I understand that oxygen is transferred through the umbilical cord. But what takes place to suddenly flip the switch and create the need and capability to breathe air?
In: Biology
Someone here will explain it better but basically there’s a flap that is closed while they’re in fluid and it opens (and stays open) when they’re out of fluid.
I saw a video of a water birth and the baby was under the water for quite a while as the flap open hadn’t been triggered. Made me anxious to watch, tbh.
While they are still in the womb and floating in that bag of water, the lungs are still contracted and closed. The oxygen is being delivered to them from a vein/artery that is connected to the mother. Upon delivery of the baby, the doctors stimulate or “make the baby cry” which now expands their lungs and will then be the mode of acquiring oxygen. But technically there are alot of going on inside that shifts this mode.
The change in temperature from a warm amniotic sack to a cool environment with fresh air makes them gasp and cry so the air and temp is the switch
The umbilical cord contains [Wharton’s jelly](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wharton%27s_jelly) which hardens when it cools off. Do the oxygen speed through the cord is cut off after a few minutes. It’s not instant, but you are on a timer to get the baby breathing on its own.
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