What happens during the Third Stage
This stage begins as your baby is born. As he emerges, the top of your uterus (womb) pushes down, and the placenta comes away from the wall of your uterus. If, like many women, you’ve had an injection of Syntometrine, your uterus will contract fairly quickly.
Your baby’s cord is clamped immediately after birth, making the blood in the cord flow back into the placenta and create a clot. Once the placenta has separated from the uterus wall, the midwife can gently pull on the cord and deliver it, usually five or 10 minutes after birth.
The Afterbirth
Pushing out the placenta (also known as the afterbirth) can take anywhere from a few minutes to more than half an hour after your baby is born. Holding your baby in your arms against your breast and letting her “nuzzle” or suck will stimulate the release of oxytocin (a hormone that helps the uterus contract) and help your body push out the placenta.
What to expect & what to do:
After the delivery of your baby, your health care provider will be waiting for small contractions to begin again.
This is the signal that your placenta is separating from the uterine wall and ready to be delivered. Pressure may be applied by massage to your uterus; and the umbilical cord may be gently pulled.
The result will be the delivery of your placenta, also known as afterbirth. You may experience some severe shaking and shivering after your placenta is delivered. This is common and nothing to be alarmed about.
You have now completed all the stages of childbirth and will be monitored for the next few hours to make sure that the uterus continues to contract and bleeding is not excessive.
Now you can relax and enjoy your little bundle of joy!
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