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Episode 154 Content and Overview
Your baby’s umbilical cord is their lifeline. The reason for this, is that it is constantly delivering oxygen and nutrients, and removing carbon dioxide and waste. Plus, your placenta acts as a reservoir of blood and after birth there is a transfer of blood from the placenta, through the cord, to your baby. This is true regardless of whether you are having a vaginal or cesarean birth, or if your baby is born at term or prematurely. This placental transfusion of blood, also contains immunoglobulins and stem cells, and this transfer is stopped as soon as the umbilical cord is clamped. While there has been movement toward delaying clamping of the umbilical cord, there is not a universal guideline practiced by all care providers. This episode dives into the evidence on delayed cord clamping and what minimum amount of time is ideal.
Included in This Episode
- How the placenta works
- The umbilical cord
- Placental transfusion
- Clamping and cutting the cord
- Lotus Birth
- World Health organization Guideline: Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping
- ACOG Committee Opinion: Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping After Birth
- The practice of clamping the cord immediately after birth
- Effect of timing of umbilical cord clamping of term infants on mother and baby outcomes
- When immediate clamping would be necessary
- Cord clamping in a cesarean birth
- Delayed clamping for a premature baby
- Early cord clamping versus delayed cord clamping or cord milking for preterm babies
- Effect of gravity on volume of placental transfusion: a multicentre, randomised, non-inferiority trial
- Cord Blood Banking
- Get a copy of Vanessa’s birth plan
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