My most recent client has a lotus birth. It is a variation of the third stage, where you keep the placenta attached until it separates naturally. She is rubbing rosemary into the placenta to help dry and preserve it.
My own preference on this is actually to let it dry naturally with no treatment. A client who lotus birthed last week in intense heat didn’t treat it at all and it didn’t smell as is commonly thought. Anecdotally the placenta and cord seem to detach a little earlier if not treated with anything. As a spiritual venture it is an amazing journey with your newborn as they come into themselves.
Practically speaking it is not what ancients would have done, as most other mammals eat their placenta it is common sense that we would have done the same. It is excellent if bleeding occurs postpartum because of it’s hormonal property and cut into small pills or ground into pulp for the capsules it can sort out post natal depression better than prozac.
But for those who find placentaphagia a little disconcerting lotus is a perfect way to come gently into being for mother and child.
Over the first 24 hours the cords become dry and brittle. As soon as it is dry to the placenta it will come away between day 4 and 7.
These pictures show a twin birth at home with lotus placentae that were fused.
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Oh my goddess. Wow, this is an amazing blog entry. I have never seen a twin placenta! That’s incredible.
In 1971, after long term observation, Jane Goodall gave the first account of Chimpanzees leaving the cord intact, and carying the placenta with the newborn chimp.
Her account in "In The Shadow of Man" also indicates mothers carry their infants on their body, co-sleep & suckle, for extended periods, ie years.
So whilst the average ancient placental mammal may not have practiced Lotus Birth, it appears at least some of the more intelligent ones did…. along with aspects of Attachment Parenting it would seem.
Grant Horsfall
Thanks Grant, Do you know how long the placenta stayed attached for? What did they do with it afterwards?
It’s always best to keep an open mind and keep rethinking options. Asking the questions and hearing all answers equally is the way to grow and learn.
Lotus placenta never fail to amaze me with their grace
xxx
I could only find extracts of Jane Goodall's "In The Shadow Of Man" online. These did not include the length of time for the Chimps placenta to come away or what was done with it. I did find a seperate reference to this book that indicated that the placenta & cord was left on the forrest floor once it came away.
As for keeping an open mind, which may require a stretch also, there is the work of The Institute For The Study Of Peak States (ISPS)http://www.peakstates.com/ . I studied with the founder in early 2006.
This research is based on their Developmental Events Model http://www.peakstates.com/model.html which expands on ealier "Triune Brain" model material. This extended model includes the existance of a number of "self aware" aspects of human consciousness ("brains")including one associated with the placenta.
"…. The final self-aware brain structure is the placenta, and it is experienced at the belly button after birth. This precellular brain is present in the egg before conception, and expands to the womb wall after implantation. Like the sperm tail, after it's function is over it it reabsorbed into the baby. At first glance, one would expect that these brains would have no influence on adults. However, this is far from the truth – they are intimately involved with the feeling and state of 'wholeness'…. "
It seems to me that providing the newborn a "Lotus Birth" may facilitate a smooth trauma free transition of the "placental brain" from the expiring placenta accross to the baby. As far as I know this has not been specifically researched as yet.
However, people have apparently regressed to the time their cord was prematurely cut and experienced (& healed) the associated emotional & physical trauma.
Perhaps the sense of "Grace" you have experienced with Lotus Births is associated with this Placenta Brain moving accross to the baby in their own time, rather than whatever happens when the cord is cut.
Grant
Hi, just found this post, which answers my question under the twins video. I had a home birth 25 years ago, and am still learning about birth! Thanks for your openness, and to those who have shared these beautiful birth videos.