Topic
Lotus birth
About: Lotus birth is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 20 publications have been published within this topic receiving 104 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: Analysis of in-depth interviews with pregnant and planning home births in Australia indicates that the discursive shift taking place in home-birth practices from the medicalized model translates into a richer understanding and appreciation of the placenta as a spiritual component of the childbirth experience.
Abstract: The discursive construction of the human placenta varies greatly between hospital and home-birthing contexts. The former, driven by medicolegal discourse, defines the placenta as clinical waste. Within this framework, the placenta is as much of an afterthought as it is considered the "afterbirth." In home-birth practices, the placenta is constructed as a "special" and meaningful element of the childbirth experience. I demonstrate this using 51 in-depth interviews with women who were pregnant and planning home births in Australia or had recently had home births in Australia. Analysis of these interviews indicates that the discursive shift taking place in home-birth practices from the medicalized model translates into a richer understanding and appreciation of the placenta as a spiritual component of the childbirth experience. The practices discussed in this article include the burial of the placenta beneath a specifically chosen plant, consuming the placenta, and having a lotus birth, which refers to not cutting the umbilical cord after the birth of the child but allowing it to dry naturally and break of its own accord. By shifting focus away from the medicalized frames of reference in relation to the third stage of labor, the home-birthing women in this study have used the placenta in various rituals and ceremonies to spiritualize an aspect of birth that is usually overlooked.
39 citations
TL;DR: The first case of a newborn with complicated LB delivery, where the baby had persistent jaundice caused by idiopathic neonatal hepatitis that spontaneously recovered after the first months of life is described.
Abstract: “Lotus Birth” (LB) is a holistic practice in which the umbilical cord is not cut after birth. Drying and mummification of the umbilical cord usually leads to detachment from the baby’s navel a few days after birth. The UK Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2013 warned of the potential risks of LB practice. It is unknown whether LB practice can increase the risks of the postpartum period or can lead to neonatal complications. Infections could spread to the baby, because at the postdelivery stage, the placenta has no circulation and is especially prone to infection. We describe the first case of a newborn with complicated LB delivery. The baby had persistent jaundice caused by idiopathic neonatal hepatitis that spontaneously recovered after the first months of life.
19 citations
TL;DR: The aim of this case report is to discuss and learn a different approach in the third stage of labour, which might lead to an optimisation of the bonding and attachment in the areas of late cord clamping (PCC) and Lotus birth.
17 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Although the authors have no written records of cultures which leave the cord uncut, many traditional peoples hold the placenta in high esteem and bury it ritually on the ancestral marae or after death to ensure physical integrity in the next life.
Abstract: Although we have no written records of cultures which leave the cord uncut, many traditional peoples hold the placenta in high esteem. For example, Maori people from New Zealand bury the placenta ritually on the ancestral marae, and the Hmong, a hill tribe from South East Asia, believe that the placenta must be retrieved after death to ensure physical integrity in the next life: a Hmong baby's placenta is buried inside the house of its birth.
12 citations
TL;DR: It is speculated that lotus birth, an atypical birthing practice, may have contributed to the development of this infection of Staphylococcus lugdunensis, causing endocarditis in a neonate.
Abstract: A term newborn, who underwent lotus birth, developed Staphylococcus lugdunensis sepsis and endocarditis on the 1st day of life. This case reports an uncommon pathogen known to cause destructive endocarditis in the adult and paediatric populations, causing endocarditis in a neonate. We speculate that lotus birth, an atypical birthing practice, may have contributed to the development of this infection.
11 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |