Some days are like that…
Been away from the blog too long! But I haven’t been snoozing…
Science & Sensibility just put up a post of mine about delayed cord clamping (DCC)–i.e., the practice of waiting 2 or 3 minutes after birth before clamping the umbilical cord.
It’s hard to believe that it’s so difficult to get maternity care providers to sign on to DCC (versus immediate cord clamping, or ICC) in uncomplicated vaginal births. The benefits of DCC–better iron stores for babies, improved cardiovascular transition from fetal life to babyhood, and a big dose of stem cells–are well known, and there’s no evidence that ICC is beneficial to anyone. Still, tradition is a hard habit to break, especially when it comes to medical practice.
So skip on over to S&S and have a read!
Mark Sloan M.D. 
Glad you’re back! I’m lucky to work in a practice where DCC is the norm!
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Thank you, Dr. Sloan for this contribution to Science & Sensibility. The response has been wonderful. This is something that both consumers and birth professionals can both use to facilitate discussions in the classroom, at the bedside, at prenatals and with providers. I really appreciate it.
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You’re welcome, Sharon. It’s my pleasure!
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There were no questions asked when I requested DCC for my son a few weeks ago at Kaiser San Jose. Actually, the whole team was very open-minded throughout the process of labor and delivery. Go Kaiser!
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Glad to hear that. I’m at Kaiser Santa Rosa…ditto! It’s very different in other places around the country, from what I’ve heard from readers. But things are improving. I know I hadn’t heard of anyone doing DCC until the last few years, but then I only got called to emergency births, so my “sample” is admittedly skewed toward intervention.
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