The cutting of the umbilical cord is a very delicate moment, which concretely marks, and not only, the separation of the newborn from the mother after nine months of union and the transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life. This gesture therefore also has a strong symbolic value, which can be nice to share with the child's father. We talk about it with the doctor Antonella Marchi, National Secretary ofDel Paesena Association of Obstetrics (AIO).
When to cut the umbilical cord
There are several schools of thought regarding the best time to cut the cord: “Many women prefer expect that it stops throbbing and the placenta comes out - explains Dr. Marchi -. The choice is subjective, but it is important to know that there is no rush, you can safely wait following the natural rhythms and your own sensations. I also realize that as long as it is attached to the cord the baby is oxygenated: if there should be some small defect, the cord is a guarantee, so waiting a few minutes can also be an extra precaution. A separate discussion should be made for the collection of stamina cells: in this case, if you want to do this, the cord must be cut immediately ".
expressly recommends cutting the cord one to three minutes after birth for reduce the risk of fetal anemia. Delaying the clamping (with this term we mean the ligation of the cord itself with a forceps, in order to interrupt the flow of blood from the placenta), in fact, means allowing a increased fetal blood supply from the placenta to the baby. And more blood means one higher amount of iron available for the newborn. Read also: The care of the umbilical cord
The role of the father
«Certainly the cut of the umbilical cord can be done by the father - explains Antonella Marchi -. He's a symbolic gesture which takes on an important meaning. Of course, the couple is not left alone, the midwife is present, follows and guides the father in this very important operation. So, if both parents sense this deso, it's fine to indulge it. It doesn't have to be a stretch, of course, but something they both feel they want to do. On a practical level, the father, who wears the gown, is provided with scissors by the midwife, and can proceed with the cut. It is not strictly necessary for you to wear gloves, as the baby is no longer sterile at that point. ".
Also read: 10 things men should NOT do in the delivery room
Follow the natural rhythms
A point that should be explained to new fathers is that childbirth is the most natural of events, so it is important not to interfere too much. «There is no rush, let us always remember. We do not interrupt the naturalness of the process: the midwife places the baby on the mother's belly, covering it to keep it warm; from here the baby will instinctively reach the breast for the first feed, without having to be forced in this direction. This passage marks his first contact not only with the mother's body but also with the external environment, and psychologically with the achievement of nourishment. A very important physiological and psychological process, a stimulus to life ».
Read also: 15 November, world umbilical cord day
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- umbilical cord
- give birth
