Overview
Generally, if you delay cord clamping, you would clamp and cut the umbilical cord after a few minutes or when it stops pulsating. In a lotus birth, sometimes called physiological cord clamping, the cord is never cut, and your baby remains attached to the placenta until the cord naturally separates. The term lotus birth was coined in 1974 after Claire Lotus Day observed that chimpanzees do not sever their babies’ umbilical cord. This is not the most common practice, but it has been increasing in popularity. This episode answers a listener’s question about whether there are scientific studies on lotus birth and the safety of the practice.