DISCLAIMER: these comments come from WAY BACK in my memory, and I do not
currently work in a hospital setting.

When I was training to be a childbirth educator 22 years ago, I recall
reading lots about placenta/cord rituals. I recall that one practice was to
leave the cord intact and put the placenta in a special bowl at mom's
bedside until the cord fell off at the baby's end. Only when the cord fell
off the baby could mom leave the bed. This was supposed to ensure that she
and the baby got off to a good start together. I don't remember the source
of this, so it could even be a myth.

My understanding of the birth literature and controversy re: cord cutting is
that the cord stops pulsating in a few minutes after birth, upon exposure to
the air - after which little blood flows in either direction. If it's cut
too soon, the baby doesn't get its' full complement of blood and anemia is a
risk. I think UNICEF or WHO has published something on this, because at
least one culture's practice was to cut it very early so the baby would be
nice and white, which was considered desirable - the result was a huge
problem with newborn anemia. Cut too late, and the baby gets too much blood
which increases jaundice (more red blood cells to break down) and other
conditions. Cut with a rusty knife/razor blade = risk of neonatal tetanus
which can be fatal.

Cord/placenta blood is the baby's blood (type, RH factor, etc) not the
mother's, although there may be some mixing at the time of birth. The
vessels in the placenta come close to (but do not touch) the maternal
vessels in the uterine endometrium, facilitating the passage of nutrients
and waste products back and forth.

Even the "treatment" of the cord stump varies - in many areas, the practice
is to use a "triple dye" which I think has gentian violet, an antifungal,
and an antibacterial component. Parents are told to use alcohol on the stump
several times a day to "dry" the cord. I understand that in Australia the
cord is left alone, and falls off on its own, like a scab.

From this I can only gather that there's lots of room for debate/new
learning on this issue.

Linda J. Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC
Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre
Dayton, OH USA
http://www.bflrc.com