did your baby's cord stop pulsating before it was cut??

[scaredbuthappy]

Im just wondering how many people waited for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before it was cut?
Ive read many different things on this and not sure what to put in my birth plan. I have read that it should be cut after it has stopped pulsating naturally as this passes more blood to the baby and is better. Is this true? Did you have yours cut straight away?
Also as im rhesus negative and need a sample to be taken from the cord after birth then does this mean i will have no choice but to have the cord cut straight away? (as presumably they will need the blood from the cord).
Im quite confused and not sure what is best. Thankyou.

 

[Nicola]

Ok I done heaps of reading on this too and am sure others did and will answer you too but from what I read it was best to leave it to stop pulsating on it's own as the blood in the cord was intended for the baby and therefore baby should have it.

I put in my birth plan that I wanted to wait for it to stop naturally then have it cut.

My birth plan never went to plan (homebirth ended up being waters broken in hospital and delivery room birth etc) and as soon as I had my DS they cut the cord and I had the injection to speed delivery of the placenta.

I'm not sure how the having to have a sample of cord blood would effect this (others might know) but my advice is to ask the midwife on your next check up or call them if it's a worry and ask them over the phone.

I don't even know if I've answered your question but it might help

 

[debecca]

My midwife waited and then cut it. I didn't know there were other options!!!!

 

[valentine]

I waited for it to stop pulsating - took about 10/15 mins I think (but can't really remember).

Valentine Xxx

 

[maybebaby]

I put in my birth plan I wanted to wait but at the time I completely forgot. Fortunately just as they were about to clamp it the older midwife asked me if I wanted to wait & I remembered I did! It only took about 5 minutes. I read a lot about it and it definitely seems like the best option for the baby.

This time round I'm considering seeing if I can wait until the placenta's delivered before the cord is cut as I've read it can speed up the third stage and means you don't need the injection. Will have to wait and see.

 

[trixipaws]

no idea!! i was a bit delirious after going thru the worst pain of my life without any drugs so the first few minutes was a bit of a blur! i kno my boyf left the room to fone my parents and the MW cut it (he's squeamish bout that) i didnt even kno they pulsated until i read one of valentines posts a few months ago!

*edit* just read maybebaby's post, does that mean if u wait for it they doint need to clamp it with that plastic clip? coz millie had a plastic clip on her belly b4 it rotted off so that must mean they clamped it and didnt wait?

 

[Sherlock]

We chose to wait till it stopped pulsing Made for a little wait but I had Galen resting on my chest skin on skin so it was fine MW did say there were benefits to waiting for it to stop pulsing and as we wanted to be as natural as possible with it all, we were happy to wait. I then also delivered the placenta in my own time without the jab.

LO's cord dropped off 3 days after birth, all very clean.

 

[NIE]

I never reolized there was an option. Hubby just cut the cord straight away and then I held my son. x

 

[budge]

Im just wondering how many people waited for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before it was cut?
Ive read many different things on this and not sure what to put in my birth plan. I have read that it should be cut after it has stopped pulsating naturally as this passes more blood to the baby and is better. Is this true? Did you have yours cut straight away?
Also as im rhesus negative and need a sample to be taken from the cord after birth then does this mean i will have no choice but to have the cord cut straight away? (as presumably they will need the blood from the cord).
Im quite confused and not sure what is best. Thankyou.

i insisted on waiting for the cord to stop pulating after each of mine were born.

 

[Redshoes]

Waiting where possible is the best option as it carries blood and oxygen still intended for your baby, cutting the cord early is not necessary unless you've had a difficult/assisted birth. I don't know about the issue with regards to them needing a blood sample, I would have thought they could do that and leave it to stop pulsating before cutting, but like said above, I would ask your MW at your next appointment then get it in your birth plan

 

[valentine]

This time round I'm considering seeing if I can wait until the placenta's delivered before the cord is cut as I've read it can speed up the third stage and means you don't need the injection. Will have to wait and see.

You don't need to do this if you don't have the injection (although of course you can). I had the cord cut after it had stopped pulsating and still delivered the placenta naturally.

*edit* just read maybebaby's post, does that mean if u wait for it they doint need to clamp it with that plastic clip? coz millie had a plastic clip on her belly b4 it rotted off so that must mean they clamped it and didnt wait?

No, we waited and my DD still had the plastic clip, although next time I'm going to look into getting the string/thread instead as I hated the clip.

Valentine Xxx

 

[sarafet]

oooo thanks for this thread ladies, i was just wondering about this for my birth plan

 

[elaine22]

I can't remember if it was in my birth plan, I would have preferred it, but Cara's heartrate had dropped and she was blue and not breathing so they cut it straightaway and rushed her over to the table.

 

[smile]

we were plannign to have delayed clamping (ie 3 min delay but not wait until it had stoped pulsating complately) and I that would have been fine for blood samples (I can't see any reason why waiting completely would be a problem re rh neg as during c-sections the blood samples are taken from the cord after it is cut and after the placenta has separated).

In the end Baby Smile was born flat and not breathing so it was not relevant for us as there was a scoop and run by the paeds team to get him breathing.

 

[DebbieM]

No and Matt didn't get to cut it either as we'd hoped. The cord was wrapped round Luke's neck so it all had to be done very quickly.

 

[Bee]

I'm not sure - will have to ask my mum

She cut it and I had Finlay on my chest so it may have stopped pulsating but I was too engrossed in the wee man

 

[poppy160]

I can't remember if I said or not - I don't think I did..I'd said I wanted OH to cut the cord but it didn't work out as she had a forceps delivery and needed oxygen almost straight away.
Will definately ask for it to stop pulsating if there's a next time..unless it absolutely needs to be cut straight away.