Not only that, but the lungs only have 30% of their circulatory capacity filled in utero because they don’t need their lungs then. If it needs 70% more blood in those lung blood vessels after birth, where does it come from if you cut the cord immediately? The increased blood volume in the lungs helps the “wetness” of the newborn lungs resolve more rapidly. Leave the cord intact and your baby will have stronger lungs earlier!!
Right on Penny! The evidence shows that the benefits of delayed cord clamping are even more remarkable in the preterm infant where up to one half of the baby’s blood volume can still be in the placenta at the time of birth!
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Isn’t Penny Simkin wonderful! I love her approach to teaching.
Not only that, but the lungs only have 30% of their circulatory capacity filled in utero because they don’t need their lungs then. If it needs 70% more blood in those lung blood vessels after birth, where does it come from if you cut the cord immediately? The increased blood volume in the lungs helps the “wetness” of the newborn lungs resolve more rapidly. Leave the cord intact and your baby will have stronger lungs earlier!!
Right on Penny! The evidence shows that the benefits of delayed cord clamping are even more remarkable in the preterm infant where up to one half of the baby’s blood volume can still be in the placenta at the time of birth!