Has anyone done this? I read somewhere that it is better for the cord to stop pulsating on its own, rather than cutting it but last night I found out if we want to donate the cord blood (which we do) it must be cut and drained.

Does anyone have any information on the benefits of either cutting it or letting it pulsate?


(also, I am not sure if this is in the right area so feel free to move it):D

I've read that somewhere too. It might be from one of the books that's all about doing everything as naturally as possible. I don't remember why they said you should do that though.

I don't have any information right now, I'll have to find the folder from my childbirth class. We very much wanted to let the cord pulsate, but my doctor said no. He said if you don't cut the cord immediatly the placenta will syphon blood from the baby and cause anemia...this just made my dh and I laugh as that isn't even possible, but we went with it, it just wasn't worth arguing for to us. Actually, at that point in the pregnancy we weren't into arguing anything anymore and just went with the doctor's suggestions knowing full well that we would use a midwife the next time around.

My midwife is perfectly fine with waiting for the cord to stop pulsating and/or the placenta to be delivered before cutting the cord given that the baby is term, and healthy at birth. If there is a reason that he needs to go immediatly to the pediatricians in the room then his cord will but cut immediatly.

If you let the cord pulsate, the baby can get extra antibodies and blood. We couldn't let ours pulsate for 2 reasons...

a) Brandon had the cord around his neck and merconium in the amniotic fluid so the cord had to be cut and he had to be wisked away to the warmer so they can get him breathing

b) we wanted to bank his cord blood

Thanks everyone :)