Sometimes people tell lies.
It could be that they don't know the truth, so they make up what they think is true, or they just tell lies because it benefits them to do so.
Have you ever been with a client, or even to a medical practitioner yourself and they tell you something that you KNOW is not true? You're looking at them, scratching your head, wondering if they got their medical degree out of a cracker jack box?!
Here is an example: I cannot tell you how many times I've been to a birth or a prenatal with a client and their OB says to them: "If we don't clamp and cut the cord immediately, the baby's heart will pump all its blood back into the placenta and your baby will DIE!" with emphasis.... Now we all know that is not true. That is not evidence based, and it's not even logical!
First of all, in case you didn't know, there are no other mammals who clamp and cut their baby's cord. In fact, most other mammals cut their baby's cords by biting it, and often they eat their own placentas in the process. Sometimes they snap off - but if you watch those births, somehow the blood is not rushing and gushing like what happens with humans when their cords snap. WHY? It was designed that way. We all have survival mechanisms built into our individual species' birthing processes. Otherwise, without it, how would the world be populated by "man and beast"??? And it has only been in the past 60-70 years that clamping the cord before the placenta was born, was even a "thing". Before that, we didn't disconnect the baby from the cord and placenta until it was also born, and we knew they were both done doing their jobs (and how do you know? cause the placenta is now on the OUTSIDE of the birthing person - pretty clear evidence of it being done - *grin*).
Either way, it is detrimental to both baby and parent, to disconnect them prematurely. There is a process at work. Let it do its thing.
To proclaim that the baby will die if you DON'T clamp and cut the cord is not the truth. Plain and simple - even if there are very rare exceptions where you must do so in order to deal with some complication which is happening. To tell all moms that and to create protocol around that myth is foolishness.
And it requires us to put that practitioner into 1 of 2 categories:
Are you actually ignorant of the biological function of the cord and placenta at birth?
or
Are you scaring/manipulating this person to get them to go along with what you want?
Are either of those practitioners safe? Foundationally, no.
Whenever you hear a medical person telling you that your baby will die if you don't follow their instructions, PLEASE stop them right there, recognize that this is a bullying tactic and there is more to the story than what they are telling you. If you're feeling strong, you can tell them so - because how else will they ever learn to stop if their patients don't make it known that they won't put up with this BS anymore...?
Thank them for their time, and then get the heck outta there so you can go do the research you need to do (check Evidence Based Birth, ask your doula for resources, heck, even GOOGLING is better than being coerced under false pretenses, into a big decision regarding your body and baby) and find out what on earth is the whole truth.
NEVER STOP SEEKING THE TRUTH.
It doesn't stop at birth. It also follows into other parenting and societal decision making. For your own sake and that of your children.
Light reveals truth.
Shed light on anything and the lies will scatter and the truth will be easy to see.
Warmest Blessings,
Anne
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