Let’s Talk About Delayed Cord Clamping!

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?

​After the baby’s birth, the umbilical cord is attached from baby’s belly button to the placenta. Which means, nutrient-rich blood remains in the umbilical cord and placenta; iron-rich red blood cells, and stem cells that baby needs. 

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.” PMC3217058

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!

Now, delayed cord clamping cannot always be implemented. For example, women with abnormal placentas, women experiencing a hemorrhage, or babies needing immediate medical care would not be candidates for delayed cord clamping.
​
If you’re interested in delayed cord clamping, I urge you to look more into it! Speak with your doctor, midwife, doula, parent, etc. to develop your plan. If you decide to go ahead with delayed cord clamping, make sure it’s in your birth plan!

​Happy birthing,
Dr. Taryn