If the cord is left intact for a few minutes, that blood does flow back to 
the baby and boost his immune system.  That is one of the dilemmas 
associated with banking the cord blood because the cord has to be cut 
immediately.
Theoretically, if at each birth in the family, the cord is left intact, then 
each baby in that family would get that booster.
This was a question discussed at an ISPOG conference in Edinburgh a few 
years ago and nobody could give an answer based on empirical evidence.
Since then there may have been studies on which is more beneficial in the 
long term:
keeping the cord intact or
banking the cord blood (albeit the cost to the parents)
Does anyone know of such studies.
Of course delaying the cord cutting is not possible if the mother is 
Rh.negative because at that stage there is not time to assess the baby`s 
blood group and make sure there will not be an incompatibility.
Wendy Blumfield
NCT Trained ANT Tutor/BFC
Israel Childbirth Education Centre 

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