Birth consultant, physician say not cutting umbilical cord may have benefits.

The ABC News (4/11, Mohney) "Medical Unit" blog reports, "New parents can be overwhelmed taking care of a newborn, but one birth consultant thinks one way to help parents cope is by literally not cutting the cord." According to the blog, "Mary Ceallaigh, a birth consultant and doula from Austin, Texas, is preaching the benefits of 'umbilical nonseverance' which involves letting the umbilical cord fall off naturally after birth." Meanwhile, "Dr. James Van Hook, director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, says if doctors momentarily delay clamping the umbilical cord there is a chance that newborns can get a final transfusion of blood cells rich in stem cells and immunoglobulin that theoretically can help the infant fight off infections."