In a lotus birth, the umbilical cord is left uncut and attached to the baby until it naturally separates. This can take from three to ten days after a baby is born.
Lotus birth 101
While modern birth is often tidied up and sanitised, a lotus birth makes no bones about the very raw nature of birth, in its quest to ensure a baby’s first days in the world are as gentle and comfortingly connected as possible. And when we say connected, we truly do mean connected – to their placenta – as you can see!
Why would you slow this part of birth down and not simply cut the cord in the minutes after birth? There are a number of gains to be had with this approach, according to proponents of lotus birth.
Babies may be less likely to be passed around, meaning they’ll have a gentler first few days – and are also less exposed to possible infections carried by well-intentioned visitors.
Keeping mother and baby in a sort of limbo-like state between birth and postpartum life may help women recuperate and babies get used to life on the outside in calmer conditions. It sets a tone for quite times.
Some babies are more settled when they have their placenta (and mum) in close proximity.
While delayed cord clamping – where birth attendants wait for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before it’s clamped – definitely has its benefits, there’s no medical evidence to back up the benefits of lotus birth, as yet.
Careful management is vital
In a lotus birth, rather than cutting the cord, birth attendants wait for it to stop pulsating. Once the cord is white, the placenta is carefully washed and allowed to dry. It’s put in a special bag, on a clean cloth or towel or into a vessel (sometimes specially crafted and sometimes simply a bowl!) The placenta can then be covered with herbs, salt and/or lavender oil to keep it in peak condition (and avoid any weird smells!)
The placenta is tended to each day with fresh salt and herbs to help preserve and dry it out. Allowing air to circulate around the placenta stops it from breaking down.
It’s important to note that there are risks associated with lotus birth, especially if the placenta is not properly cared for. Bacteria can grow within the placenta and cause an infection in the attached baby, so vigilance is very important if you’re considering this option. The tension between a baby’s future belly-button and the weighty placenta can also cause problems.
Placenta pals
When all is well, the cord will separate naturally, often by the third or fourth day after birth.
The placenta can then be buried somewhere special and the baby is well and truly one of us!
The parents below did their research and then chose a lotus birth for their little ones. Scroll through to see the beautiful babies they created!
