Talk to me about natural 3rd stage

[sam#3]

Tell me all you know ladies.....

I want a natural 3rd stage this time so am researching early so i know it all by the birth day

 

[Mervs Mum]

Well.....my own personal experience of a physiological 3rd stage was 10 mins of pulsing cord, one tiny 3rd stage contraction and plop! I have seen them take well over an hour which may seem a long time but when you are sat in your pool or where ever you choose to birth, loved up with your baby and hour or so goes by in the blink of an eye..... *sigh* even 2 hours is ok really.

For me a big advantage is that you dont have any extra synthetic hormones thrown in to the mix so that your body can chuck them around as they want to and the balance is just right for you. There is less of a risk of retained placenta with a physiological 3rd stage too. Anecdotally I have found and hear women say they bleed less in the following days and weeks (lochia not post partum bleeding) but a little more in the minutes after birth. The great thing about the synto injection is that there really is no time restriction on when to use it so you can go with a 'wait and see' approach. If the placenta is taking it's sweet time and you want to get snuggled up in bed with your babies or you're bleeding a little more than you/the Mws are comfortable with, you can get them to jab you and be tucked up in bed before you can say 'pass me a placenta smoothie please!'

x

 

[NaturalMomma]

You're talking about when the placenta comes out right? (some people consider third stage to be when the baby comes out, that's why I ask).

It's best to just let it happen on it's own. It normally comes out between 10 and 30 minutes later. With ds1 it was 12 minutes and with ds2 it was 17 minutes. You shouldn't pull on the cord, which some people do, because it can cause more bleeding and cause part of the placenta to stay attatched to the uterus which can cause more bleeding and infection. If you're not hemoraghing then you don't need Pitocin. Most placentas will come out just fine. Sometimes they'll need to be manually removed, but that's not very common.

 

[Nyn]

No idea about my first.. it was a horribly medicated birth.

But with my second it was all natural. My little one was put straight to the breast and as soon as he started the contractions started up ready to expell the placenta. I remember the mw rubbing my tummy a bit and having a few contractions and out it came. I don't remember it hurting at all

 

[clairebear]

By natural do you mean not cutting cord straight away and not having the injection?

If so i had this in hospital after my Vbac and was lovely placenta was out in 20 mins x

 

[Mervs Mum]

That's right Claire. In the UK we refer to the point after the baby is born until the placenta is born as the third stage (1st being thinning and opening of the cervix to the point of full dilation and 2nd being from the involuntary urge to push or expel the baby until it is born) and if you don't have the injection that is a physiological or natural third stage. Which is exactly what you had on top of your natural VBAC delivery! You did the works my girl!!! x

 

[clairebear]

Thanks Lisa.

I'm gonna be a dumbass now but thats what i thought happened at every birth! TBH i never even noticed my placenta come out!

 

[Mervs Mum]

I think generally they give the injection unless you say otherwise and you just tend not to notice in the euphoria immediately after your baby arrives.

 

[clairebear]

It was in my notes that i wanted a fully natural birth and i did say i didnt want it when they asked. But i thought maybe they didnt give it unless you said yes. I'm such a div!

 

[Pixxie]

I had a natural 3rd stage and it took 40 mins for my placenta to come out. I had a little trouble with mine though as apparently my placenta was outside the amniotic sac, the midwife had to pull it a little to get it out. She said it's rare though xx

 

[sam#3]

Thanks everyone, i spoke to my midwife and she said that all of the midwives in the home birth team are very supportive and encouraging of an all natural labour so we are all good!!!
Im also going to keep my placenta this time

 

[Mervs Mum]

What plans do you have for it Sam? One of my placenta prints is going on the wall in my new local birth centre!!

 

[sam#3]

Prints and brekkie! well done you and well done your placenta

 

[Mervs Mum]

I have a great smoothie recipe with berries that works best immediately after birth.

 

[indigo_fairy]

What plans do you have for it Sam? One of my placenta prints is going on the wall in my new local birth centre!!

I was thinking of what to do with the placenta as I never got to see mine last time. I'd never heard or thought of making a print with it! That's another thing to add to my growing list of things-to-do

Did you do a blood and paint/ink print?

I wonder what hubbie will think of the placenta...

Can you compare the taste of it to anything?

 

[Mervs Mum]

My husband looked at me with a raised eyebrow when I said I wanted to keep it but once it was here he as really keen to help me with my plans!

Here's my placenta art photos. https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=161182&id=717353444&l=84a5ad343e

I am a veggie so I am afraid I couldnt get past the 'meaty-ness' of it but I'd definitely encapsulate next time (if there is a next time!). I would imagine on it's own it would have that irony, blood taste but I cant say. Placenta smoothie is whizzed up placenta with fresh berries and yogurt and is supposed to be really good for you. Lots of one of my fellow doula's clients go with the smoothies for a quick hit right there after the birth.

 

[indigo_fairy]

I can't view the link, are your photos are private? I'd love to see your pics

I'm veggie too, and don't think I could get past the meat look of it either! I imagine it to taste like you describe, and even if I wanted to after being veggie over 16yrs I don't think I could get past that. I've read that it's really beneficial and I think it's the one of the most, if not the most amazing organs. It should definitely be celebrated, and if you can eat it - why not!

Did you find you had time after the birth to do the print within a few days? I read online that you can freeze then defrost them when you're ready to do it, and it doesn't affect them.

I'm sure hubbie won't be at all surprised when I tell him, although I will expect a second glance at first

 

[Mervs Mum]

Try this link. We did it on 7th April so 6 days after he was born and it was just in the fridge in the sealed container the Mws put it in for us. The benefits are better with a fresh placenta but frozen and defrosted will still have lots of goodness.

Try this link https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=161182&id=717353444&l=84a5ad343e

 

[Nyn]

Hi! I'd love to see the pics too Merv's Mum!! but I think they're private

 

[Mervs Mum]

Just added a new link which should be public