When exactly is the cord cut?

Usually, within 30 seconds to 3 minutes after birth, depending on your baby’s condition and your doctor’s recommendation.

Can I request delayed cord clamping in an Indian hospital?

Yes. Most hospitals follow WHO-backed guidelines supporting delays unless medical urgency prevents it.

Who can cut the cord?

Typically, a doctor or nurse, but some hospitals allow your partner to do it under supervision.

Umbilical Cord Cutting: Myths, Rituals, and Modern Practice in India

For centuries, Indian families have treated the cutting of the cord as more than a medical step. It marked a spiritual separation between mother and child. While grandmothers and midwives once used blades, sickles, or sacred threads, hospitals today follow protocols designed to prevent infection and optimise newborn outcomes. Between the reverence of ritual and the precision of science lies a fascinating intersection of belief and biology.

What Umbilical Cord Cutting Actually Means

The umbilical cord connects your baby to the placenta, carrying oxygen and nutrients while removing waste. Once your baby is born and begins to breathe independently, the cord is no longer needed, but how and when it’s cut makes a difference.

Medical process:

After birth, the doctor or nurse places two clamps on the cord, usually about 3–5 cm from the baby’s navel.
The cord is then cut between the clamps using a sterile instrument.
A small plastic clip or sterile tie is left on the baby’s end to prevent bleeding.

This process is quick and painless for the baby, as the cord has no nerves. What matters more is the timing of the clamping, whether it’s done immediately or after a short delay.

Immediate vs. Delayed Cord Clamping: What’s the Difference?

Immediate clamping: Historically, cords were cut within seconds of birth, especially in hospitals aiming to reduce postpartum bleeding or start newborn assessments quickly.
Delayed clamping: Modern evidence shows that waiting 30 seconds to 3 minutes allows extra placental blood, about 80–100 millilitres, to flow to the baby. This blood contains vital iron stores and stem cells.

Health benefits of delayed clamping:

Higher newborn haemoglobin and iron levels
Reduced risk of infant anaemia, especially common in Indian populations
Better cardiovascular stability and oxygen supply in the first hours of life
Potential long-term neurodevelopmental advantages

When early clamping is still necessary:
Doctors may cut earlier in cases of:

Umbilical cord prolapse or rupture
Baby requiring immediate resuscitation
Maternal bleeding or placenta previa
Multiple births or complicated C-section deliveries

According to the WHO and the ICMR, delayed cord clamping is recommended for most births, unless there are emergencies that require rapid intervention.

Rituals and Cultural Beliefs Around Cord Cutting in India

In India, cord cutting is steeped in ceremony — seen not just as a medical event but as a rite of passage.

Traditional practices once included:

Using sacred objects like silver knives or new blades sterilised in turmeric water.
Burning or burying the cord stump with rituals to protect the baby from “evil eye.”
Performing a naming or purification ceremony after the stump falls off, often on the sixth or twelfth day (chhathi or baras).
In some regions, keeping the dried stump as a talisman symbolises the child’s link to the mother.

Cultural significance:

In Hindu tradition, the cord represents prana, or life force. Cutting it symbolises the child’s independent existence.
In tribal and rural communities, midwives (dais) still consider the timing of cutting in light of astrological or spiritual considerations.
Among some Muslim families, the cord blood or stump is buried respectfully, reflecting beliefs about bodily integrity.

While these customs continue in many homes, most Indian hospitals today encourage sterile practices and medically guided timing.

The Science Behind the Ritual: Why Timing Matters More Than Tool

While cultural rituals add emotional meaning, modern evidence focuses on physiology.

What delayed clamping does inside the baby’s body:

The remaining blood in the placenta continues circulating through the cord after birth for up to 2 minutes.
This boosts the baby’s blood volume by nearly 30%.
Extra iron helps prevent anaemia, a major concern in India, where maternal iron deficiency is widespread.

In preterm babies, delayed clamping can also reduce the need for blood transfusions and lower the risk of brain haemorrhage.

Cord Care After Cutting: Preventing Infection and Promoting Healing

Once the cord is cut, the small stump attached to your baby’s navel gradually dries and falls off, usually within 7–10 days.

WHO and NHS guidelines recommend:

Keeping the stump clean and dry; no need for antiseptics or powders.
Folding the diaper below the stump to let air circulate.
Avoiding oil, turmeric, or herbal pastes, which may cause irritation or infection.

Warning signs to watch for:

Redness or swelling around the navel
Pus, bleeding, or foul odour
Fever or baby discomfort

If any of these occur, consult your paediatrician immediately. It may indicate omphalitis, a cord-stump infection still seen in resource-limited settings.

Balancing Tradition and Modern Practice

Indian obstetricians increasingly adopt evidence-based timing while respecting family customs. Many hospitals now allow:

Fathers or partners to cut the cord under supervision.
Short prayers or blessings before cutting.
Integration of rituals like lighting a diya or reciting mantras, provided sterile precautions are maintained.

This balance preserves emotional heritage without compromising safety. The key is ensuring the ritual does not delay necessary medical steps, especially in high-risk deliveries.

Cord-cutting sits at the crossroads of ancient symbolism and modern science. Whether you choose a brief ritual or a purely clinical approach, what matters most is understanding its purpose, ensuring your baby begins life with optimal health and safety. The act that once defined separation now represents continuity: a bridge from shared blood to shared breath.

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FAQs on Umbilical Cord Cutting: Myths, Rituals, and Modern Practice in India

When exactly is the cord cut?
Usually, within 30 seconds to 3 minutes after birth, depending on your baby’s condition and your doctor’s recommendation.
Can I request delayed cord clamping in an Indian hospital?
Yes. Most hospitals follow WHO-backed guidelines supporting delays unless medical urgency prevents it.
Who can cut the cord?
Typically, a doctor or nurse, but some hospitals allow your partner to do it under supervision.