blood too so very happy Kat

• When I requested delayed cord clamping I was told by the midwives at my hospital that delayed was the norm for them. So don’t be too surprised if you get the same response Bianca

• never really new anything about it, but the midwife did without discussing it with me with my forth baby in April (Bundaberg)Amanda

• I think you’ll find delayed cord clamping is a standard procedure now. Even my 31 Weeker prem had delayed cord clamping. Unless there’s an emergency.Karen

What information can you share about delayed cord clamping?