According to research published at the British Medical Journal, waiting at least three minutes before clamping the umbilical cord in healthy newborns boosts iron levels, has no adverse effects and should be standard practice after uncomplicated pregnancies.
Iron deficiency and anemia pose risks to young children world and can affect growth.
Swedish researchers compared 400 full term infants born after low-risk pregnancies, some of which had their umbilical cords clamped after at least three minutes, others less than ten seconds following delivery.
At four months old, those babies with delayed clamping showed better iron levels and fewer cases of neonatal anemia, with one in every 20 babies avoiding anemia.
If you are due to give birth soon, it might be worth bringing up this research with your obstetrician or midwife.
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