Third stage of labour

The third stage of labour
The third stage of labour is the delivery of the placenta- the baby's life-support system that has supplied your baby with oxygen and nutrients, and taken waste products away.

A randomised trial of carbetocin versus syntometrine in the management of the third stage of labour.
Leung SW, Ng PS, Wong WY, Cheung TH ...

Third stage of labour
This is the delivery of the ‘afterbirth’ - the placenta. You will usually be offered an injection in your thigh just as the baby is born to help deliver the placenta. ...

Third stage of labour

Once your baby is born, the third stage begins. Contractions, weaker this time, will start up again. These will make the placenta gradually peel away from the wall of your uterus. You may get the urge to push again.

Third stage of labour

What happens
In the third stage, you will deliver the placenta. Contractions will start again a few minutes after the baby is born, but they will be much less intense.

Third stage of labour information sources
Preparing for birth
Birth centre birth plan
Birth centre birth plan - the list
Caesarean birth plan
Delivery suite birth plan
Delivery labour bag - the list
6 ways to reduce tearing ...

The third stage of labour
The third stage of labour, the separation and delivery of the placenta (the afterbirth), starts after the birth of your baby.

The third stage of labour
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After the babies have been delivered, you enter the third stage of labour - delivery of the placenta. Natural delivery of the placenta is generally not recommended with a multiple birth because of the increased risk of bleeding with a larger placenta.

The third stage lasts from birth of the foetus through expulsion or extraction of the placenta and membranes (afterbirth). The third stage of labour is also called the placental stage.

You can deliver the placenta (the third stage of labour) in the pool, but the midwife will ask you to leave the pool if there are any concerns about heavy blood loss ...

See also: Pregnancy, Delivery, Midwife, Placenta, Toddler