I’m pretty sure most of you have heard about lotus birth. For those who have not, lotus birth is actually a delivery method which leaves the baby’s umbilical cord uncut. It is the practice of leaving the baby attached to the placenta for a few days after birth until the cord breaks and dries up naturally. Lotus birth happens when parents believe that the child can receive nourishment even after birth and it will occur within 3 to 10 days.
I have asked my aunt, who is a high ranked and an experienced nurse in a hospital and here are some things I found out about. (I will be keeping her anonymous and will not be stating the hospital she works in for personal purposes.)
What Are The Benefits of Lotus Birth
As far as I know, lotus birth is not recommended and is not practised in developed countries anymore. Nowadays, fewer hospitals would allow a patient to have a lotus birth. Of course, there are some benefits of lotus birth.
For many, lotus birth is mostly a spiritual practice of a baby’s relationship with its umbilical cord and placenta. With that to be said, the few other benefits of lotus birth are:
1. The umbilical cord can transfer approximately 80 to 100 ml of blood to the child in the aim to develop their brains.
2. The child will have a neater belly button because the cord will fall off naturally.
3. The blood’s haemoglobin levels will be transferred and increased.
4. Mothers believe that their baby can adapt better to the world and will be much calmer because they still have some sort of attachment to the womb even after birth.
What Are The Risks of Lotus Birth
Now, as I have mentioned earlier, why is lotus birth not recommended by doctors? That’s because there are risks if you do so.
Yes, we still do have home births, but it is way too risky, especially if it’s the first child. Usually, midwives are trained, and they can legally be sued if the baby or the mother is in a critical state.
Doctors too believe that having the umbilical cord attached to the baby even after birth will increase bacterial infection, which can spread to the child and cause problems and diseases. Similarly, the dead tissue is attached to the baby for too long. Now, lotus birth only happens when people stay in a remote area and that services are too far away. One has to do what’s available at that time.
Parents, if you are considering a lotus birth, it is critical to gather as much information as you can. At the end of the day, it is you and your husband’s decision that matters.
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