Introduction to delayed cord clamping

Delayed cord clamping means the umbilical cord is not clamped immediately after birth. Instead, it is clamped and cut between 1 and 3 minutes after birth.

Delayed cord clamping 

In recent years, more research has called attention to how waiting to clamp the cord may benefit babies more. Delayed clamping lets blood continue to flow from the placenta to the newborn after the delivery. Research suggests this blood can greatly benefit newborns, especially preterm babies (babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed.

Preterm baby 

How does it work?

• Unless you are planning on lotus birth (is the practice leaving the umbilical cord uncut after childbirth), your baby's cord will be clamped and cut between a few seconds and a few minutes after delivery.

  

  Lotus birth 

   
• After the medical opinion generally agrees that clamping is delayed when it happens more than 30 seconds after birth.
• Waiting one minute allows your baby to receive about 80 milliliters(mL) of blood fro the placenta. After 3 minutes, increases to 100mL.
• Until recently, most experts recommended holding the baby at or near the level of the placenta (near the vagina) before clamping the cord to increase blood flow to the baby.
• It was believed that raising the newborn above this level could allow gravity to pull blood back into the placenta, reducing blood flow to the baby.
• Because of that, some doctors and parents may feel unwilling to delay clamping if it also means a delay in skin-to-skin contact for mother and baby.
• The effects of gravity on blood flow from the placenta found no evidence to suggest the baby's position affected blood flow.
• If you want to delay cord clamping but still hold your baby right after birth, it may possible to do both. It's also safe for the baby to latch on and begin breastfeeding right away.
• Routine newborn care, like weighing the baby, happens once the cord is cut.