Delayed Cord Clamping: Benefits for Babies
The “Third Trimester” Benefit: Why Waiting to Clamp the Umbilical Cord Could Be Best for Babies
Newborns receive a crucial boost of nutrients and immunity when doctors delay clamping the umbilical cord after birth, a practice gaining traction among expectant parents.
“Delayed cord clamping, or optimal cord clamping, is waiting for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating and being emptied of blood after the baby is born,” says Emily Ma’Umalanga, a midwife in Sydney, Australia.This seemingly simple act offers a surprising array of benefits for newborns. “After birth, a baby is still receiving blood from the placenta while we wait for the placenta to detach from the wall of the uterus,” Ma’Umalanga explains.
This extra blood flow provides a significant boost to a baby’s health. “Some amazing benefits of optimal cord clamping include increasing the amount of iron and hemoglobin in a baby’s system (reducing the risk of iron deficiency in the first year of life), encouraging the transfer of immunoglobulins and stem cells, which assist in the repair of tissue damage and organs, and possibly increasing the baby’s blood volume by over 30%.”
while delayed cord clamping has been standard practice in some countries for years, it’s gaining momentum in the United States as more parents become aware of its advantages.
The “Third Trimester” Benefit: Why Waiting to Clamp the Umbilical Cord Could Be Best for Babies
Newborns receive a crucial boost of nutrients and immunity when doctors delay clamping the umbilical cord after birth, a practise gaining traction among expectant parents.
“Delayed cord clamping, or optimal cord clamping, is waiting for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating and being emptied of blood after the baby is born,” says Emily Ma’Umalanga, a midwife in Sydney, Australia. This seemingly simple act offers a surprising array of benefits for newborns. “After birth, a baby is still receiving blood from the placenta while we wait for the placenta to detach from the wall of the uterus,” Ma’Umalanga explains.
this extra blood flow provides a significant boost to a baby’s health. “Some amazing benefits of optimal cord clamping include increasing the amount of iron and hemoglobin in a baby’s system (reducing the risk of iron deficiency in the first year of life), encouraging the transfer of immunoglobulins and stem cells, which assist in the repair of tissue damage and organs, and possibly increasing the baby’s blood volume by over 30%.”
While delayed cord clamping has been standard practice in some countries for years, it’s gaining momentum in the United States as more parents become aware of its advantages.