Delayed Cord Clamping: What We’re Still Getting Wrong

People argue how many minutes we should wait before clamping the umbilical cord after birth, but we overlook something really important there.. Let’s dig in to really understand the topic.

What’s happening in the cord?

The umbilical cord typically contains two arteries and one vein. Once the arteries are clamped, they close quickly — usually within 25 to 45 seconds — so blood doesn’t flow back into the placenta. But the vein carries roughly 40 ml of blood that can still reach the baby after birth.

How long does that transfer take? Studies show that even waiting until pulsation fully stops — around 5 to 7 minutes — doesn’t completely halt blood flow. And this blood matters: it’s rich in stem cells and other vital components that support your newborn’s health from the very first moments.

More Than Blood: The Oxytocin Window

Immediate cord clamping doesn’t just interrupt blood flow — it can disrupt something equally profound: the first moments between a birthing person and their baby.

The surge of oxytocin that follows birth is unlike anything else the human body produces. For it to work fully, the birthing person needs to be in close physical contact with their newborn — feeling, smelling, touching, and looking at them. This contact supports both the release of the placenta and the deep bonding process that begins in those first minutes.

Oxytocin isn’t just the “love hormone.” It’s also what helps the placenta detach. Disrupting that window matters.

Michel Odent’s story from the Philippines

Dr. Michel Odent — who was one of the most influential voices in birth physiology — shared this at a doula workshop in Amsterdam I’ve attended:

In many developing countries, ccongenital tetanus is a common cause of death. The question is: how can we prevent it? The common suggestion was to vaccinate the mother. I suggested a different approach — I advised to stop the immediate umbilical cord clamping. If one waits 2–3 hours, the cord could eventually be cut even with a dirty knife. I wanted to remind all that the clamping of the umbilical cord is a medical ritual, not a necessary procedure. My proposal was published in the “Lancet” — a respectable medical journal. For years it seemed to me as no one had read that article.

The Lancet journal was mostly read in the West, where we do not see much of such diseases. And on the other hand, the specialists who practice in developing countries do not have access to the Lancet journal. However, one day I met a midwife who worked in a very poor region in the Philippines. We met in the US; she thanked me for the article and the publication. She and her colleagues stopped the immediate cord clamping in their practice, and had never had a case of tetanus since.

So when should the cord be clamped?

Simply put: when you choose!

Left alone, the cord dries and detaches naturally on its own. For the greatest physiological benefit, waiting at least 5–7 minutes — or until after the placenta is born — is well supported by research. Some families choose to leave the cord intact entirely. There is no single right answer, only an informed one.

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