Why Delayed Cord Clamping is Good for Your Baby

Written By: Joanna Karpasea-Jones  |  Posted: Saturday, November 19th, 2011

             Some parents are banking their baby's cord blood at birth to be used in the future if he or she is ever in an accident or have cancer or another life limiting illness. But cord blood is useful for babies from the moment they are born.

            In hospital births, most obstetricians view the umbilical cord as a mere waste product of birth and cut it as soon as the baby is born, but it is actually a lifeline for the baby, providing him with oxygen in the moments after the birth when he may be slow to breathe. An umbilical cord can provide oxygen for a baby for around five minutes after delivery. This is natures plan in case he doesn't breathe straight away.

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