I have had a lotus birth with all four of my children. This is something that is obviously not for everybody (nor do I know of very many other people who have actually done it) because it involves leaving the placenta and umbilical cord attached to the baby until it falls off on it’s own, which could take between 3-7 days.
I imagine this is why more people don’t have lotus births. After all, who wants to hang out with a gross looking organ for 3-7 days? That’s perfectly understandable.
But I actually like hanging out with a gross looking (but actually quite beautiful) organ for 3-7 days. And, other than that, having a lotus birth is really quite simple. All you have to do is NOT cut the cord. That's the single most important thing about having a lotus birth: JUST DON'T CUT THE CORD.
I guess I felt drawn to lotus birth because it seemed like a natural extension of how I was choosing to birth in the first place. I was birthing at home, with no interventions, and no outside influence or procedures. So, to bring a sharp pair of scissors into the space to cut the cord seemed a bit too harsh for me. (I know, I know, this all seems a little wacko when talking about it like this. I can see that. Please don’t hold that against me.)
Yet having a lotus birth felt like the most natural thing for me. To just let the umbilical cord fall off on its own accord, when it was ready. That felt right.
I imagine this is why more people don’t have lotus births. After all, who wants to hang out with a gross looking organ for 3-7 days? That’s perfectly understandable.
But I actually like hanging out with a gross looking (but actually quite beautiful) organ for 3-7 days. And, other than that, having a lotus birth is really quite simple. All you have to do is NOT cut the cord. That's the single most important thing about having a lotus birth: JUST DON'T CUT THE CORD.
I guess I felt drawn to lotus birth because it seemed like a natural extension of how I was choosing to birth in the first place. I was birthing at home, with no interventions, and no outside influence or procedures. So, to bring a sharp pair of scissors into the space to cut the cord seemed a bit too harsh for me. (I know, I know, this all seems a little wacko when talking about it like this. I can see that. Please don’t hold that against me.)
Yet having a lotus birth felt like the most natural thing for me. To just let the umbilical cord fall off on its own accord, when it was ready. That felt right.
I also saw the natural separation of the cord as a way to honor the transition for the baby from the womb to the world. It was the baby’s way of letting go and embracing the world.
This is how long it took each of my babies to let go of their placentas:
Ocean = 5 days, 22 hours, 25 minutes
Ezra = 4 days, 16 hours, 4 minutes
Peace = 3 days, 15 hours, 52 minutes
Solomon = 5 days, 10 hours, 21 minutes
I used to think that the amount of time it took to release their cords might reflect the personalities they would go on to have. Like, the faster they let it go, the more independent they would be in nature. I don’t think that’s the case though. Other factors that could determine the speed at which it is released could be the humidity in the air (which would slow down the process), and the activity and movement that the placenta and baby get.
One thing that I’ve noticed with my babies, after they release their cords, is that they have perfect little belly buttons right away. When cords are cut after birth, it takes 1-2 weeks for the stump to fall off, and another 1-2 weeks after that for the area to heal completely and create a belly button, so this is a considerable amount of time sooner than that.
There are a handful of things you can do with the placenta as you wait for it to separate. We laid ours out on a chux pad that was leftover from our birth supplies, covered it with sea salt, rosemary and lavender, and then wrapped it in the chux pad, taped it up, and tucked it alongside baby. We would change this a 2-3 times a day, and it would dry out (from the salt) along the way. Some people let it drain in a colander for the first 24 hours and then put it in a placenta bag (and yes, there are places you can actually buy such a placenta bag). Some people just put it in a bowl or and out on a cloth and leave it there until it separates.
This is how long it took each of my babies to let go of their placentas:
Ocean = 5 days, 22 hours, 25 minutes
Ezra = 4 days, 16 hours, 4 minutes
Peace = 3 days, 15 hours, 52 minutes
Solomon = 5 days, 10 hours, 21 minutes
I used to think that the amount of time it took to release their cords might reflect the personalities they would go on to have. Like, the faster they let it go, the more independent they would be in nature. I don’t think that’s the case though. Other factors that could determine the speed at which it is released could be the humidity in the air (which would slow down the process), and the activity and movement that the placenta and baby get.
One thing that I’ve noticed with my babies, after they release their cords, is that they have perfect little belly buttons right away. When cords are cut after birth, it takes 1-2 weeks for the stump to fall off, and another 1-2 weeks after that for the area to heal completely and create a belly button, so this is a considerable amount of time sooner than that.
There are a handful of things you can do with the placenta as you wait for it to separate. We laid ours out on a chux pad that was leftover from our birth supplies, covered it with sea salt, rosemary and lavender, and then wrapped it in the chux pad, taped it up, and tucked it alongside baby. We would change this a 2-3 times a day, and it would dry out (from the salt) along the way. Some people let it drain in a colander for the first 24 hours and then put it in a placenta bag (and yes, there are places you can actually buy such a placenta bag). Some people just put it in a bowl or and out on a cloth and leave it there until it separates.
Of course, there are benefits that have been touted (none of which I think can be scientifically proven, mind you) about lotus birth: the baby gets the full amount of placental / cord blood, a cleaner wound is created at the umbilical site so infection is less likely, and it produces calmer and more peaceful babies. But one benefit that can be proven is how a lotus birth promotes rest and bonding. Face it, there’s no easy way to move around with baby still attached to the placenta. Having a lotus birth encourages the mother to rest, to remain close to baby, and to bond and create intimacy with baby.
"We need to relearn what a birth can be like when it is not disturbed by the cultural milieu. We need a reference point from which we should try not to deviate too much. Lotus Birth is such a reference point." Michel Odent
Again, I recognize that lotus birth is certainly not for everybody, or for many. But it is a wonderful consideration for those of you who, like me, are drawn to it.
Happy birthing!
P.S. If you’re interested in learning even more about lotus birth, you could check out this book, and the Q&A at this website.
"We need to relearn what a birth can be like when it is not disturbed by the cultural milieu. We need a reference point from which we should try not to deviate too much. Lotus Birth is such a reference point." Michel Odent
Again, I recognize that lotus birth is certainly not for everybody, or for many. But it is a wonderful consideration for those of you who, like me, are drawn to it.
Happy birthing!
P.S. If you’re interested in learning even more about lotus birth, you could check out this book, and the Q&A at this website.
