Optimal Cord Clamping

The International Childbirth Education Association recognizes that the first minutes after birth are crucial to both mother and newborn. Best care practices for the mother-baby dyad should include the following: optimal umbilical cord clamping, skin-to-skin contact and unlimited access to breastfeeding. ICEA agrees with the World Health Organization (WHO, 2014) that the optimal time to clamp the umbilical cord for all infants regardless of gestation age or fetal weight is when the circulation of the cord has ceased and the cord is pulseless. This practice is often called delayed cord clamping (DCC).