# Q - Do You Want to Cut the Umbilical Cord? A - Do I Want to Do What? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 19, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774 "2007-02-19T03:20:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/1 "2007-02-19T03:20:18Z")
So my wife and I had our first child this past Friday. A baby girl and I’m very pleased to report that the entire experience went extremely well with but for a few minor -requisite- snags. Early on, our delivery nurse asked me somewhat excitedly if I was going to cut the umbilical cord. I swear I never got this memo on this. The issue was never mentioned in any of our pre-natal classes. I don’t recall encountering the topic in the extensive reading we did on the subject area. My response to her was, “Uh…no, but thank you for asking.” Fast forward a bit. and immediately following our daughter’s birth -a topic for a future post- the doctor asked the same question. To which I gave the same reply. So my questions: How long has this practice been going on and how many new fathers partake in it? For those who cut the cord, how was it? I mean the emotional association with the act not the details of the physical aspect of the cut itself. Not casting judgment or anything like that. Just wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/2 "2007-02-19T03:23:08Z")
I was asked 16 years ago when my daughter was born. I declined too. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/3 "2007-02-19T03:32:31Z")
I’ve done it twice. It’s no big deal, but that thing is tougher than it looks. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/4 "2007-02-19T03:35:42Z")
Congratulations! I don’t remember if my husband was asked or not (I was in an exhausted stupor at the time), but I know he didn’t and wouldn’t do it. He is so squeamish we were lucky he made it through the entire birth without throwing up, passing out, or both. But a friend of mine said the same thing **Diogenes** says…you really have to kind of hack your way through it! ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/5 "2007-02-19T03:53:41Z")
Congrats on your baby! The WryGuy didn’t want to cut the cord when our daughter was born, either. He said he’d been willing, but as he took the shears from the doctor, the cord _pulsed_ and he decided he’d just as soon not. No one holds it against him 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/6 "2007-02-19T03:53:57Z")
I declined for both kids. I had a hard time making it through the deliveries. I could not deal with the afterbirth or cutting the Umbilical Cord. Like **Sarahfeena** ’s husband I am too squeamish around blood. I was asked both times. For my daughter, my Mother-In-Law did the cutting. So she was very happy and I was happy to avoid it with a little dignity. I got away with giving the old, “Please do”, when she asked about it. 😉 More importantly, congrats on the baby girl. It is such a special feeling being a first time Dad. My little baby girl is 9 already and growing up quick. Jim ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/7 "2007-02-19T04:05:05Z")
17 years ago, the OB apologized to my husband that he wasn’t going to be able to cut the cord, because our daughter was in some distress. My husband looked at him like he was nuts–“please see to our daughter”, was his reply. He wasn’t asked if he wanted to with the other two–two different OBs (lots of insurance changes…). Personally, I don’t get this. Is this supposed to make Dad feel more a part of the whole birth thing? Dad is a part of the birth experience, already. YMMV, but he never felt the lack. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/8 "2007-02-19T04:22:09Z")
I did it. Doctor asked me and my response, as I was reaching for the scissors, was “Oh, what the hell.” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/9 "2007-02-19T04:53:10Z")
I did it. Wasn’t given much of a chance to think about it though. They didn’t mention it in any class or when she was going into labor so I figured it was just one of those Hollywood things. Hey, I didn’t have to put on scrubs or gloves or a mask either like they do on TV. After the baby came out they offered me the scissors and asked me if I wanted to do it. I had about three seconds to make a decesion and I went for it. As **John T** said, I figured, “What the hell” and went for it. By looking at it, I didn’t think it would be a big deal, but man, is that thing tougher then it looks. I thought it be like cutting a ribbon, but it’s like cutting romex, took me two snips. BTW I’m not that grossed out by any of it either. Cutting the cord, no big deal, watching the baby come out, no big deal, walking back over to the bed five minutes after the whole ordeal is over and seeing a placenta in a bowl, no big deal, wait, huh, that’s kinda neat looking, but didn’t gross me out. The only things that caught me off gaurd where the intensly strong urine smell when she pee’d a bit while pushing and see a little brown turtle head peeking out (it receded though, of everything that happened that day, if she had pooped on the bed, I would have had to walk away). ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/10 "2007-02-19T05:13:33Z")
Not only did I cut the umbilical cord, I actually delivered my youngest girl. The doc asked if I wanted to assist, then she stood by and directed me (yelled at me). I guess you can be pretty rough on the little thing. Seriously, I reached in and twisted and pulled out my kid while the doc looked on. My doc’s were a bit “progressive”. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/11 "2007-02-19T05:37:45Z")
When I worked Labor and Delivery, I’d ask the dads hours before how they felt about cutting the cord and told them as much as they wanted to know about it; how the cord can be almost “chewy” and very hard to saw through, that blood will pulse through it for a little while. And it’s a LOT tougher than it looks. I explained about collecting cord blood and what I’d be doing to help. I also told them it was okay not to want to cut the cord and all bets would be off anyway if things got weird. I always said that they could panic if I panicked. I’d think docs have been asking dads if they wanted to cut the cord for at least 20 years. A lot of dads are still kind of pushed out and including them in the most awesome day of their family’s history in any and all ways possible seems only right. Cyn, OB/GYN RN ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/12 "2007-02-19T06:06:24Z")
Subwife had to have an emergency C-section when our son was born, so I wasn’t able to be there for the cord-cutting. They did give us the cord afterwards, though. ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/13 "2007-02-19T08:12:55Z")
Did it on both my kids. We had 'em at home and the midwife kept me busy the whole time. Cutting the cord was a remarkable experience, but nothing like holding the flashlight while the wife’s torn perineum was stitched up. Wow. It looked like someone had tried to stretch a tire over the mouth of the Carlsbad caverns. But I recovered. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/14 "2007-02-19T08:51:52Z")
The doctor was fairly absent from the birth. The nurses did all the real work. He came in at the very last minute, put on the catchers mitt, and a moment later my daughter came out. Then the slacker tried to pawn off cutting the cord on me. I said no. He cut the cord, said a few words and left. That’s all we saw of him. If I recall, for his 10 minutes he was paid $1500. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/15 "2007-02-19T10:40:48Z")
I heard Charles Manson chewed though his kid’s umbilical cord. Hard to know what’s more disturbing, that image or the thought of little Mansons running around (although I don’t thing he rasied the kid so we may be safe.) ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/16 "2007-02-19T11:08:47Z")
In our case, the doctor just snipped it without ever asking me… but the baby had taken a shit in my wife’s womb, so I think he was in a hurry to clear out her lungs… and shit. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/17 "2007-02-19T12:54:33Z")
I assisted when my daughter’s best friend had her third baby, and I got to cut the cord since my daughter declined. Definitely anticlimatic, but then it wasn’t my child. I don’t recall my ex-husband cutting either of the cords of our two children, but then my recollection of those two events is a bit hazy after al these years. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/18 "2007-02-19T14:06:43Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] Subwife had to have an emergency C-section when our son was born, so I wasn’t able to be there for the cord-cutting. **They did give us the cord afterwards, though**. [/QUOTE] Why? Do you keep it in a mason jar full of formaldehyde on the mantle? Really, what does one do with such a thing? ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/19 "2007-02-19T14:15:23Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] The only things that caught me off gaurd where the intensly strong urine smell when she pee’d a bit while pushing and see a little brown turtle head peeking out (it receded though, of everything that happened that day, if she had pooped on the bed, I would have had to walk away). [/QUOTE] The smell was probably the amniotic fluid as opposed to pee. Since the baby’s kidneys function in utero, the amniotic fluid can smell like pee. And most women _do_ poop during pushing. I was expecting to, and it’s not like I noticed. My husband did notice - and the doctor just pushed it down into the bucket o’ muck under the bed. My husband did cut the cord, and also announced our baby’s gender (we hadn’t found out before). ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774/20 "2007-02-19T14:27:04Z")
[QUOTE=minlokwat] How long has this practice been going on and how many new fathers partake in it? [/QUOTE] My mom insisted that I see my brother born, and my dad cut the cord. This was in 1983, so it’s been going on quite a while. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-do-you-want-to-cut-the-umbilical-cord-a-do-i-want-to-do-what/392774.md?page=2)