Cord Blood Is Biological Treasure, So Don’t Rush the Cutting

In the image above, every last drop of cord blood has been delivered to the baby as it was designed to do.

But that’s not what usually happens. In most hospitals, the cord is clamped and cut within seconds of the baby’s first cry.

They may have told you the umbilical cord and placenta were “medical waste” or that early cord clamping was “best practice”.

Perhaps they told you stem cells were something you needed to bank for thousands of dollars out of your pocket —instead of just letting your baby receive what was already theirs.

What was in that cord?

According to Science, Essential Cord Blood Holds:

• Approximately 30% of your baby’s total blood volume (PubMed source)

• More hemoglobin and better hematocrit levels preventing anemia, yielding more oxygen and protection for the brain (PubMed study) 

• Immune cells from Mother designed to seed your baby’s entire microbiome and to prevent infection (PubMed study)

• More STEM CELLS to build and repair tissue and organs (PubMed source)

We’re talking about the difference between:
– anemia or strength
– inflammation or immune balance
– struggling organs or a supported transition into life

Most placental transfusion finishes within the first 3-5 minutes after birth, especially if you wait until the cord stops pulsing or turns white. That’s the sign it’s fully done its job. (source)(source)

This Is Clearly Backed By Peer-reviewed Science:

A randomized trial showed 1 minute of delayed clamping significantly increased CD34⁺ stem cells and reduced anemia. This one found that waiting 1 minute yielded higher hemoglobin, more stem cells, and better hematocrit levels. A Cleveland Clinic trial showed 120 seconds of delay improved cardiac output and oxygenation.

A Swedish study found that children who had received full cord transfusions (3+ min delay) had better fine motor and social development at age 4.

Cord milking and extended delays past 3 minutes can offer additional stem cells, oxygen, and special protection for preemies and high-risk births (source). We know delayed cod clamping saves the lives of many preemies.

So if you’ve ever heard someone laugh at the idea of waiting 5-10 minutes, just remember this:

There’s no harm in waiting… and your baby has everything to gain.

So let the cord go white. Let the transfusion finish. Every birth is different. The cord will show you.

You only get one chance.

This isn’t waste. It’s a biological treasure.

For reference, THIS is what the cord looks like before it’s finished.

This cord is still loaded with blood, stem cells, oxygen, and vital nutrients meant for the baby. But this is exactly when they usually clamp it – too early.

The baby hasn’t received all of their blood yet. The transfer is still happening. Cutting it now is like stopping a blood transfusion halfway through.

It’s not about being controlling or “crunchy.”

It’s about honoring God’s beautiful design… and protecting what was always meant for our babies.

Why Is It Now Routine to Cut the Cord Early? Is There a Darker Truth?

1. That cord blood is worth thousands on the market. The cord blood banking industry is just over $45 billion –up from $18 billion in 2020. Part of this growth is explained by the plethora of research into treating a myriad of conditions. (source)

2. The placenta is sold for big bucks for stem cell research, vaccine development, skincare, cosmetics, and Big Pharma products.

3. Entire biotech companies are built on the supposition (and practice) that your baby’s leftovers are “medical waste”. “These stem cells are already in the umbilicus and placenta and unless donated or privately banked, are unnecessarily discarded as medical waste.” (source)

4. The parents are left in the dark, while behind the scenes, someone else cashes in (the hospital). Some states have come up with decisive policies—in Indiana, for example, placentas are legally considered “medical waste,” along with catheters, tubes of blood, and “grossly spoiled disposables,” so it’s illegal for women to take them home postpartum. In Oregon and Hawaii, women are legally guaranteed the right to take home their placentas, thanks to recent legislation.

In states like Texas, where one couple stole their placenta away on ice, hospitals have a reputation for being hostile toward women who ask to take home their placentas. “As crunchy as Austin is, all of their hospitals require court orders,” says Carrie Ahr, a placenta encapsulator in central Texas. “Dallas is really bad.”

The system was built this way.

It Is YOUR Birth Plan!

Yes, you tell the doctor or midwife and doula ahead of time. You make it part of your birth plan.

You could say: “I want full physiological cord completion. Do not clamp the cord until it has turned completely white and stopped pulsing.”

If they act dismissive or resistant, that’s a red flag. You have the right to refuse early clamping.

And if you’re birthing in a hospital, have your support person or doula advocate for this on your behalf. Sometimes they try to rush or sneak it in, so having someone there to advocate for you is huge. Stand firm.

It’s the way Almighty God designed birth – and it’s been done this way for thousands of years. Only recently have they interfered and called it “standard.”

But our babies deserve better.

They deserve to start life fully equipped, fully nourished, and fully whole.

But once you see it…

You can’t unsee it.

One mother wrote,

“I wish I had known about this sooner. My first two were clamped/cut right away but with my last two we waited roughly 30 minutes. I told them I wanted to wait 30 minutes or so before cutting the cord, then told them I wanted to take photos with it attached and everyone was really nice about it.”

Excerpts from Dr. Jodi Shabazz’s Facebook post.

“Thousands of years before scientists understood the complex and extraordinary life-sustaining properties of blood, the Bible informed that “the life of every creature is in its blood” (Leviticus 17:14, NLT). In ancient writing, blood was not only a metaphor or symbol for life; it was equivalent to life itself.” Read more here.

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