History of Cord Clamping in the UK

xmidwifewannabex · Jan 17, 2012

BossDog said: ↑

My 1975 copy of Myles discusses whether or not the cord should be clamped and doesn't appear to recommend either although it does finsih by saying that early clamping reduces exposure of the wet infant. There is also mention ofsprayning the cord with polybactrin spray although I don't know what that is!!

If you want to go right back though, The Midwives Book by Jane Sharp was the first published midwifery text by a midwife (as opposed to how physicians thought midwives should practice) which was published in 1671 and is available as a replica reprint. Book IV Chapter IV discusses "When and how to cut off a childs navel-string and what is the consequent thereof".... she believed that cutting the cord kept the blood and spirit in the child, and should be performed asap after birth. If the baby is weak, she says to squeeze some blood from the cord towards the navel before cutting and then squeezing some drops of blood from the cut cord into the baby's mouth!! The cord should be cut four fingers from the navel although some believed the length of the remaining cord affected the baby's later life. She also includes some myths etc for things to do with the cord after cutting.

It's a fascinating book and really useful for essays, I love it!!

The Midwives Book Or The Whole Art Of Midwifry Discovered: Amazon.co.uk: Jane Sharp, Elaine Hobby: 9780195086539: Books

This is brilliant! Thank you, you have been very helpful x

BossDog · Jan 17, 2012

No problem! xx

purple80 · Feb 22, 2012

I love that Darwin quote! It just seems mad that they were aware of the detriments of immediate cord clamping over 200 years ago yet 'we' (well not me if I can help it!) continue to practice this.
The AIMS - Birthing your Placenta book has a bit about history at the beginning although it is mostly focused on active management of third stage rather than timing of cord clamping directly, but there might be something useful to you there. Either way it's a great book!

xmidwifewannabex · Feb 22, 2012

Hello!

Thank you for your reply
I have used the Darwin quote and I also have the AIMS booklet which is great

Thank you x

Iris · Feb 22, 2012

Koalagrrry said: ↑

Pretty sure theres reference to the St Kilda inhaitants maybe using horse-hair rope to tie off the umbilical cord, and applying fulmar oil to aid healing- though thats not definitive, as the island midwives were extremely secretive about their practices and the one 'outside' midwife only lasted 7 years or so because she was regarded with such suspicion....even though none of the babies she looked after died of tetanus!

I was going to say st kilda's would deffo be worth a mention, there was definite some involvement of seagulls in there, as in oil from them or summat to treatr the umbilicalal cord stump and it is thought this is why the infant mortality rate was so high, I rememebr reading an aryticle in tpm a few years back, a database search should bring this reference up for you.
For my diss I'm finding it fairly easy to find historical articles through scopus

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History of Cord Clamping in the UK

xmidwifewannabex Member

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Iris Crazy person

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