Delayed cord clamping is a practice during childbirth where the umbilical cord, which connects the baby to the placenta, is not clamped and cut immediately after birth.
Instead, it’s left intact for a short period, usually one to three minutes, or until it stops pulsating. This allows more blood from the placenta to flow into the baby, providing extra oxygen and nutrients for the baby’s health and development.
Below are a few common questions about delayed cord clamping we have gathered for your convenience.
What is Cord Clamping Delay?
The umbilical cord is the primary source of a baby’s nutrients and oxygen for as long as they are in their mother’s womb. It connects the placenta to the baby’s belly, which transfers all the essentials a fetus needs to grow.
In simple terms, delayed clamping allows pulsating and transferring all necessary substances like billions of red blood cells, stem cells, white cells, oxygen, and blood from the cord to the baby.
Once the baby is born, this umbilical cord is connected to the belly button, and the nutrient-rich blood remains inside it.
If the doctor cuts the umbilical cord, all the nutrient-rich blood and minerals go to waste. This is why many mothers go for delayed cord clamping during the time of childbirth.
As the name suggests, delayed umblical cord clamping is the practice of postponing the detachment of the umbilical cord from your newborn to extract all possible nutrients and minerals inside it.
What’s Cord Blood?
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born. It contains stem cells to build blocks for blood and immune system cells.
Cord blood is rich in hematopoietic stem cells, which can develop into various types of blood cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
How can a nurse midwife maximize the benefit of cord clamping?
As soon as our baby is born, the umbilical cord, which links the placenta with the baby, is cut down immediately as we think of the umbilical cord as a relic. This practice had been going on for years; the doctors would cut away the cord in the first minute of a child’s birth.
However, more and more mothers have started debating whether it is better to cut down the umbilical cord right away or go for delayed cord clamping. If you are one of these mothers looking for the correct answers, you’re at the right place.
Before we dive into our primary topic, “benefits of delayed cord clamping,” let me clarify what a delayed clamping cord is.
If umbilical cord blood is important then should it be collected and stored?
When your baby is born, there’s blood left in the umbilical cord. Some people think this blood can be useful. It can be stored for future medical needs, like treating certain diseases. This process is called cord blood banking.
However, if you choose to wait a bit before clamping the umbilical cord after birth (a practice known as delayed cord clamping), there might be less blood available for banking or donation. But it’s important to prioritize your baby’s immediate needs.
There are two main options for storing cord blood: public and private banks. Public banks store cord blood for anyone for future concern, while private banks store it specifically for your family’s use. You can choose whichever option fits your needs best.
Cord Blood Banking vs Delayed Clamping
Cord blood serves as the trio of sources for blood-forming cells utilized in transplants. Alongside bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells, it comprises this vital triumvirate.
Why is cord blood collected and stored, or donated?
Within cord blood lie stem cells ripe for addressing specific ailments. Applications of cord blood transplants extend to treating designated genetic and hematologic disorders, as well as select cancers.
In scenarios where a sibling or relative grapples with such conditions, healthcare professionals can offer guidance on the potential consideration of contributing to a private cord blood bank.
What cord blood storing options are available after baby birth?
There are two main options available for storing cord blood after a baby’s birth:
- Private cord Blood Banks
- Public Cord Blood bank
How do private cord blood banks work?
Private cord blood banks offer storage services for cord blood for a fee. This stored cord blood could potentially be used in the future, often for a sibling diagnosed with cancer. If you’re contemplating cord blood donation, it’s important to select a private cord blood bank that aligns with your requirements.
When evaluating a private cord blood bank, carefully review all contracts to comprehend the long-term storage costs. Inquire about the company’s experience in storing cord blood, the number of samples they’ve preserved, and the success rates of transplants involving cord blood stored with them.
If a family member, especially a child, has a condition where cord blood could play a role in treatment, consult your healthcare team regarding the potential benefits of utilizing a private cord blood bank for storage.
When would parents want to pay for cord blood collected and stored in a private cord bank?
- Family Medical History: If there’s a history of certain diseases or medical conditions in the family, parents may choose to store cord blood as a precautionary measure, in case a family member requires it for treatment in the future.
- Potential Future Use: Parents may see value in storing cord blood as an insurance policy for their child’s future health. They may believe that having access to their child’s cord blood could be beneficial in case of unforeseen medical issues.
- Limited Availability: Public cord blood banks may have limited availability or may not guarantee access to stored cord blood when needed. Opting for a private cord blood bank ensures that the cord blood is reserved specifically for their family’s use.
- Personal Choice: Some parents prefer the idea of having control over their child’s cord blood and prefer the privacy and security offered by a private cord blood bank.
Public cord blood banks operate by collecting cord blood donations from volunteer donors after childbirth.
The donated cord blood is processed, tested, and stored in a central facility. This cord blood is made available to anyone who needs a stem cell transplant.
Public cord blood banks follow strict guidelines to ensure the safety and quality of the stored cord blood. They provide a valuable resource for patients who require stem cell transplants to treat various diseases and medical conditions.
How Long Is Cord Clamping Delay?
When the baby is born, your cord-placenta system contains about 1/3 of the blood, and the remaining 2/3 is with your baby.
After birth, cutting down the cord immediately has been practiced for 50 -60 years. However recent research shows that it is not suitable for the newborn baby to miss out on a large amount of nutrient-rich blood unnecessarily when the cord is removed instantly.
So in the modern age, this has led to more changes and guidelines for the labor stage. The approach is to wait until the cord has stopped pulsating and becomes entirely white.
This ensures that all the nutrient-rich blood in the cord has been transferred to the baby, giving the newborn a healthy boost and a start in life.
It is increasing as a regular practice in childbirth. Even with no medical facilities, the midwife should be able to feel if the cord is empty by just touching it.
Under any complications during childbirth, they must wait at least 1 – 3 minutes following the newborn’s birth before cutting the cord.
What Does Research Say?
Here are some research outcomes to prove the pros and cons of delayed cord clamping:
- It is found that babies who have delayed cord clamping after their birth have more skills and grow up with a more robust immune system.
- It increases hemoglobin levels and improves iron stores in the first several months of a baby’s life.
- It promotes higher levels of myelin in brain regions associated with motor, visual, and sensory functioning and processing.
- Evidence-based birth “Delayed umbilical cord clamping is associated with significant neonatal benefits in preterm infants.
- Including improved transitional circulation, better establishment of red blood cell volume, decreased need for blood transfusion, and lower incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and intraventricular hemorrhage.” — American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
How long is delayed chord clamping be delayed?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says, doctors should delay optimal cord clamping for at least 30-60 seconds.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends delayed cord clamping for 1 minute or until the cord has stopped pulsing.
Ideally, you have to wait until the umbilical cord is wholly drained, limp, and changes in white color.
- For a minute wait, the baby gets 50% of the cord blood (60 ml)
- For a 3-minute wait, the baby gets 90% of the cord blood (100 ml)
- And for around 5 minutes of waiting, the baby could get all the necessary cord fluids through delayed cord clamping.
These are not EXACT entries, and the nutrient flow may vary from one baby to another. So the best time to cut the cord is when it stops pulsing, begins to limp, and finally becomes white.
Delayed Cord Clamping C Section
This technique has gained popularity due to its potential health benefits for babies, including increased iron levels and improved outcomes.
While it’s commonly associated with vaginal births, recent research suggests that delayed cord clamping can also be safely practiced during cesarean sections, offering similar advantages for both mother and baby.
Can You Do Delayed Cord Clamping With C-Section?
Yes, delaying cord clamping can be done whether you’re having a vaginal birth or a cesarean section, according to experts. Whether your C-section is planned or unexpected, delaying cord clamping is safe for you and can be beneficial for your baby.
In the past, some worries delaying cord clamping during C-sections might lead to more blood loss or lower iron levels after birth, possibly causing problems like postpartum hemorrhage. But recent research has changed that view.
Studies indicate that delaying clamping, regardless of how the baby is delivered, doesn’t increase the risk of excessive postpartum bleeding or the need for a blood transfusion.
Furthermore, women who have C-sections delayed cord clamping aren’t more likely to have lower iron levels after giving birth compared to those whose cords are cut immediately. Also, complications like infections after birth are rare.
What Are The Benefits Of Delayed cord clamping
Below are five medically proven pros and cons of delayed clamping of the umbilical cord:
1. Delay Clamping Umbilical Cord lowers the risk of anemia.
Anemia is a health condition where your body lacks enough red blood cells to carry satisfactory oxygen to the body’s tissues. This happens due to insufficient iron or iron deficiency in the body.
Usually, the iron level in mothers is low after labor as soon-to-be-mama needs iron to rebuild and nourish her body after birth. So the baby doesn’t get enough iron during breastfeeding.
Delayed clamping of the umbilical cord naturally supplies the baby with extra iron, which is excellent, as iron plays a vital role in the proper development of infants.
It effectively fills iron stores for several first months (up to six) of the baby’s life. In this case, the baby is not getting enough iron and may get anemic as early as four months of the baby’s life.
2. Umbilical Cord Clamping delay improves placenta delivery.
Along with providing significant benefits to your baby, delayed cord clamping may also reduce the chances of complications during placenta delivery. Trust me; your placenta will thank you for it!
3. What are the Potential Benefits of Delayed Cord Clamping?
If your baby is born tinier than average babies and has a small birth weight, delayed cord clamping can benefit such conditions. It can provide a top-up of nutrients, minerals, and blood to your baby, it is enough to boost the baby’s current and long-term health.
Delayed cord clamping provides an influx of iron-rich blood cells until the cord is pulsating. Some researchers even declare that the stem cells received during delayed cord clamping are essential to repair damaged cells.
4. Why Delay Cord Clamping?
Delayed cord clamping has proven to be highly beneficial in improving a child’s social and motor skills. The extra dose of nutrient-rich umbilical blood is crucial for the baby.
In a recent study, many children (aged 4) were given various assessments, tasks, and exercises. The researchers found that kids who had DCC at birth performed a lot better and interacted more than kids who didn’t have DCC.
It was also noticed that children with DCC had a refined and mature pencil grip. This shows how important it is for mothers to go for DCC during labor.
If they immediately cut the cord down, they can negatively fluctuate some excellent motor skills and social skills (like coordinating small muscles, such as hands and fingers) at the age of four to five years.
But if they have delayed cord clamping for at least 3 minutes after birth, the rates of social skills are higher and generate excellent motor skills than those who had immediate CC.
5. It increases stem cells.
Delayed cord clamping results in an infusion of stem cells, which plays a vital role in developing the immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems.
So many beneficial internal functions take place with delayed cord clamping. If a baby has a severe birth problem, then with Delayed Cord Clamping, stem cells can help the baby repair any brain damage during the complicated birth.
Benefits of Delaying Cord Clamping for a Premature Baby
Delayed cord clamping is a blessing for premature babies as they are born underweight and weaker than an average mature baby. Premature babies get tons of benefits with DCC:
- Stabilized Blood Pressure
- A higher amount of red blood cells
- They don’t rely on ventilation and oxygen for many days.
- They need less blood transfusion
- Lower risk of hemorrhage
- They have a lower risk of any infection
- They have a lower risk of anemia
If you are aware of your pregnancy status and the risk of a premature baby, you have to put DCC on your birth plan and discuss it with your delivery team.
Delayed cord clamping with C-Section
Doctors recommend Delayed cord clamping for a cesarean section delivery. Whether you have planned for DCC or have an emergency. It is becoming a common practice in almost all birth centers.
The world has come close to the wonders of delayed cord clamping. A 40-second delay in clamping provides the infant with a partial placental transfusion. Another approach during C-section delivery is to milk the umbilical cord, where time and speed are important factors.
Disadvantages of Delayed Cord Clamping?
Some studies have shown that DCC can slightly increase the chance of jaundice in newborns, but strong evidence shows that the benefits of Cord Clamp outweigh this.
Breast milk Jaundice is very common in newborns. Some newborn babies need phototherapy to get rid of jaundice.
Only a smaller spectrum covers these myths with the truth—some studies show that on delaying cord clamping, about 5% of babies required treatment for delayed cord clamping jaundice compared to 3% of babies.
When should we not apply Delayed Cord Clamping?
Mostly, DCC is beneficial in all aspects. However, there are a few risks of delayed cord clamping under circumstances that may be not suitable, such as:
- If the soon-to-be-mama has heavy bleeding after birth.
- If there is an issue with the placenta or the cord is bleeding.
- Cut the umbilical cord immediately when the baby faces breathing problems.
In the before-mentioned cases, a mother should not go for delayed cord clamping autism childbirth.
Delayed Cord Clamping and cord blood banking for the newborn baby.
The placenta is an organ that develops in the mammal’s uterus during pregnancy, which helps in nourishing the baby inside the womb through the umbilical cord.
It is attached to the wall of the mother’s uterus, and the baby’s umbilical cord arises from it. Inside the uterus, the placenta and umbilical cord provide the baby with oxygen, and nutrients and clear his waste. Moreover, a baby’s total blood volume is present in the placenta only.
So, the blood circulating in the placenta is not extra or waste blood; it belongs to the baby. Even after birth, the cord pulsates, and the placenta continues to provide oxygen, nutrients, and blood back to the baby.
Delaying Cord Clamping blood is a placental transfusion. And it is pretty necessary for the newborn health. The placental transfusion is the system that provides a baby with red blood cells, stem cells, and blood volume.
What do you lose in Immediate Cord Clamping?
Various studies have shown that immediate cord clamping can damage physiology, anatomy, and parts of the birth process.
Immediate delay umbilical cord clamping separates the baby from the still functioning placenta and halts blood circulation. It may lead to lower iron stores in the baby for up to 6 months after birth, and iron deficiency in the first few months of life is irreversible.
This can create complications for the mother, too. Delayed cord clamping of the umbilical cord increases the risk of postpartum hemorrhage as well. It decreases the blood flow within the newborn’s umbilical cord, and it may create difficulty for the uterus to contract and expel the placenta.
Conclusion
Delaying clamping of the umbilical cord is a blessing for all kinds of babies, as it offers a nutrient-rich blood flow to the baby even after the child’s birth. Even when receiving a minimal amount of blood, it can be highly beneficial and significant for your baby.
When the cord is in the process of pulsating and placental transfusion, it supplies oxygen, nutrients, and a good volume of blood to your infant.
Furthermore, it may provide essential life support substances like oxygen, nutrients, blood rich in iron, red blood cells, stem cells, and immune cells to your baby after birth.
Delayed cord clamping is a godsend for children who take birth at a premature stage. DCC provides these children to survive easily with all life-supporting essential substances by restoring blood volume and protecting them against any damage, brain injury, or even death.
I hope you understand what benefits delaying the cord clamping brings to you. Soon-to-be-mamas, don’t fret; it is for your baby, all-natural. And my sweet moms out there, who have opted for DCC, share your story in the comment section and encourage other moms.