https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:10:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-624671 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:20:50 +0000 softcream 624671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>thanks, @Arden ... i knew i could count on you for some good info =) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-624489 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:41:27 +0000 twinmama 624489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My hospital policy was to milk the cord. They said it provides similar benefits. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-624384 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:17:27 +0000 kml636 624384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We delayed a few minutes, which my midwife recommended, and she was just kind of on my belly during that time. Honestly, after labor, I didn't really care at that point! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-624093 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:38:32 +0000 Boheme 624093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: You are awesome! Thanks for the details. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-624048 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:22:58 +0000 LaughLines 624048@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for the info on this!! This is something I know I'm going to want, so it is very good to be informed in case the OB pushes back and says they don't do it that way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623947 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:42:25 +0000 heartonastring 623947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: Yes, I was going to respond similarly. Good thing we have @Arden here to provide actual data and citations!</p> <p>Delayed cord clamping and immediate skin-to-skin are standard of care for my midwives. Baby is placed on mum's belly until the cord stops pulsing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623880 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:59:00 +0000 bpcmarj 623880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My midwife does delayed cord clamping standard. They placed her on my stomach until the cord stopped pulsing, then DH cut the cord and they put her on my chest for skin to skin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623827 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:07:23 +0000 sslm 623827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yay for @Arden!! I was going to say "that's crap!" But I didn't have quite the evidence she did to back up my claim ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623825 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:04:52 +0000 Dandelion 623825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's standard practice at my birth center to delay clamping. </p> <p>@Arden: I'm glad you shared that, cause I wanted to put that info in, but since I just woke up, I didn't have the brain energy to do it, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623793 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 06:14:41 +0000 singingbee 623793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shopaholic: i love that you can say, "Since I just went through this...." :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623763 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:48:30 +0000 shopaholic 623763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since I just went through this: </p> <p>Yes, delayed cord clamping till it stopped pulsing (took only about 3 min I am guessing).</p> <p>Yes, they placed her immediately on my stomach for skin to skin. Even stayed there for the clamping and cutting of the cord by daddy. Then they moved her up to my chest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623618 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:45:18 +0000 MrsStar 623618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden thanks! I had never heard of it before so I had no idea if it was true or not - my midwife had never mentioned it and now I can see why! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623604 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:37:03 +0000 MamaMagpie 623604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never heard of delayed cord clamping, or it's benefits! So love HB for learning stuff like this! And @arden: that was an amazingly informative answer! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623599 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:30:12 +0000 anonysquire 623599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: cool, good to know this! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623584 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:11:21 +0000 Arden 623584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mummystar: They don't. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623581 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:10:04 +0000 MrsStar 623581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got immediate skin to skin and also delayed cord clamping for about 3 minutes even though I was high risk for bleeding. I had no idea they need the baby lower then the placenta. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623575 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:08:16 +0000 Arden 623575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm falling asleep but I had to jump in here and say something. Apologies for anything that comes across unclear because I'm bleary eyed - I can clarify things and answer questions in the morning.</p> <p>It is a common (but rather outdated) misconception that the baby has to be held below the level of the placenta to reap the benefits of delayed cord clamping (or as I call it, optimal cord clamping). The idea is that the blood will simply stagnate or "run back" into the placenta if the baby is raised up to the chest for skin to skin. </p> <p>This is extremely unlikely in an uncomplicated birth. Blood flow immediately after birth is primarily one-way, from placenta to baby. In a process that begins during labor and accelerates as the newborn begins to cry, the pulmonary blood vessels, which receive very little blood flow during pregnancy, open and fill. This relatively sudden change causes the newborn’s blood pressure to fall below the pressure in the placenta. Placental blood, driven by strong uterine contractions, follows the pressure gradient and flows through the umbilical vein into the baby.</p> <p>As the newborn’s oxygen saturation increases, the umbilical arteries close, which stops nearly all blood flow from baby to placenta. The umbilical vein, which isn’t sensitive to oxygen, remains open somewhat longer, allowing a final bit of blood to flow from placenta to baby before it, too, closes.</p> <p>The lack of significant “backflow bleeding” is confirmed by the fact that delayed cord clamping results in 30% greater neonatal blood volume than does immediate cord clamping.</p> <p>Gravity DOES matter, but ONLY in terms of the speed of the placental transfusion. A baby held below the level of the placenta will receive a full transfusion in about 3 minutes; one held above the placenta (e.g., a baby in immediate skin-to-skin contact) will also receive a full transfusion—it just takes a little longer (about 5 minutes).</p> <p>(Mercer JS, Erickson-Owens DA. Rethinking placental transfusion and cord clamping issues. Journal of Perinatal &amp; Neonatal Nursing. July/September 2012 26:3; 202–217 doi: 10.1097/JPN.0b013e31825d2d9a<br /> and<br /> Yao AC, Lind J. Effect of gravity on placental transfusion. Lancet. 1969; 2:505-508.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623559 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:01:53 +0000 fussygal 623559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Great question! I'm subscribing for future knowledge :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/delayed-cord-clamping-amp-skin-to-skin#post-623544 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:55:14 +0000 softcream 623544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i brought up delayed cord clamping at my last routine prenatal appt and my ob said that they don't normally do it because they prefer immediate skin to skin. she explained that if we wanted to delay cord clamping, she'd have to hold the baby below the level of the placenta so that the cord blood would drain. so i just left it at that (we still have plenty of time to discuss). plus, we may have different ideas of what delaying is, so i'll have to ask about specific minutes.</p> <p>but i thought about it some more after leaving. it makes sense that if the baby is lower, the cord blood would drain more quickly. but the cord also pulses, so that wouldn't really be necessary.</p> <p>so for those that were able to delay cord clamping, did you get immediate skin to skin? or did they hold your baby lower for a while (30 seconds? 1 minute?) first? and how long were you able to delay? 3 minutes? 15 minutes? longer? </p>