Eli5: why is a part of the umbilical cord left on a newborn baby? Why not just cut it all the way to where the belly button will be?
In: Biology
In addition to what other people have said, in sick/premature babies, the umbilical cord can be used to give medications and fluids. You need a fair bit of cord left to do this. I’m a midwife and if I think there’s a chance the baby will need this, I leave an extra bit of cord there just in case
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