Dear Meaghan Thank you to you and Lois for reminding us of that a even a nuchal cord (or cord around neck) is supportive of a baby on it's journey out of the uterus and a possible reviver for it in the new strange ! I am also that not only is a nuchal cord is just one possiblity resulting from the movements in the fluid but that it has other features which mean it is not necessarily a strangulation sentence; the living elasticity and cushioning abilities of the tissues involved on both the cord and the baby's neck. For example I and probably opthers have found knots in the cord which have not ocludefe blood flow to the baby because of the inability of the knot to compress the vessels due the thick Wharton's jelly!
By the way does any one know who Wharton was? was he rotund or well padded??? Could Wharton have been a female or midwife by any chance?? Denise ----- Original Message ----- From: "Meaghan Moon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2004 4:42 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] thanks > Hi Sheena, > > I am a midwife practicing in Canada. I always chart "cord around the neck" > as "nuchal cord." Nuchal means pertaining to the neck. I had an > interesting tight nuchal cord the other day. I used the somersault > maneuver to get the baby out without cutting the cord. This is described > in Varney's "Midwifery". I have used it a few times and find that it works > great. Babies don't seem to be so "stunned" or need resuscitation, the > way they do if the cord is cut on the perineum. > > Here is how to do it. If you have checked for cord and you asses that it > is tight and impeding the birth, wait for restitution then flex baby's head > tightly toward the (mum's) thigh that it is facing (think tucking chin/head > to do somersault). Babe will generally come with next push and literally > somersault out so that head stays at perineum with body "flipping > over". Unravel cord from neck and stimulate babe if needed. I find they > often do need added (gentl) stimulation with a tight cord, and maybe a bit > more encouragement to cry well. When the cord is tight the natural > expulsion of fluid that usually occurs as the head is born is > restricted because of the tight cord. They tend to be a bit more gurgly > and may need a good cry to clear the lungs well. > > The babe I somersaulted the other day (Apgars 7 and 9), had the cord tight > around the neck under the arms and around the body. He never did really > cry and pinked up well in mum's arms. He still doesn't cry much and slept > through the Guthrie heel poke today. He is feeding well, gaining weight > and just mellow. > > Meaghan Moon > > At 08:00 AM 5/28/04, you wrote: > >Thank you to all who replied about the cord around the neck query of mine. > >Now I have another question, why is it sometimes called the nuchal cord? I > >have heard of the nuchal fold, but only very occasionally is the term > >nuchal cord used. > > > >Sheena Johnson > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
