Functional Medicine - Focusing on The Root Cause of Disease
We Treat Virtually Throughout the U.S.
Blog Layout
Let’s Talk About Delayed Cord Clamping!
Hibu Websites • Nov 22, 2020
Magnolia Jane Kurtzhals
|
For decades, immediate umbilical cord clamping following baby’s birth was the norm.
However, the more we know, the more we learn- the more we learn, the more we change! |
Let’s do a vocab refresher before I dive into this-
- Umbilical Cord: this connects the baby to the placenta. Allowing nutrients and oxygen to pass from mother to baby- while removing waste products.
- Placenta: this attaches to the uterine wall. Shaped like a pancake, it provides nutrients and oxygen for the baby and eliminates waste products.
- Uterus: this is the muscular organ where baby grows.
- Cervix: this is the lower end of the uterus. The cervix softens, thins, and opens during labor allowing baby into the world.
- Afterbirth: this is the placenta and membranes after they’ve been delivered from the uterus.
What is delayed cord clamping?
How much blood are we talking?
Anywhere from 25-60% of your baby’s circulating blood volume is still contained within the placenta and umbilical cord at birth.
This photo belongs to @MamaGlow
|
Traditionally, the umbilical cord is cut immediately after birth. When clamped immediately, your baby can start their newborn life with 450 mls less of the blood they were intended to have. That’s equivalent to just over 15 ounces.
This may not seem like a lot but when there’s 16 ounces in a pound and most babies are around 7lbs- it’s quite the loss. With delayed cord clamping, this allows extra time for the blood in the cord/placenta to flow to baby.
|
|
The optimal time to clamp your baby’s cord is after the cord has stopped pulsating.
This can be roughly five minutes, or it can be over 30 minutes. Births and umbilical cords are individualized, as is the time needed for blood to flow back to baby.
Skin-to-skin with mom is ideal during this time! |
Anani Joy Lewis
|
What are the benefits of delayed cord clamping?
A study published in The Journal of Pediatrics shows that waiting five minutes or more before clamping the umbilical cord, while infants are held skin-to-skin with the mother, leads to more myelin development. Myelin is a fatty substance in the brain that wraps around all of the axons of the nerve cells. PMC6259583
Another study concluded “Delayed cord clamping, compared with early clamping, resulted in improved iron status and reduced prevalence of iron deficiency at 4 months of age, and reduced prevalence of neonatal anemia, without demonstrable adverse effects. As iron deficiency in infants even without anemia has been associated with impaired development, delayed cord clamping seems to benefit full term infants even in regions with a relatively low prevalence of iron deficiency anemia.”
The quick and dirty benefits of delayed cord clamping-
- Boosts blood supply- especially advantageous in preemies! This can help protect their organs and brain.
- Increased oxygenation.
- Boosts iron supply- decreasing your baby’s chance of becoming anemic. The risk is highest around the first 3 or 4 months of life, when most of their pre-birth iron stores have been depleted.
- Can increase your baby’s motor and cognitive scores.
- Can be possible after vaginal or cesarean delivery.
- Has very little risk involved with safe and healthy deliveries.
This 'benefits' list is ever growing!
If you decide to go ahead with delayed cord clamping, make sure it’s in your birth plan!
This is going to be a multiple series blog.The first part is going to be devoted to having a real talk about breast implant illness. I am currently on day 33 of explant and have had a myriad of complications following having silicone implants for over 11 years. (That’ll be addressed more in the next series.) I recently posted this question on my personal social media, “Do y [...]
Did you know that behind every food allergy is an immune system that’s gone awry?! When a patient has a food allergy, what do we do? Remove the offending food. What if it’s with a kiddo, with multiple food allergies? What if there’s also an atopic response, like eczema or asthma?Behind every food allergy there is an immune system that has gone awry.Behind every food allergy there are a my [...]
I have had an overwhelming amount of support and understanding throughout this pregnancy, and for that, I am sincerely thankful! I have patients, friends, and family continuing to ask me what’s going on and what’s the plan. Let me fill you in on what I know. My daughter, Zirah, came into this world at 32 weeks by emergency cesarean. Let’s do a general vocab refresher before [...]
Every year, roughly 80% of Americans, have an artificial Christmas tree in their house. This may be something you’ve never thought twice about- until now. I grew up taking a family trip to the Christmas tree farm, hopping on a wagon ride, all the while searching for THE PERFECT tree for my dad to cut down. We now continue this tradition with my family. Artificial trees are something I haven’t had any personal experience with, but the majorit [...]
Constipation is very common- but just because something is ‘common’ doesn’t make it “normal.” Something that is deemed “safe and effective” in constipation is laxatives. One of the most common suggested laxatives, for all age ranges, is MiraLAX. Per MiraLAX’s website they say, “MiraLAX works with your body’s natural process to provide [...]
I recently posted on my personal page asking what protein powder my friends are using. I was blown away by all of the Herbalife responses. I just did a blog on my professional opinion of Thrive Le-Vel and received inquiries about Herbalife. As always, I am going to start this by saying, you don’t know until you know. The point of this blog isn’t to hurt feelings or discredit a [...]
Alright, I am going to start this by saying, you don’t know until you know. The point of this blog isn’t to hurt feelings or discredit anyone. I simply feel obligated to share my professional doctor opinion on another green washed* brand- one that regularly fills up my personal social media. *Greenwashing is considered an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing [...]
Start each day with a grateful heart. Enjoy the little things that bring you joy. This morning, I came down the steps to, Derek, washing dishes, loading dishes, and starting breakfast. Immediately I was elated. I sat down on the island finishing some emails on my phone. He finished up the dishes, washed the sink, and started making our blueberry pancakes. In that very moment, I couldn [...]
As most of you are aware, we are expecting baby #3! I am in my second trimester and finally feeling somewhat secure with being pregnant. *A genuine thank you for all of the love, support, and concern for mine and baby's health!* What do I mean by that? I am a high-risk pregnancy. I check in with Maternal-Fetal Medicine once a month. I [...]
If you’re like me, you’ve experienced the birth of a preemie.
If you’re also like me, people you love have experienced a birth of a preemie.
In the United States, 1 in 10 babies are born premature.
Today, my preemie princess turns two years old! I get asked often why I specialized in Functional Medicine and no longer adjust chiropractically- my answer is directed to my daughter, Zirah.
Share On: