What is optimal cord clamping?

  • Optimal Cord Clamping is the opposite of immediate Cord Clamping. Optimal clamping is what is optimal for each baby given their circumstances at birth.

  • Most babies have no complications at birth and the cord could be left until the cord has completed pulsation and baby has transitioned naturally to life outside the uterus.

  • For baby’s that are premature or are compromised at birth, it is essential that the cord is left for 60 secs and longer if bedside resuscitaire trolleys are available. Premature and compromised babies benefit most from optimal cord clamping. 

  • Immediate/Early cord clamping is a common intervention and routine global practice which research shows deprives the baby of approximately 30% (in premature babies approximately 50%) of their intended blood volume.

  • Research shows early clamping often causes iron deficiency anaemia which in turn impacts on neurological development and learning. 

  • The World Health Organisation estimates that 43% of all children under the age of 5 are iron deficient anaemic and the biggest cause is early clamping.

  • Anaemia impacts on a child’s short term and long term health. This is a huge public health concern.  Waiting for white can help alleviate anaemia in children around the world.

  • Early clamping also deprives your baby of over a million of stem cells which are the building blocks for life.

  • Immediate clamping has been performed for 50-60 years which means we are into second generation cord clamping.

  • Baby also loses 30% of their white cells which are used to fight and infection.

  • There isn’t and never has been any evidence to support the intervention of early clamping and we do not know the long or short term effects of  early cord clamping on babies or whether there is any accumulative effect of this intervention on future generations.