In 1979 when we opened the Family Birthing Center (out of  hospital), this 
was one of our ongoing discussions.....how long do we wait to  clamp the cord?  
Do we strip the cord towards the baby so he/she can get  every last drop of 
blood?  Does this lead to increased jaundice?   (Keep in mind this is before we 
knew that bilirubin is an antioxidant, and at  that time babies were being put 
under lights when it was 10 to 12 on day  3).  
 
We didn't come to any satisfactory conclusion between then and  the time I 
moved to Chicago -- but I chuckle to see that we are still discussing  the same 
old same old.  
 
So.  What would Eve have done?  What would Adam's  cat have done?  I think 
taking our cue from mammals, and what we  would do if we were left on our own on 
a desert island may be something  that guides what is normal and physiologic.
 
Frankly, I think waiting until the cord stops pulsing is a  good idea.  It 
gets the baby more oxygen while he/she is making the  transition from the womb 
to the world, and gives him/her a chance to "get his  breath" before we start 
panicking.
 
We do panic well, don't we?
 
Furthermore, unless the cord is extremely short, baby should  be able to get 
to the breast and start those 'walking' movements that will  actually help 
mom's uterus to contract and expel said placenta.  (See --  breastfeeding content 
in this post).
 
Come to think of it, when Tim was born (Bob delivered him  because the 
midwife didn't make it), we completely forgot about the  placenta, the cord, or 
cutting anything we were so entranced by this new little  one.  When the midwife 
came panting up the stairs about 10 minutes after  Tim arrived, she asked if we 
had delivered the placenta.  "Oh, I knew there  was something we forgot!" I 
said.  At least she got to do  something....
 
Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC
In icy cold Wheaton IL



**************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & 
Finance.      (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001)

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome