Cutting the cord

[enigma]

This thread is a little hard to stomach this early for me
I honestly cant remember if my hubby cut the cord or not, i think he did, but there was so much going on around me, i dident take notice.
But for me, if he wants to do it and can stomach it, then i dont see why not.

 

[clairebear]

my oh cut the cord and was so happy he did.

we ended up with a c section so it helped make the birth more like what we had planned xxx

 

[AppleBlossom]

my oh cut the cord. i'm glad he did because i'd done the pregnancy and the birth and i think that made him feel more involved

 

[Shri]

I wish I never had mentioned the placenta now! I can just about deal with the idea of burying it (seems pretty eco to me) but some of the other ideas have given me the heeby geebies!

 

[ryder]

Id like my OH to cut the cord. I dont feel it has any kind of controlling issues with him doing it :S

I feel bad for men sometimes (sometimes I dont) women can be evil and nasty and more controlling I think. Women control the whole pregnancy and birth, and if you breastfeed, we control that too.

So I think letting your OH cut the cord if he wishes isn't a heck of alot to offer him :S

I dunno, just me I guess. I am all about equality, I think my OH should be included as much as he can and wants to be.

 

[PeanutBean]

I feel bad for men sometimes (sometimes I dont) women can be evil and nasty and more controlling I think. Women control the whole pregnancy and birth, and if you breastfeed, we control that too.
I dunno, just me I guess. I am all about equality, I think my OH should be included as much as he can and wants to be.

I do think OHs should be included where they can but when it comes down to it it's the woman's job to carry the baby, give birth and breastfeed, it's what we're made for. Men have control of every other thing about life and this is the one thing they can't touch! I'm happy to keep it that way! lol

I mentioned this thread to my DH last night and he looked quite horrified that I might ask him to cut the cord! He really doesn't want to!

 

[Sarahkka]

I like the idea of the cord being cut by someone close to the baby. You could see it as severing ties with the mother, but you could also see it as a ritual that welcomes baby into a body that can now function on its own. And I like the idea of a close friend or family member (someone who will be there to help baby through many new things) doing that.
I also really like the ritual of burying the placenta at the base of a tree. It doesn't gross me out - I'm too much of a science nerd! I'd rather have it returned to the earth than treated like biohazard material.
I don't really find the thought of eating it very appetizing, but that's mostly because it's human tissue - it seems a bit cannibalistic, even if it comes from your own body. I mean, I wouldn't eat my own arm (even though I feel hungry enough to these days!).

 

[marley2580]

Actually, when you think about it the placenta is an amazing thing, it is an organ that has kept your baby alive and safe for nine months. Because of the placenta, babies grow and develop, so I can understand why people want to keep them. I had an em-CS so wasn't able to have the cord cutting experience that we wanted (OH wanted to cut the cord after it had stopped pulsing) but, assuming No 2 goes according to plan, I want to wait until the placenta is delivered before the cord is cut - this would be very similar to a lotus birth but I would cut the cord rather than carry the placenta around with the baby. I really don't know what we'll do with the placenta if everything goes to plan, possibly bury it in the back garden

 

[Blah11]

I imagine it gets incinerated. Not sure with a home birth though, maybe they take it away to be incinerated...

Yes, they do. The midwifes take it away.


My OH isn't keen on cutting the cord or anything like that so I'm quite happy for the midwife or whoever just to cut it. I don't see it as symbolic or anything, plus I'm sure I'll be way too concerned with holding and seeing my new baby to care.
I do want to have a good look at the placenta when I deliver it although I won't be getting all sentimental about it. I think eating the placenta is a bit cannabalistic too - it is a body part after all.

 

[cuddles314]

I am hoping that my Mum will be able to cut the cord, as I know she's like to be involved in this way. And if possible I want the midwife to allow it to stop pulsing beofre they clamp it, as I've heard that this is really beneficial for the baby.
xx

 

[babymello]

My husband and I discussed this the other day.

He doesn't want to cut the cord. He wants to film and take photos as soon as the baby comes out.

I said "Ok"

Mello

 

[Uvlollypop]

james wants to cut the cord, i want to deliver the placenta before the cord is cut though.

i buryed my placenta with skye, i took it home and put it in the freezer untill i could deal with it, washed it and buryed it in the woods! i dont see anything wrong with it.
i couldnt eat my placenta becuase its meaty and i know i wouldnt like it but you can get some Chinese med shops to dry it out and do all the messy stuff for you, they bake it dry it to a powder then put it in capsuals for you.

its a beautiful thing the cord+placenta are the most amazing colors and thats what has kept your baby safe warm and fed for its gestation, seems a waste to just toss it away with the trash.

 

[Chellebelle]

I asked my OH if he wanted to cut the cord as some men who I know have said it created a bond between them and their baby - but he is too squeamish lol.

 

[Mummy2Many]

you can get some Chinese med shops to dry it out and do all the messy stuff for you, they bake it dry it to a powder then put it in capsuals for you.

I never heard of that before.. that is pretty bizarre!

It doesn't freak me out at all, although the idea of eating it just isn't something I'd consider!

Providing everything goes to plan, my hubby will cut the cord. I'm not into the feminist viewpoint, I just want him to be involved as much as possible with his daughter!

 

[ryder]

I am pretty positive I will be letting the hospital dispose of my placenta! I dont want anything to do with it really.

 

[o0oCharlieo0o]

What do they DO with the placenta after you give birth!?


I mean if you don't want to eat it, bury it, or use it as a piece of art!? I've never even thought about this before. What do MOST people do with it? I don't know about anyone else, but I want that thing as far away from me as possible. I don't want to see it. I want them to just take it and do whatever it is that they do with it.

some face creams have placnta in them and i 'heard' i dont know if its got any truth in it at all, that they give or sell it to the companies that make the face creams, not all hospitals would do this i imagine, the thought makes me ill, i like to beleive it gets incinerated

 

[Raistlin's Mu]

My husband was going to cut the cord (at least that was the plan) though at the time he'd just seen me tear and was about to pass out from the blood so had to get up for some fresh air and look away. They asked him and he asked for a minute and then decided he couldn't do it, so my sister did it for me instead (my doula!)

 

[PeanutBean]

some face creams have placnta in them and i 'heard' i dont know if its got any truth in it at all, that they give or sell it to the companies that make the face creams, not all hospitals would do this i imagine, the thought makes me ill, i like to beleive it gets incinerated

Why would they have placenta in them?! The hospital won't be allowed to give out placenta without the mother's permission. You usually have to sign forms to allow them to make use of such things.

UV - I really like how you make your plans sound. I don't know I'll do anything special with mine and I agree about the meaty if it were eaten - bleugh! - but you're right about how special it is and the function it has served. In the link I posted earlier in the thread (page 2 I think) it said that in those cultures where it is routinely buried it is because it's believed to have a soul, a kind of twin, so it's treated as such. That's quite nice really.

 

[Uvlollypop]

well placenta essentially is made up of the same dna as the baby its an organ that comes from the baby, its a life giving organ like a heart and nobodys babys would be here without it its a really big shame just to toss it away. if you bury it and put a rose bush on top its using it to give life all over again.

its so full of iron and other yummy good for you things but in this day and age with our diets we dont really need it shame....

 

[Helz]

eating th placenta! yuk yuk yuk yuk I don't even want to see it! lol