Hospitals are cutting umbilical cords too soon

MANY babies are missing out on health benefits as their umbilical cords are cut too soon after birth, a new survey suggests.

NICE guidelines say the cord should be left for between one and five minutes after birth, to allow blood from the stem cell-rich placenta to transfer to the infant. The benefits include a higher number of red blood and immune cells at birth.

While 90 per cent of parents were aware of the benefits of the optimal time period, 40 per cent of babies had their cords cut less than a minute after birth, according to the survey by the Positive Birth Movement.