Lotus birth
In the case of a lotus birth , called lotus birth or umbilical nonseverance in English-speaking countries , the umbilical cord is not clamped after the birth and the placenta is left on the newborn in order to wait for the postulated "natural" umbilical cord . The duration is 3 to 10 days.
The name lotus birth goes back to the American clairvoyant Claire Lotus Bay, who questioned the common practice and necessity of cutting the umbilical cord in the 1980s. Bay is considered to be the first woman in the western world to leave the umbilical cord intact when giving birth to her child. In the USA the lotus birth was propagated by Jeannine Parvati Baker, in Australia by Shivam Rachana.
The lotus birth has nothing to do with the pure birth process, nothing to do with the lotus flower or the lotus position , but only describes that the placenta remains connected to the newborn.
A spiritual unity between the newborn and the placenta is postulated, which would lead to security and happiness in later life.
Bay based her theory on observations that chimpanzees would also keep the placenta. According to observations by animal researchers, this is not correct; rather, female chimpanzees cut the umbilical cord and eat the placenta.
Changes in the placenta after childbirth
From a medical point of view, there is no need to leave the umbilical cord connected to the placenta for more than a few minutes after birth, because then the blood flow from the placenta to the newborn will end and the umbilical cord and placenta will die. After that, the placenta begins to break down, creating a risk of bacterial infection for the child. The supposed benefits of the lotus birth have no scientific basis whatsoever.
However, there is a risk of infection from ascending germs, especially staphylococci , which can multiply in the blood cake in particular and can spread along the dead umbilical cord. One case of sepsis (blood poisoning) in a newborn has already been described. Accordingly, the British Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists warns of the risks. As countermeasures but recommended by proponents of Lotus birth to wash the placenta, rub with salt and herbs, and so in terms of curing dry bacterial putrefaction process to stop and the placenta.
After a few days, the umbilical cord falls off, just as it does with the normal clamped umbilical remnant.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Charles Poladian: Umbilical Cord trend: Lotus Birth Practices Keeping placenta On Baby, 'Umbilical Nonseverance'. In: International Business Times , April 12, 2013
- ↑ Madeline Scinto: Lotus Birth, craziest trend yet - Don't cut that umbilical cord! In: New York Post , April 10, 2013
- ↑ Birgit Laue: 1000 questions to the midwife . Gräfe Und Unzer, 2008, page 248. books.google.de
- ^ Paula-Irene Villa, Stephan Moebius, Barbara Thiessen: Sociology of Birth . Campus Verlag, 2011, p. 80. books.google.de
- ↑ Lotus Birth FAQ
- ↑ a b Désirée Dal Pian: Lotus birth . In: Frauenheilkunde aktuell (Switzerland) 2007, issue 2 of February 2007, pp. 35–36, lotus birth: case report. (PDF) accessed on December 27, 2018
- ↑ Lotus birth (attachment-parenting.de)
- ↑ xoJane isn't doing women any favors with its 'birth like chimpanzees' story. In: The Guardian , November 1, 2013
- ↑ PMID 26769192
- ^ Doctors speak out about the dangers of lotus births
- ↑ Yet Another Way 'Natural' Parenting Dehumanizes Women: Lotus Birth. In: forbes.com
- ↑ RCOG statement on umbilical non-severance or “lotus birth”. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, December 1, 2008, accessed December 27, 2018
