If you give birth unexpectedly before the arrival of any assistance, the cord is fine…

If you give birth unexpectedly before the arrival of any assistance, the cord is fine to be left alone, even if the placenta has come out. When assistance arrives, the cord can be clamped/tied and cut then

I've been hearing stories of people being advised to use shoelaces (yuk) and recently, the ties from a face mask!

The cord continues to deliver oxygenated blood to the baby in the minutes after birth. This is helpful for babies who may struggle initially to catch their breath. It's therefore wise not to tie the cord off straight away anyway.

A short while after birth, the blood vessels in the cord cease to carry blood to and from the baby as they kind of clamp themselves off. There is no rush or need to tie the cord.

If possible, keep baby skin to skin until help arrives. This will help keep baby warm.

#pregnancy #bba #birth #birthwithoutfear #childbirth