Thanks for sharing! We have delayed cord clamping with all of four our babies. None have ever been jaundiced, and although we do not start solids or any iron supplementation until close to 12 months, none have ever had iron deficiency. I have to believe that this is due to a healthy diet during pregnancy, but also all of the iron rich blood that they receive from the placenta, post birth.

And for all of us other poor unfortunate mothers that end up with unwanted but desperately needed c-sections, we don’t get that option. Can you imagine a doctor letting us lay there cut open for 2 whole minutes….. maybe if delayed cord clamping is such a benefit, this guru or some doctor can figure out how us c-section moms can have this choice.

When my son was born he looked like a lobster. My midwife (who I adore) cut the cord after it stopped pulsating. My son subsequently received a large dose of red blood cells. I also gave birth on all 4′s (the way nature intended) and my son came out “below” me which added to his load of red blood cells. We were rushed to the emergency room when we went in for help with feeding on his 2nd day. He was very jaundiced and spent a week in the NICU under the lights. Bilirubin (the by-product of red blood cell breakdown) can cause a newborn to be extra sleepy. The best way to clear the bilirubin is to get the baby to poop. This, of course, depends on the infant being awake enough to feed. My son was so jaundiced that it caused him to be too lethargic to feed. His bilirubin was 27 (normal is 2-14 and 27 is very high). I still consider cutting the cord until it stops pulsating to be the way nature intended. Just be aware that there are risks if you decide to do this. As a Naturopathic phyiscian, educated at an accredited medical school, I feel that everyone should know the benefits and risks of all procedures.

Babies born with jaundice are usually premature, had drugs in their system or had other problems. It is not a symptom of delayed cord clamping. The natural process of bilirubin is to develope day 2-4 after birth. Most likely, your baby would have had the problem if cord had been clamped immediately as well.

The baby continues to return waste to the mother as the cord pulses as well, leaving less for their immature livers to deal with. Another great benefit.