Umbilical Cord Clamping Essay

In almost all birthing settings around the world, the norm is to clamp and cut the umbilical cord almost immediately after the infant is born. As many people know, cutting the cord is a historic event in a baby and the mother’s life. For about nine months, the fetus developing in the uterus is attached to its mother by a cord known as the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord is a flexible cord attaching from the mothers placenta to the infants umbilicus providing nutrients and oxygen to the infant. Moments after birth, that cord is severed with the help of medical personnel. However, with the new and advanced research, professionals suggest that there may be benefits to keeping the mother and the baby attached a few minutes longer then normal.
For almost all of the 3.9 million babies born each year, a nurse is there to witness whether or not the infant is able to receive its own blood supply from the placenta (Leslie, 2015). During volunteering at the Mayo Clinic Hospital, I managed to ask a nurse about this concept of delayed umbilical cord clamping, and to my knowledgeable assumption, at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Eau Claire they practice delayed cord clamping, unless there are contradictions. As we know, nurses and midwifes can all be leaders in helping to make sure that there birth team, and the families are educated on the evidence that surrounds the highly recommended use of delayed umbilical cord
Questions remain regarding optimal timing of umbilical cord clamping, risks for maternal morbidity, and situations in which risks outweigh potential benefits. Current evidence leading to neonatal benefits due to delaying umbilical cord clamping is strong. It is important that we teach others about this new technique, because the more people who understand the benefits of this intervention, the easier it will be to spread the word and promote this method. Within the next few years’ organizations hope to make this the new norm in every birthing