Nuchal cord twice?

[guestmama9908]

Both of my children have been born with tight nuchal cords. They each had them wrapped around their necks several times.

My son's birth was an intervention filled nightmare with an OB at a hospital. When my son was being born the OB made a big deal about the nuchal cord. He cut the cord and unwrapped it before my son was even out. Calen was born blue and not breathing and required resuscitation. Thankfully he is fine.

My daughter's birth was a hands off birth with a midwife. She removed the cord from DD's neck before she was out and left it attached. DD came out breathing and pink and did great.

So my question is what are the odds of having yet another nuchal cord with a subsequent pregnancy? I'm also curious if my son's breathing issues might have been due to the long delay delivering him while the OB attempted to cut and remove the cord. It seems like it took him forever and he made several cuts in the cord to remove it from DS's neck.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

I think the odds are the same for each pregnancy, no correlation to prior pregnancies.

[Reha]

the incidence is about 30% of all pregnancies. Nuchal cords are SO common, even multiple wraps.

Your OB caused unnecessary trauma to your baby and problems by cutting the cord.

I don't even check for cord after the head is out. Babies with nuchal cords, one wrap or multiple, will simply sumersault on out.

I would NEVER clamp and cut the cord before the baby's body has been born.

[Paige, CPM]

I have never clamped and cut a cord on a baby either, but, I may have to someday if it seems to be so tight that it is holding baby back, squeezing the neck tight. Like pp said it ususally is loose and bb slips out.

It is possible that your son was this scenario. Also if he had heart decels towards that end of your birth it may have contributed to his oxygen deprivation on top of a really tight cord...but so could a lot of interventions...hard to know without having been there.

You can be reassured that a lot of babies are born with thier cord all over the place and they are fine, a cord difficulty is rare.