Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

bestbirth — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:34:36 GMT

This article lists resources, but misses one of the best resources for natural birth. The BRADLEY METHOD. Visit www.bradleybirth.com to find an instructor near you. ~Laura Grout, AAHCC

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

Carol Morrisey — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:32:02 GMT

Thanks so much, Dr. Mercola, for this valuable information. My first birth was an unnecessary c-section, and my poor daughter had a very unhappy beginning. There may be no relationship, but she died recently at 31 of breast cancer. My second child was a VBAC in a hospital,with the cord clamped immediately. I also was allowed no food during my long labor, just an IV. So

he was born with low blood sugar and kept in the nursery for hours getting sugar water. Then I got smarter and had the other 2 babies at home with no interference, just good midwives.

What a difference! I hope some future births will be the better for this information. Moms with a prior cesarean who want a VBAC, or who want to avoid an unnecessary first surgery, can consult ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network), ICAN-online.org.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

tanechka — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:48:27 GMT

OMG!!! if i would only now about it before my 2 boys was born! now is a question. My baby girl is comming in July and we signed up for a blood cord collection. If i wait untill the pulsating stops will it still be enoufh blood in a cord to collect? what to do now? please help! i don't know where else to ask...

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

crunchymommy73 — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:15:31 GMT

Just want to add a few points:

1. Wonderful article Dr. Mercola, and I agree with you 1000%, but as a doula, I want to make the clarification that we are not birth attendants in the sense of a care provider who is qualified to catch your baby. We advocate, provide comfort measures, encouragement, education, and support to the laboring woman or couple, but we don't catch babies. We are part of the birth team that includes a woman's midwife or doctor.

2. I second your post, BabyKeeper. Allowing baby an hour uninterrupted with mama unless absolutely necessary (for example, if rescusitation is needed) allows baby time to adjust and get to the breast in his own time, and not forcing the issue is becoming recognized as the best way to do it. Baby needs to snuggle there between mother's breasts and she will find her own way.

3. Goji, this is a wonderful, idealistic idea, but my placenta came out all on its own before my babe had breastfed, with my last - a home birth. Baby and I were completely un-messed-with afterward; he just took a while to yell about being born, even though he was safe in my arms, on my chest. We need to respect each individual baby-mother dyad and not set up expectations regarding the "perfect" circumstances, other than the un-messed-with part, IMHO.

4. Brazil, Puppysnacks, please understand that noone here has said that c-section is never a viable option, and most of us "natural birthers" recognize that medical intervention can be life-saving. What we object to is the harm caused to mothers and babies by the indiscriminate, uneccesary overuse of such interventions. Dr. Mercola said that midwifery care is best for the 75% of women who are "low risk." We know that the other 25% exists and that for a small percentage of women, vaginal birth is not possible. WHO estimates that a 15% c-section rate is the tipping point; more than that and more harm is caused than good. Yet the national c-section rate is just shy of 1/3.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

Madan1 — Sun, 31 May 2009 09:05:52 GMT

There's a method called 'lotus birth", which takes this issue even further, by leaving the placenta intact until the cord comes away from the baby naturally - between 2 and 10 days. There is a book called "Lotus Birth", compiled by a woman Shivam Rachana, with much information about the energetic connection between placenta and babe. I had little information about lotus at the time of my birthing of daughter (a homebirth), and decided there and then to do a lotus delivery, as it simply felt wrong to cut the cord. We kept the placenta in-tact for 3 days, then cut the cord (which by that time was dry and scratchy). The stump fell off about 1-2 days later. I regret having cut even at that time (even though on the physical level, it felt as though she didn't need it anymore) due to her inconsolable crying after we did.

Lotus birth is becoming relatively common in homebirths, and more alternative birthing centres in Australia. I looked on Amazon, and there is a book by that title, but i cannot confirm as there is no author details, or picture.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

Lprzybysz — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:43:58 GMT

This article is wonderful! I am always looking for more information to share with my pregnant moms on the HEALTHY, SAFE, and WONDERFUL ways to give birth and attend to the babies actual needs after birth. This will be yet another great tool, so thank you. My daughter was born at home and I didnt have to even think twice most issues women face in a hospital. My daughter's cord wasnt cut till almost an hour after she was born. Even though the cord stopped pulsing way before that, there were many more important things to do, like nurse, and cuddle, and just be a family! All the other stuff CAN wait!!!

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

WaltMaken — Sat, 30 May 2009 03:41:14 GMT

What an excellent article by Dr. Mercola. In adddition to the books listed already, I wholeheartedly encourage those interested in this subject to obtain a copy of the book Magical Child by Joseph Chilton Pearce. You can take a look at some of the pages at www.amazon.com/.../0452267897. I read the book in the mid 1970's, and it definitely goes into the effects of premature umbilical cord cutting, as well as many other important concepts that add to one's understanding of the potential of children. Well worth the time to read and reread.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

DougB_203 — Fri, 29 May 2009 23:38:05 GMT

This reminds me of some information I head about birds hatching. Apparently, when a baby bird is hatching from an egg, if you intervene to assist it out, the bird may die. Apparently the struggle out of the egg is critical in some way to the bird, for its development, circulation etc.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

lovebliss — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:50:35 GMT

see www.lotusbirth.com for the amazing details

of not cutting the unbilical cord. see

www.unassistedbirth.com for the best birth

environment.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

gsimpkins — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:07:58 GMT

Hats off to Dr Merecola. Imagine that it was Darwin's grandfather who observed and wrote that the newborn infant needs to be breathing before cord cut and also not to cut it until pulsation stopped in the cord itself. (So what happened to Drwin's grandson?) This is true and it is a shame that it is not observed in America anymore. It is a no-brainer and I can not see how supposedly well-educated doctors could be persuaded to do as most do today.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

dancegp — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:33:28 GMT

This is a very refreshing and exciting take on the validity of the subject of Cord Clamping. Wonderfully enlightening as well as empowering for all mothers-to-be.

The more information collected globally, the better the discussion with the care-giver of your choice when it comes to choosing the correct Doctor/Midwife/Doula. All too often dedicated practices which have no real reason take place "because they just always have"!

On the subject of having to have a CSection, I do agree that we live in a wonderful time of knowledge of pending complications during labour. There is data proving that it is very necessary for the baby to experience labour, preferrably natural onset, if not, using the next most natural medium of induction. The baby that is not able to descend through the pelvis during labour and has to be delivered surgically, has experienced the all the necessary physical notification of its being born. The actual vaginal vs C.Section method of birth is really the result of safest process for both Mother and her baby at the time of birth. Each is correct if the situation demands.

Happy is the woman who understands that the birth outcome depends on the correct synergistic working of her body and her baby. Good nutrition, energised fitness and healthy mind/ emotion is a good way to start.

Emersion into water for the more intense part of labour is fabulous. The whole birth experience can be so empowering through the wonderful abundance of advice available to day, leading to an increase in communication, understanding and most of all trust in the physical act which was given to us women only, Childbirth.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

Uwemartin — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:29:59 GMT

We need to keep in mind that homo sapiens have managed to survive the last 3 million years of dangerous life on earth and still made it to the top without hospitals and doctors.

And I agree that a midwife will be just fine when one expects a normal childbirth. My sister (1955) and I (1961) were born in a village in Germany by a midwife and we made it just fine.

Regarding research why dont we send a doctor and a translator to maybe an outpost village in the aboriginal outback of Australia, to a remote settlemet in the Amazon and to the depth of Africa and ask the midwifes there how and when tey cut the umbilical cord? These ancient cultures will know exactly what to do.

Western medicine and science can get very easily bogged down by their own importance and the pharmaceutical companies and because of this overlook simple basic facts and ancient knowledge!

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

Uwemartin — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:23:20 GMT

We need to keep in mind that homo sapiens have managed to survive the last 3 million years of dangerous life on earth and still made it to the top without hospitals and doctors.

And I agree that a midwife will be just fine when one expects a normal childbirth. My sister (1955) and I (1961) were born in a village in Germany by a midwife and we made it just fine.

Regarding research why dont we send a doctor and a translator to maybe an outpost village in the aboriginal outback of Australia, to a remote settlemet in the Amazon and to the depth of rica and ask the midwifes there how and when tey cut the umbilical cord? These ancient cultures will know exactly what to do.

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

Genetta — Fri, 29 May 2009 03:14:13 GMT

Another great resource for birthing options in your area is BirthNetwork.org. They have local chapters throughout the country, which usually hold monthly meetings, and which offer information such as a provider list of local professional members who have endorsed the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative (MFCI).

re: Are Doctors Causing Infant Brain Damage by Clamping the Umbilical Cord Prematurely?

Carol geyer — Fri, 29 May 2009 03:00:33 GMT

Another source not mentioned..."Birth Without Violence" by Dr. Frederick Leboyer. I was priviledged to see him speak in LA in 1974 where he showed his film from which the photos in his book were taken. Wait for the cord to stop pulsating before cutting. His "Leboyer Birth" children he reported were tested at the University of Paris and 100% of the 104 cildren ranging in age from 10 years to less than a year old were found to be totally ambidextrous. The only thing these children had in common were the Leboyer birth. I have always thought that he deserved the Nobel Prize for Peace, as it begins with no fear at birth.