Lotus birth.....you gotta read this!

[OliviaRae]

Ok I don't know if I'm the last to find this information, but I've just discovered something called Lotus Birth.... which is the practice of leaving the umbilical cord attached to both the baby and the placenta following birth, without clamping or severing, and allowing the cord the time to detach from the baby naturally. Hmmmmm...... In this way the baby, cord and placenta are treated as a single unit until detachment occurs, generally two to three days after birth.



Seems kind of natural, but would you want to lug around the nasty red placenta for 3 days?? Every one might be scared to hold baby haha.

What do you ladies think??? Love to hear some opinions on this.....

 

[steph.]

There was quite a heated thread about it in one of the pregnancy forums when I was expecting my lo! The people for it saying it was natural and best for baby, and the people against it saying it wasnt natural as even animals bite the cord off, there is a risk of infection to the baby, and no added benefit after the cord stops pulsating and blood flow is severed.

Definately not for me, though each to their own!

 

[galasriniel13]

I just saw this in the main area, so hope you dont mind me popping into WTT.
I have attended a few lotus births and new mums have found that babies are more well adjusted as they let go of the cord and placenta in 'their own time' rather than it being severed. As long as correct procedure is followed - mainly keeping placenta above the heigh of baby - then i think its worth the consideration.
The second plus many new mums find is that they get more bonding time with baby they are not passed around as much.
As for the placenta, it is usually kept in one of these beautifully made placenta bag, so you dont really see it. Once the placenta and umbillicus is detatched it is often planted underground and a year later, a plant is planted at the site, and with the placenta's rich nutrients, helps the plant to prosper.
I wouldnt mind a lotus birth, but being a student midwife I feel a lot more confidant than some women, and thats okay. I don't think anyone should condemn another woman for her birth plan and choices.

Sorry for the essay

 

[angiepie]

It can seem like a bit of a hassle carrying it all around, but I like the idea of letting it fall off instead of cutting it, having to clean it etc. I do like the idea of a lotus birth, but I'm not sure if I would do it or not...

 

[Vonnie18]

I was reading about this on the natural birthing forum.

Personally for me, it's a big NO NO..IMHO I wouldn't to be carrying that around and having to worry about that when I have a new baby to be worrying about.

Each to their own though but for me it's too weird x

 

[OmiOmen]

I personally would not do it but wanted delayed cord clamping with my son. However with a c-section it was really more a case of get him out and me stitched up. Next time if all went well and I had a VBAC with no major issues I would want delayed cord clamping but would not go for a lotus birth. I would not take issue with someone who did though.

 

[Pearls18]

Lol yes I have heard of it. Not for me, sounds icky but tbh I have never looked into the pros and cons so can't really comment. I never would have thought I'd eat the placenta but after reading about encapsulation I'm intigued! I wanted delayed cord clamping last time but everything happened so quickly I didn't have chance to think, next time though I will be sure to tell my midwife! Although I hear it is becoming more popular as hospital policy.

 

[OliviaRae]

I just saw this in the main area, so hope you dont mind me popping into WTT.
I have attended a few lotus births and new mums have found that babies are more well adjusted as they let go of the cord and placenta in 'their own time' rather than it being severed. As long as correct procedure is followed - mainly keeping placenta above the heigh of baby - then i think its worth the consideration.
The second plus many new mums find is that they get more bonding time with baby they are not passed around as much.
As for the placenta, it is usually kept in one of these beautifully made placenta bag, so you dont really see it. Once the placenta and umbillicus is detatched it is often planted underground and a year later, a plant is planted at the site, and with the placenta's rich nutrients, helps the plant to prosper.
I wouldnt mind a lotus birth, but being a student midwife I feel a lot more confidant than some women, and thats okay. I don't think anyone should condemn another woman for her birth plan and choices.

Sorry for the essay

Thanks for all your responses ladies, and I respect all your opinions

galasriniel, thank you for your 'essay'! haha it answered a few of my questions and I'm leaned a little more towards the lotus birth now Wonder what DH will think when I tell him
And I didn't know there was a special bag you could put it in....Hmmmmm

 

[MrsSmartie]

I wouldn't have a lotus birth personally but I would like to not sever the cord until the placenta has delivered, That way the baby has had all the blood from the cord and they don't need a clamp as it will have clamped itself! I love the idea of burying the placenta so the nutrients can feed a plant or tree. It is natural for things to decay and feed the earth rather than be incinerated and then the tree will always remind you of your child and the organ you made to feed your baby. I don't have a problem with lotus birth though, the placenta is always treated well with salts and herbs so it doesn't go too manky! But I do agree that it's not totally natural as animals don't leave the placenta attached. Whatever people want to do is fine!

 

[NaturalMomma]

I don't think the placenta is nasty I encapsulate placentas as part of my career. I've had friends who did a lotus birth. They wrapped the placenta up in a chux sheet and then they had a special bag (which you can buy or make) that was made out of velvet to put the placenta in. It didn't smell either, and the cord dries about the next day so it's not some slimy thing. It fell off within a few days, much shorter than when you clamp the cord.

 

[UC J]

nah , that would not be for the uncoordinated like me : ) Things might get twisted , hanging off .... But kudos to anybody that wants to do it

 

[freckleonear]

I think delayed cord clamping is incredibly important but I'm not convinced that lotus birth has any real biological benefits, although I have considered doing it in the past. The nutrients in the placenta are far too important to waste though, so I will be encapsulating mine instead!

 

[LockandKey]

well, you are definitely not the last to find out, because I just found out by reading your post

Well, this isn't for me, and personally I think DH as the rest of my family and friends would be a bit scared/freaked out if I had done this.

But nice to see you still around and that you haven't left yet

 

[OliviaRae]

I think delayed cord clamping is incredibly important but I'm not convinced that lotus birth has any real biological benefits, although I have considered doing it in the past. The nutrients in the placenta are far too important to waste though, so I will be encapsulating mine instead!

I see you Home shchooling I plan on being a homeschooling mom! My husband and his 5 other siblings were all home schooled, so he and I would really like to.

well, you are definitely not the last to find out, because I just found out by reading your post

Well, this isn't for me, and personally I think DH as the rest of my family and friends would be a bit scared/freaked out if I had done this.

But nice to see you still around and that you haven't left yet

Haha, yeah when I first stumbled upon it on a birthing site I was like "Hmmm interesting". I don't know if it's for me. Still have quite a while to decide though.

I keep popping in all all the forums, he he. Love my WTT girls, I'm almost a little sad to leave you all officially in April

 

[I Love Lucy]

I've read in another thread about the lotus birth that religion/spiritual beliefs are one reason women choose leave the placenta attached.

Personally, I will not be having a lotus birth, it is simply not for me.

 

[bathbabe]

I wouldnt find it weird if anybody i knew IRL had a lotus birth each to their own. Im quite interested in i tand have looked into it but i wont be doing it, I will be doing delayed cord clamping tho xxx

 

[srmummy]

My sister had a lotus birth, she was stuudying as a midwife at the time and learnt about all the hormones placentas release after birth which help the bonding with the babies and help prevent post natal depression also. I found it a bit weird at first but the placenta was all wrapped up and you couldnt see or even notice it was there when you held the baby when she was all wrapped up aswell. It came offd after only a day so not mmany people saw her with it still attached. Not for mme personally but completely understood her reasons and it wasnt nearly as gorey or weird as might be imagined

x

 

[LockandKey]

not sure if anyone had already mentioned this, but after a day or so, I can't imagine the attached placenta smelling too pretty either

 

[Mrs Eleflump]

not sure if anyone had already mentioned this, but after a day or so, I can't imagine the attached placenta smelling too pretty either

I have read that normally with a lotus birth the placenta is wrapped with herbs and salt to delay the process of decay, and the wrapping helps keep nasties off it. Placentas do smell a bit anyway when they're fresh, like any human or animal tissue, but if it falls off after a day or two, after being preserved with the salt and herbs, it wouldn't be too different-smelling to how it was when it left your body.

 

[NaturalMomma]

They don't smell nasty. Placentas themselves smell like blood, an organ, or other tissue. It's usually pretty subtle. When I encapsulate the smell of the placenta before I dehydrate it just smells like blood, but it's a dull smell, you have to be by it to smell it. Once it starts dehydrating the smell changes throughout the process, but it's never a gross smell or a strong smell. Sometimes there can be a strong smell and that may indicate infection or something else like that. Lotus birthers usually wrap the placenta up and/or with herbs. Plust the placenta normally detatches within a day to a few days.