Biting the cord - Page 3

[mwherbs]

yea I hate those plastic clamps-- I like cord tape or shoe laces or little embroidery thread woven bands that can be sterilized and tied- the bands are nice too

I personally know of 2 cord infections one was a teen girl who cut the cord- after the placenta was born but she used an old razor blade- and the other was a family that did not keep the cord area uncovered - the infection started days after birth but the cord area seemed like it was always wet I was a friend of the family and they called me when they saw the infection --

[cottonwood]

Thank you, Georgia. And I think that is all I'd better say about that.

So, what do you all think about saliva and its reported healing effect on wounds? I don't know very much about it, but I do know that often when I cut myself my automatic reaction is to put the wounded part in my mouth or lick my fingers and rub saliva over the wound, to wash the blood from it. I've done this with my children also.

Mamaintheforest mentioned colonization from the anus during birth. However, the OP certainly should not rub the stump of the umbilical cord on her anus.

No, but the cord almost certainly will come into contact with bacteria from her digestive tract regardless. Probably even her mouth. When I was giving birth there were fluids coming out of every part of my body, and my hands came into contact with all of them, and I didn't wash my hands before handling the baby and umbilical cord, and I didn't attempt to sterilize or even wash either of them. I'd venture to say that it's probably a similar scenario in many UCs and homebirths, yet you don't see babies getting sick. Why? I'm guessing it's because there *isn't* much chance of bacteria entering the baby's bloodstream through the cord when it's tied or clamped tightly after the Wharton's jelly has solidified.

[cottonwood]

Baby shoelaces -- 69 cents! Better yet, pretty embroidery floss -- 25 cents a skein!

Mwherbs, how was infection diagnosed and what was used to treat it? Just curious.

[mwherbs]

the teen mom went to the hospital-- baby was systemically ill
the friend's baby was a bit pussy- but we gave the baby a bath in epsom salts and then dried it with a hair drier-- and figured out how to keep it dry- I think she used some peroxide on it as well a few times-- I wouldn't always say stay home but for friends just what we thought to try out if things had not changed in a day she would have went in or if the baby had seemed sick or wouldn't eat.

-----
you know I wanted to mention that in a recent study in Nepal on cord site infections they found that SKIN-TO SKIN contact protected the baby from infection as well as providers and moms/grandmoms washed their hands and avoided putting mustard oil onto the cord site- I guess the mustard oil was problematic --- maybe it is another one of those low oxygen things, or maybe oil just kept the cord too moist when it should just dry out...
so remember skin flora is going to protect your baby---

[Synchro246]

Originally Posted by fourlittlebirds

I'm guessing it's because there *isn't* much chance of bacteria entering the baby's bloodstream through the cord when it's tied or clamped tightly after the Wharton's jelly has solidified.

:

[Synchro246]

I thought about starting another thread on instinctual cord after care, but it fits pretty well here so here it stays

After my son was born I was resistant to doing anything to the stump. I didn't want to do the alcohol, I didn't want to do calendula, I didn't want to do anything. It just felt wrong, unnecessary, and odd. A midwife countered my feelings by saying that every culture does *something* to the stump (but I didn't think to say that some cultures put dung or clay on the stump and it doesn't do ANY good so why would I take that as evidence for a good thing in this scenario).
Is anything needed for this IYO?

[Synchro246]

Ok with three posts in a row. Something I just remembered that's mildly interesting.
I read in the 2006 Healthy Mother report from the Save the Children organization that in some culture(s) the cord is cut with a piece of pottery because it is believed that cutting the cord with a knife will make the child a theif oneday. Their goal was to institute cultural change that had the women make a NEW piece of pottery to use for the cutting of the cord instead of using an old broken one. I think they said that the cultural intervention resulted in a reduced rate of infection.

[AmieV]

All I'm really going to address is cord care. It's widely varied as to what to do with it these days. I have no idea of the history behind it, but I do know that the two different midwives from my 2 births advised the alcohol routine so that's what we did and we had no cord issues but my first's fell off at 2 weeks and my second not until *4* weeks. Two other separate midwives of friends of mine told them to do nothing (although now that I'm thinking one did do goldenseal powder I think). The friend who did absolutely nothing's cord fell off at like 4 days, my other friend's after a week and a half. Neither of them had any infection issues. I've even heard ped's and OB's say to do nothing, so it seems like it's more of a difference in opinion these days than based on anything, really.

I have to say based on my own experience, I don't think the alcohol really helped anything. Sure, you break up that gunk and all...but I wonder if that gunk is meant to help the whole thing dry and fall off. I seriously was about to lose my mind with my youngest's cord being on for almost a month. I was reeeeeealllly happy I'm not into lotus birth.

the rest, I am pretty positive that I wouldn't instintively bite the cord no matter where or with whom I was birthing. Whole idea makes me queasy. I'd clamp it and cut it (which is what I've done) or leave the whole shebang alone. Lotus birth is intriguing to me but admittedly, it also skeeves me out. I've never had any particular attachment to my placentas, didn't even bury them or anything. I'm not a real candidate for UC though, just not my thing. So I'm sure it's just an entire viewpoint difference.

[cottonwood]

Alcohol preserves the cord, that's why alcohol-treated cords take so long to fall off.

I didn't put anything on any of my babies', and they all fell off within 3-4 days.

[mwherbs]

more recent studies show that "do nothing"works best-- but there are places where this is not true- like 3rd world settings where there is a high incidence of infection- they are going for hibiclens at this point- I think it is the WHO newer recommendation- So like with everything there is going to be a lag in what has been studied and practice recommendations- I think that if you have SS of infection treating it topically is something to consider-- I hate rubbing alcohol - and after my first I did not use it the smell alone made me feel sick and I just didn't want to do that to my kids- cords fell off fine-- and quickly--
and the recent skin to skin info is just great ---
although I like goldenseal as an herb it is a root plant and I think that you run the risk of any soil/bio material that could support tetanus growth-- now my daughters were not vaccinated and in thinking about grandchildren and immunity-- my daughters have some choices to make

[2bluefish]

Originally Posted by fourlittlebirds

Alcohol preserves the cord, that's why alcohol-treated cords take so long to fall off.

I didn't put anything on any of my babies', and they all fell off within 3-4 days.

: Same with iodine. Clean water is enough to bathe it if needed.

[Youkali]

What is supposed to be the benefit of biting a cord when a sharp knife, scissors or scalpel will do the job so much better?

[Kailey's mom]

Good question.....

[momma4fun]

Originally Posted by Youkali

What is supposed to be the benefit of biting a cord when a sharp knife, scissors or scalpel will do the job so much better?

Because it's all you. It's all mama and baby, it does not include the factory workers and machines that pressed out the knives, scissors and scalpel.

[mama in the forest]

What is supposed to be the benefit of biting a cord when a sharp knife, scissors or scalpel will do the job so much better?

Because it's a very odd thing to put a knife, scissors, or scalpel near a newly born baby. Or a baby of any age for that matter.

[Synchro246]

Originally Posted by Youkali

What is supposed to be the benefit of biting a cord when a sharp knife, scissors or scalpel will do the job so much better?

Again, I don't think this thread was started to determine the risks/benefits of cord biting vs. not, I think it's intention was to explore what people did before knives, etc. and what might have made the pre-knife practices OK/workable.

[mwherbs]

here is one bit of info about bamboo-
"a bamboo slip is used for cutting of umbilical cord, saying it is better than a metal blade" this would certainly be cleaner than a metal blade- this is info from India- but I have read similar accounts about cord cutting in South America- razor grass and there is a river cane that is like bamboo that grows here
the stuff I read about the region I live in - it was some type of stone tool- and they used fresh cotton to pack around it-- some places use ashes which would be drying as well-- cotton was developed in this region

[reducereuserecycle]

for me, the lotus birth was a way of staying on the bed. i believe in lying in w/ the baby for as long as possible. even though i got out of bed to bath, etc, i always quickly returned to the bed where baby was lying next to placenta. it seemed that was a very gentle way to introduce her to life outside the womb. i wasn't carrying her all around and overstimulating her. we were kinda tied down to the bed and really enjoyed it. i know lots of people carry the baby and placenta around, but it was to hard for me after 32 hours of intense labor, a one foot cord, and a placenta that was in a loaf pan. the lotus birth kept visitors from holding her too. i really didn't want people holding her yet and it was easy to say that they couldn't hold her cause it was too hard to hold her and the placenta. so, our 4 visitors sat around the bed while DH, DD and I sat on the bed. It was really quite fun.

[mom2talus]

I'm not clear here - is it also considered bad to cut a baby's long fingernails?

[2bluefish]

No kidding - mine needed theirs clipped at birth. They came complete with their own razor blades. Hmmm, maybe I could use those to cut the cord. (sorry, just thought it was funny ) I prefer to bite my kids nails, but they prefer I cut them. I guess I'm not gentle enough with my teeth; they always cry when I try to bite them...