Lotus birth

[Need2read]

Know anything about Lotus birth, or have you done it before? I just learned about it in my labor Doula course by chance and it was fascinating to me. Just curious!!!

[Tiffany]

Moving this thread to the General Doula Discussion, since this isn't Pregnancy or Birth News.

[Kim Trower]

Well, it's basically not cutting the cord. You leave it ALL attached which includes placenta and carry it around with baby until it (cord) falls off naturally. Most lotus births then include some kind of ceremony, planting the placenta by a tree etc.
The placenta is cared for and "preserved" in a special manner..otherwise it would be pretty stinky.

[tlcdoula]

I would be curious to know how a hospital would handle a lotus birth? I would think that they wouldn't be too keen on the idea because the placenta would be considered "contaminated" just as the baby is until bathed. Anyone ever done a lotus birth in the hospital?

[DL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlcdoula I would be curious to know how a hospital would handle a lotus birth? I would think that they wouldn't be too keen on the idea because the placenta would be considered "contaminated" just as the baby is until bathed. Anyone ever done a lotus birth in the hospital?

I think you're right, Michelle. I would actually be very surprised to hear that a hospital allowed it. I think it's mostly homebirthers who would choose to do Lotus birthing.

[Tiffany]

I know in Ontario you cannot drive with the placenta. I think it's considered transporting a human organ or something. When I had my homebirth my midwife helped my DH wrap the placenta in plastic and freeze it until spring so we could bury it. You can't throw it in the garbage either.

[Kim Trower]

In Las Vegas we have a woman who processes placentas and capsulizes them to the mom can take them postpartum and/or save them for when her cycle returns. I have been at a few births that the mom has chosen to do this and the hospital raises an eyebrow or 2 ha ha...but they put it in a ziploc bag and let her come right in and take it away in her cooler. I have not attended a birth where mom wanted a Lotus birth but it is within her rights to have whatever is hers...and the placenta is hers..so she would probably have to sign all kinds of waivers but if she wanted to it would be her right.

[Kalamazoo Doula]

Do you tie off the cord, or not? (sorry if this is a silly question) I think that this is a really neat thing!

[tlcdoula]

I don't think they tie off the cord. I think it is left as is.

[Kim Trower]

In a lotus birth...no tie off of the cord happens.

[Need2read]

I was just interested in this because in cases of cutting the cord it takes longer to heal, but by having a lotus birth the healing is much faster and of course NATURAL! hehe

[Kalamazoo Doula]

The reason I ask about the cord being tied off is b/c I was at a CBE class with a client this past summer, and the nurse who was teaching the class was talking about what to do just in case you don't make it to the hospital, and you have the baby in the car. She had stressed very hard about making sure that they tie off the cord with a clean string, because the baby will bleed to death if this is not done!

A big alarm went off in my head! She had taught other subjects ass backwards. But I did not want to start with her or it would of ended up in a LOL I also did not want to look like I was using the class as a forum for my

Then I knew why the census at this particular hospital was very low for births! Most people who live in this particular city usually drive over to Kalamazoo and deliver in one of our hospitals! I was not at all impressed with the hospital.

[DL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalamazoo Doula "...at a CBE class with a client this past summer, and the nurse who was teaching the class was talking about what to do just in case you don't make it to the hospital, and you have the baby in the car. She had stressed very hard about making sure that they tie off the cord with a clean string, because the baby will bleed to death if this is not done!

How absurd!!!!! I bet it was mighty hard for you to bite your tongue on that one ; I know it would've been for me! Goodness sakes.... I watched an interesting 1960's police training film on "emergency childbirth" on the Internet months ago (if I can find it, I'll post it). Has anyone else here seen it? On the film, the policeman did tie the cord; however....when they got to the hospital, the Dr. advised them that it would be better to NOT tie it off and to leave everything attached (in this case, until they got to the hospital to have it done, of course). I found it interesting to watch, but gosh.....even back then the message that it was OK not to tie and cut right away was just fine! That nurse needs to pick up a few books and READ them! It's scary to think of what other totally absurd childbirth beliefs she may have...and then teaches!

[tlcdoula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doula_Lori [ I watched an interesting 1960's police training film on "emergency childbirth" on the Internet months ago (if I can find it, I'll post it). Has anyone else here seen it? On the film, the policeman did tie the cord; however....when they got to the hospital, the Dr. advised them that it would be better to NOT tie it off and to leave everything attached (in this case, until they got to the hospital to have it done, of course).

Did you notice when you watched that movie that the mom was shaved? I thought that was funny because you would think if they were making a movie about an emergency birth they would have left mom alone in that area LOLOL

[DL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlcdoula Did you notice when you watched that movie that the mom was shaved? I thought that was funny because you would think if they were making a movie about an emergency birth they would have left mom alone in that area LOLOL

No, I don't remember that....but I'm not surprised! That IS funny!!!! Hey Michelle, do you remember where we saw that movie? It must've been posted on the CAPPAinfo group a while back.