Parents leave newborn baby's placenta attached until it drops off naturally
Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Vanessa Fisher's first birth wasn't what she expected, and she was disappointed by the whole hospital experience.
So when she fell pregnant with baby number two she knew she wanted to do something different, and after a lot of research found the perfect thing.
She decided she wanted everything to be completely natural, and set her heart on a lotus birth.
The unusual method, which has been heavily criticised by some medical experts, sees the new parents not cutting the umbilical cord and leaving the placenta attached to the newborn until it drops off naturally.
Many doctors warn against this procedure, stating there is a higher risk of infection. However Vanessa was determined to go ahead.
The next step was convincing her husband Nick.
(Image: Facebook)
Speaking to Mirror Online, she said: "In the beginning my husband was surprised by the idea, but supportive, nonetheless.
"Other family members were not fond of the idea.
"I think that the most reluctance stemmed from the fact that it was unfamiliar.
"I didn't find anyone's objections valid enough to reconsider my decision.
"Unorthodox is difficult for people to conceptualise, we are so accustomed to the limitations of western medicine, we stick to what we know without much consideration for the alternative.
"Their arguments included the placenta is definitely unattractive and the placenta being attached would require that they be even more careful with the baby."
So when little Ashton Nathaniel Fisher arrived earlier this month weighing 8lbs 8oz the process began.
(Image: Lane B Photography & Kim Hammond Photography)
To reduce the risk of infection they washed it, covered it in salt and herbs including lavender and rosemary.
Vanessa said: "In the days following his birth, Ashton's cord became very dry and brittle like a twig.
"On day five the cord snapped.
(Image: Vanessa Fisher)
"The placenta was separate and a portion of the cord remained connected to the naval.
"On day nine the remaining piece of the cord detached from the naval.
"The process was successful. It didn't cause any infection or discomfort to the baby.
"My son decided he wouldn't even hold the baby until the placenta was done away with.
"Whether the cord is cut or not it detaches naturally. An old saying "if it aint broke, don't fix it" comes to mind when i think of the lotus birth.
"There was absolutely no flaw in the way that God designed any part of the process from conception, to delivery, to breastfeeding.
(Image: Vanessa Fisher)
"None of the process requires prompting, all of it was beautifully orchestrated."
The couple decided to have a lotus birth very early into the pregnancy.
She said: "I found that there were mothers who left the cord attached for several minutes or hours after birth to allow for the placenta to stop pulsating.
"This would ensure that there was time for a full placental blood transfer to the baby. Taking that idea a step further was the lotus birth.
"The idea really resonated with me because I was already set on embracing a very natural approach to this pregnancy, and cutting out any unnecessary medical interference was important to me.
(Image: Lane B Photography & Kim Hammond Photography)
"It was very early in the pregnancy that we decided that this would be added to our birth plan.
"In my mind i imagine the baby spending ten months in the uterus only knowing his mother giving him life, his placenta offering him nourishment and the umbilical cord connecting him to both.
"After birth the baby is normally is taken from the womb and separated from his cord and placenta, a series of events that I imagine could be emotionally traumatic for baby.
"A reintroduction to mother externally cannot be avoided, but a gradual separation from the umbilical cord and placenta seems more emotionally considerate of baby.
"I believe that in the time that the cord is naturally detaching and the placenta is completing its job providing nutrients and blood to baby, baby has time to establish a new bond and dependency on the father."
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has released a statement warning of the potential dangers of lotus births.
Dr Patrick O'Brien said: "If left for a period of time after the birth, there is a risk of infection in the placenta which can consequently spread to the baby.
"The placenta is particularly prone to infection as it contains blood.
"Within a short time after birth, once the umbilical cord has stopped pulsating, the placenta has no circulation and is essentially dead tissue."
The organisation also recommended that any woman who wants to have a lotus birth has their baby monitored closely for any signs of infection.