Lotus birth is the practice of leaving the umbilical cord uncut after childbirth so that the baby is left attached to the placenta until the cord naturally separates at the umbilicus. This usually occurs within 3–10 days after birth. The practice is performed mainly for spiritual purposes of the parents, including for the perceived spiritual connection between placenta and newborn. As of December 2008, no evidence exists to support any medical benefits for the baby. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has warned about the risks of infection as the decomposing placenta tissue becomes a nest for infectious bacteria such as Staphylococcus. In one such case a 20-hour old baby whose parents chose the ritual of UCNS was brought to hospital in agonal state, was diagnosed with sepsis and required 6-weeks long antibiotic treatment. On June 7, 2020, Sydney Morning Herald reported that a baby in Melbourne "died from sepsis, in the setting of a lotus birth" only 1 day after birth.
History
Although recently arisen as an alternative birth phenomenon in the West, super-delayed umbilical severance is common in home births. Umbilical nonseverance has been recorded in a number of cultures including that of the Balinese and of some aboriginal peoples such as the !Kung. Early American pioneers, in written diaries and letters, reported practicing nonseverance of the umbilicus as a preventative measure, as they believed it protected the infant from an open wound infection.
Modern practice
In the 1980s, yoga practitioners brought the idea to the United States and Australia, with the "lotus birth moniker, creating a link between the preciousness of the placenta and the high esteem in which the lotus is held in the Hindu and Buddhist faiths". Yoga master and midwifeJeannine Parvati Baker was the main advocate for the practice in the United States. The practice spread to Australia by a midwife, Shivam Rachana, founder of the International College of Spiritual Midwifery and author of the book Lotus Birth. In the full lotus birth clinical protocol, the umbilical cord, which is attached to the baby's navel and placenta, is not clamped nor cut. The baby is immediately placed on the mother's belly/chest or kept in close proximity to the mother in cases when medically necessary procedures such as resuscitation may be needed. Lotus birth, after the placenta is born vaginally or via cesarean section. Following birth, the placenta is simply put in a bowl or quickly wrapped in absorbent toweling and placed near the mother-baby. Caregivers step back to allow for undisturbed maternal-child bonding to occur as the primary event for an hour or more. It is only after this initial intense bonding period that the placenta is managed by rinsing, drying, applying preservatives, and positioning it in a way that allows for plentiful air circulation and proximity to the baby. Organs that are separated from their blood supply begin to rot within minutes, and the placenta is prone to infection. Over time, the cord dries and detaches from the baby's belly. This generally occurs 3–10 days postpartum. This practice requires the mother and baby to be home bound as they wait for the decomposing flesh of the placenta and umbilical cord to dry and separate from the baby.
Spiritual
Relation to nature
In the animal world, placenta is usually consumed by mother. e.g. placentophagy. There are observations that primates are keeping placenta attached to their newborns for longer period. Primatologist Jane Goodall, who was the first person to conduct long-term studies of chimpanzees in the wild, reported that they did not chew or cut their offspring's cords, instead leaving the umbilicus intact, like many other monkeys. Other researchers report, that chimpanzees consume placentas after birth. Though other mammals may sever their offspring's cords, they only do so after initial maternal sensory reception, unwinding of the cord, massage/cleaning, and initiation of nursing. This has been observed to involve at least one hour, if left undisturbed.
Energy
Pseudo-scientific proponents of lotus births view the baby and the placenta as one on a cellular level, as they are from the same source, the egg and sperm conceptus. They also assert that the newborn and the placenta exist within the same quantum field, thus influencing various expressions of quantum mechanics that influence health. They claim transfers of energy & cellular information continue to take place, moving gradually from the tissue of the placenta to the baby during the drying process. Scientists challenge this claim of a metaphysical dimension related to quantum mechanics.
Medicine
Lotus births are an extremely rare practice in hospitals.
Risks
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has stated, "If left for a period of time after the birth, there is a risk of infection in the placenta which can consequently spread to the baby. The placenta is particularly prone to infection as it contains blood. At the post-delivery stage, it has no circulation and is essentially dead tissue," and the RCOG strongly recommends that any baby that undergoes lotus birthing be monitored closely for infection. Other risks include Jaundice caused by abnormally high bilirubin and Polycythemia, which is an abnormally high percentage of red blood cells in circulation Currently, there are no statistics which show how many woman choose lotus birth. Case descriptions about adverse medical conditions related to this praxis are emerging, indicating severity of potential complications
