Lotus birth: features, pros and cons - the opinion of a gynecologist, Tatyana Butskaya

Once we already told,. A year and a half ago such a service appeared only in some especially advanced maternity homes. And now lotus genera are becoming more popular. Our permanent expert Tatyana Butskaja, a pediatrician, a medical blogger and a fetal advocate, and her colleagues - obstetricians and gynecologists told us why this is not a good trend.Photo: GettyImages

Where does the roots grow from?

First, let's recall, so to speak, the background.Lotus birth came to us from the island of Bali. The placenta, mother and child are three links in a chain that cannot be broken. “Indonesians compare a child to a lotus flower, where the flower is the child itself, the stem is the umbilical cord, and the root is the placenta. The essence of lotus birth is waiting for the umbilical cord and placenta to come off on their own, which occurs within 3-12 days after birth. This is necessary so that the placenta can transfer all the vital energy and spirit to the child’s body,” says Victoria Soboleva, a doctor, obstetrician-gynecologist at the Snegirev Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic. It is believed that with this approach, the child will receive additional blood saturated with a huge amount of nutrients, iron and stem cells. The natives believe that this increases the baby's future intellectual abilities, provides him with good immunity, and activates the body's protective functions. "The placenta during lotus birth requires special storage and care to avoid infection," the doctor adds.

Continuous use or a hotbed of infection?

It all sounds great, authentic andattractive. But what is the danger? It is that the tissues of the umbilical cord and placenta after birth are very vulnerable to infection and its proliferation. In addition, they inevitably begin to rot. In fact, the child remains attached to a piece of dead, decaying flesh. Brrr... What kind of care should be taken to avoid this is unknown. Some sprinkle the placenta with coarse salt, some - with ice. And at the same time with perfumed additives to kill the smell of decay. But aesthetics - God bless her. It is scary that dangerous bacteria from the placenta and umbilical cord can enter the baby's bloodstream and cause severe sepsis - blood poisoning. Also, with the baby's first breath, an immediate restructuring of his circulatory system occurs. Now the baby breathes fully with his lungs, and the lumen of the umbilical cord vessels narrows and no longer serves to transport nutrients and oxygen. Therefore, there is simply no biological sense in maintaining such a long connection between the child and the umbilical cord and placenta.Photo: GettyImages

Back to the distant past

What do professionals think about this?Here's what. Obstetrician-gynecologist of the highest category Elena Kovalenko: "I am a strong opponent of lotus birth! There is no scientific evidence that this is good. The rules of septic system are violated, there is a high risk of infection. The flow of a large amount of blood into the child's body from the placenta is more dangerous than good! Jaundice, hemolytic disease and other complications can be more severe." Victoria Soboleva, Snegirev Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic: "Cutting the umbilical cord longer than a minute carries certain risks for the child's health. I believe that lotus birth is a very dangerous and not very pleasant sight. This is a return to the Mayan tribes and dancing with tambourines. We have enough cases when women, due to religious traditions, ask to give the placenta to the family for eating and performing a ritual ... "