Umbilical Cord Burning Will Add Some Sizzle To Your Birthing Chamber

Are you looking for a way to be unique? Not just unique but the absolute uniquest? What I’m asking is do you want to out-crunchify and out-speshul all of your mom friends? Do you love the smell of burning flesh and the idea of an open flame near your newborn?

If you answered yes, then I have got some spectacular news for you: you can now hop on the “cord burning” bandwagon and be the envy of all your passe lotus-birthing friends and delayed-clamping friends.

According to corburning.com, the process is super simple and can be done in only seven easy steps:

First we position the baby next to the mom preferably on its side. The burn box is placed lengthwise next to the baby and the umbilical cord is placed over the notches on the box.

 

Next, the candles are lit and placed over the other notches and the flame is under the cord. I use this time to explain to the baby what we are doing. If he is not nursing I usually find he is very alert during the process.

 

Then we wait. There is sizzling, and a little smoke (deactivate any smoke detectors in very close range). There will be a ”pop” at some point when the blood gasses escape, this is normal and only happens once. Even with the warning it is sometimes startling and usually puts the candles out.

 

The candles sometimes need to be relit as they go out with little bits of fluid that escape as the cord is burning. Within about 10 minutes then entire process is done and the cord detaches.

I’ll spare you the rest, which is all boring stuff about gauze and shriveled black umbilical stumps. All you really need to know is that a) cord burning is totally awesome and why aren’t you already doing this? and b) that you can purchase your very own ceremonial cord clamping box from that very website starting at only $30! What are you even waiting for?

Joseph Kassal, who is an ND – or Naturopathic Doctor, as opposed to a Doctor Doctor – has this to say on the benefits of filling your birthing chamber with the sound of sizzling flesh:

”By heating the cord and driving the last of the blood through there you are giving a profoundly tonic treatment for the baby who has just run a marathon”¦. Cord burning reduces the risk of bleeding and entry of infections. You are warming digestion which will reduce the tendency for jaundice, besides just creating a strong baby which means a good nurser.”

Is there really anything else you need to know besides that? I mean except for the fact that jaundice isn’t caused by chilly tummies or that the umbilical cord doesn’t actually lead to the stomach?

In all seriousness, cord burning will basically cauterize the umbilical cord, but that’s about it. On the plus side, unless you accidentally burn your baby it doesn’t seem too risky, and at the end of it you have a cool box that you can stash snacks in for when visitors come over.

(Image: Phom Promwisate /Shutterstock)