Labour 3rd Stage

[Sara F]

Hi everybody!
Was just looking at pulling a Birth Plan together and came across a question regarding the 3rd stage of labour and am now wondering whether to have assistance to speed it up or go 'au-natural'!
What are your experiences?
Sara F

[Chelle123]

From memory, my 3rd stage has been pretty quick. I wouldn't plan to hasten things but maybe have it in your plan that you're open to the idea if need be.

Sorry, I'm not much help, never had a birth plan, just played it by ear.

[Widget]

Can't help you there as i didn't get that far with DD...

Sorry... :o

[OopsieDaisy]

What did you have in mind to help "fasten things"

I think avoiding intervention is the best way to go.

[OJandMe]

I didn't have anything to 'fasten the pace' and honeslty the hour it took was so filled with oohing and ahhing at the baby that it just flew.

I wouldn't get it sped up. Your body will do it itself.

[xxxDragonFlyxxx]

I'm against 'managed 3rd stage' which is where they inject you with syntocinon to help bring the placenta on faster. There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting your body doing it's thing. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to birth the placenta naturally, which is all completely normal. Whereas if you have the syntocinon injection, you are under a time frame, as the injection also speeds up the closing of your cervix, whereas this doesn't happen naturally for quite some time.

Some ways to speed up the natural birthing of the placenta are breastfeeding your newborn, or nipple stimulation, also being nice and relaxed helps aswell.

I wont have access to syntocinon as i'll be birthing at home, so am fully prepared to wait however long I need to wait for the placenta to be birthed. It's not like i'm going to feel like doing anything other than lay down for a few hours after giving birth anyway!

[Sara F]

Thanks for the advice everybody!! As am trying for natural birth will try and heed advice and leave this natural too - doesn't sound like it's that bigger deal or will interfere with 'baby-bonding' after birth!! Am going to try for skin-to-skin contact straight away to help baby start suckling too so hopefully this should help....
Sara.

[xxxDragonFlyxxx]

Definitely shouldn't get in the way of the baby bonding! While you're busying goo'ing and gaa'ing over your newborn your body will just do it's thing :)

Just make sure that you make it well known to your care providers right from the start that you do not wish to have the injection, as more often than not they tend to give it to your without actually asking/telling you. They also may try and talk you into having it for blah blah blah reasons, all of which are generally not the case, but it's your body so you can most definitely refuse :)

[~Emmylou~]

Just make sure that you make it well known to your care providers right from the start that you do not wish to have the injection, as more often than not they tend to give it to your without actually asking/telling you. They also may try and talk you into having it for blah blah blah reasons, all of which are generally not the case, but it's your body so you can most definitely refuse :)

:yes:

A synto injection in the thigh as the baby's shoulder is born is done alot - this means the placenta usually follows baby in less than 10 minutes. Most women don't even notice it for obvious reasons! Many are never even aware that they had it.

A natural third stage can take anything up to a couple of hours - and they don't like waiting around for that long :rolleyes: So if you want to do it this way you will have to let them know.

It's also important to realise that if you have synto at any stage during labour (ie. to crank up your contractions, or if you're induced with it) a natural 3rd stage is not recommended because the synto can cause the cervix to close before the placenta is birthed.

I supported a mum recently who had a natural 3rd stage, she birthed the placenta about 1/2 hour after the baby while baby was having her first breastfeed but it can definitely take much longer than that.

All the best! :D