4 Birth Trends That Are Not Safe, According to Doctors

birth trends new birth trends alternative birthing choices Dr. Sarah Pachtman Northwell Health lotus birth Water birth American Academy of Pediatrics AAP American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ACOG Vaginal Seeding eating the placenta

By Lili Scott , Parent Herald Mar 25, 11:17 am

Photo: (Photo : BULENT KILIC/AFP via Getty Images)

The pandemic has triggered a growing interest in new birth trends that often disregard the science or medical rationale behind the process. As some parents consider alternative birthing choices, doctors tell mothers to take caution and rethink their potentially risky plans of welcoming a baby into this world.

Dr. Sarah Pachtman, an OBGYN from Northwell Health in New York City, told WebMD that she does not subscribe to these emerging birth trends mainly because there are no clear data or studies on its benefits and risks. Without the scientific evidence, she cannot recommend these alternative birthing choices to her patients who might want to do away with the traditional but medicalized practices.

Here are some birth trends that may not be safe for the mom and the baby, according to doctors:

1. Lotus Birth

A lotus birth involves leaving the umbilical cord and the placenta attached to the baby. The idea is to let the detachment occur naturally, which may take days or weeks.

The cord and the placenta are kept "clean" with a fabric wrap or a pillowcase and then placed in a bowl, bag, or whatever is convenient. Some parents even preserve the placenta with salts or herbs like rosemary or lavender, believing that it will continue to pump nutrients to the baby's body. The practice also has a spiritual connotation.

However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warned that lotus births, also called umbilical non-severance, may lead to serious bacterial infections and even sepsis. The doctors reiterated that there is no reasonable cause to delay cutting the umbilical cord after the baby's birth.

2. Water Births

Some moms attest that water births help decrease the pain of childbirth. By giving birth in a pool of water, the mom feels more in control of how the labor and delivery proceed.

But water birth may expose the baby to organisms like Pseudomonas and Legionella, which may arise from the tub or pool that has not been adequately cleaned before use. According to Today's Parent, severe bacterial infection incidents are rare, but there have been reports of newborn babies infected by the bacteria following the water birth.

Aside from the AAP, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) does not recommend this birthing trend as it has no proven benefits, only more risks.

3. Vaginal Seeding

Vaginal seeding is applied to babies born via Cesarean section. It involves swabbing the mother's vaginal fluid to the infant's skin, mouth, and nose. Small clinical studies show that vaginal seeding helps decrease asthma and immune disorders in babies that did not pass through the mother's vaginal canal. However, the ACOG highly recommends vaginal seeding for research purposes only. Meaning it's not yet supposed to be adopted in actual practice.

4. Eating the placenta

The placenta is a waste product of childbirth, but some moms believe it contains beneficial nutrients to help them recover faster and facilitate better breastfeeding. However, the medical world is still divided about this process, but there are no prohibitions to stop mothers from eating the placenta.