[ozmidwifery] lotus birth

[Robyn Dempsey]

I have attended several women choosing lotus birth. We've had no infections, and no problems. The hardest time seems to be the first 24hours as mum gets use to handling bub with the cord attached. The cord goes tough like a piece of wire, so it's good to bend it to a more manageable angle for breastfeeding. Lotus birth allows for a very special time indeed....it makes mummy rest and stops the 'pass the parcel' of the baby ( relatives usually aren't keen to handle bub and placenta). It is every woman's right to give birth where, how  and with whom they choose.   Now for the caregiver..........recently I waited 8 hours for a placenta, as the mother was choosing lotus birth, which means no synto, no cord clamp and NO fiddling with the fundus or cord. I can cope with this , can you?   On another note.....animals are smart, they eat the cord and placenta not only to ward off predators as Andrea said, but to replace all the goodies/nutrients they may have lost from the birth. It's interesting to note that when my guinea pigs give birth, if one of the babies has something wrong, or has died, the mother doesn't eat that cord and placenta. Aren't they just amazing how they 'know'!   Cheers Robyn Dempsey