Can I still encapsulate if we choose a lotus birth?

I will begin by explaining what a Lotus birth is just for those who have not heard of it before.
Lotus birth is the practice of leaving the cord and placenta attached to the baby until it naturally breaks away. This happens usually within 3-10 days and can be practiced in many different birthing situations such as a hospital birth, home birth, water birth even a cesarean section.
The name Lotus birth comes from the first recorded human, Clair Lotus Day, to have a Lotus birth in 1974, a practice before then only commonly known for by Chimpanzees.

What benefits does a lotus birth have?
The baby will receive all of the placental blood from the cord
Baby is less likely to be passed around in those first few days (this also helps baby in being more protected from illness in those first few days)
Parents who have had a lotus birth claim their baby was much calmer compared to babies who had not had a lotus birth
Some believe this helps baby transition into the world

So can you encapsulate and have a lotus birth?
Generally no, unfortunately because the placenta can only be refrigerated for 72 hour max before needing freezing, encapsulation generally happens withing the first 24 hours after birth, the sooner the better. However there may be a solution, though this would depend on how long the cord took to separate, if practiced properly and can still be a gamble. The solution can be found at Wise women way of birth



If you would like to share your lotus birth experiences to be featured in an upcoming article and on our website please email Nicole@arainbowdoula.com.au