Lotus birth: characteristics and contraindications of full birth
Lotus birth (Lotus birth) is a very special type of birth, which prohibits cutting the umbilical cord immediately after birth. The baby thus remains connected to its placenta, until it dries up and the cord naturally detaches from the baby when the time is ripe. For this reason this type of birth is also called full birth, or birth with the placenta. But how does it happen? Are there any contraindications?
The whole pregnancy in one minute: the video about the miracle of life
If the umbilical cord and placenta are so important even after delivery, there will be a reason. You can find out why in this video: an extraordinary minute that illustrates the development of pregnancy, from embryo to fetus, up to the moment of birth itself!
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The origin of the Lotus birth and the procedure
The Lotus birth takes its name from the American nurse Clair Lotus Day, who first theorized this type of birth. Do you think the cut of the Lotus birth? After birth, the blood present in the umbilical cord can still be precious, because it is very rich in stem cells and because it helps to create an independent immune system in the child. It is no coincidence that we often think of keeping or donating the umbilical cord, precisely because it is rich in resources for the treatment of blood diseases. The Lotus birth would have thus the advantage of providing nutrients to the baby even after the placenta has exhausted its function and is detached from the uterus in the afterbirth phase. The placenta is allowed to dry out, and is temporarily carried along with the baby, until its function is truly finished and the cord naturally detaches from the baby, within two to three days. The placenta is often sprinkled with salt to dry it out earlier, and attempts are made to hide it from view while trying to cover up any bad odors.
The Lotus birth is also seen as a practice in controversy with the too early cutting of the umbilical cord, which in reality could still be useful for the newborn, especially for saving energy and for a gentle and harmonious formation of one's own independent life system. .
When is it possible to do it?
Full birth is possible both in the case of a midwife on their own wishes.The placenta, immediately after birth, must be kept intact, buffered with excess blood and isolated from the external environment.
Contraindications and criticisms of the Lotus birth
Many doctors and experts are in controversy with birth with the placenta, because they underline not indifferent risks and contraindications for the baby. According to many experts there is in fact a high risk of infection, difficult to control compared to that possible with an umbilical cord cut. To demonstrate this danger of infections, however, there are several difficulties, because the number of mothers who choose this birth is always very low and it is therefore difficult to make numerically reliable estimates. In the first days of the baby's life, the presence of the umbilical cord still attached to the placenta can be risky: you have to be careful not to pull the cord in any way, and washing the baby, holding it or breastfeeding it can become uncomfortable.
Many doctors then dispute the same usefulness of the placenta once the afterbirth has ended: the blood that irrigates it, and which also passes through the cord, no longer has any use, and therefore the presence of the placenta would have no reason to exist.
