Stage III - The Placenta Delivery
There are two critical events you must prevent in the placenta delivery stage: early cord clamping and manual cord traction. Once the baby is born, you are so delighted and overwhelmed with its presence and the emotional high you experience that it can be so easy to miss the cord being early clamped. Since this is (misguided) routine procedure in most hospitals, the best prevention is to make your provider clear that it is against your wishes before the birth. Even so, many will forget and habit will take over. You must be ready to get between the doctor and the baby if need be to prevent the cord from being early clamped.
Manual cord traction occurs
when the care
provider is in a
hurry and decides to "help" the placenta detach quickly by pulling on
it. As it sounds, this isn't a good idea.
It increases the risk of postpartum hemorrhage, which is the leading
complication noted in birthing. I've heard far too many
stories of moms thanking their doctors for "saving them" from bleeding
to death during birthing. They swear that they would have
died if they hadn't been in a hospital. They never knew that
their "care" provider was the one who caused the bleeding and that it
was completely preventable!
WHAT & HOW YOU MAY FEEL
- Indescribable Joy
- Empowered
- A Birthing "High"
- Afterbirth sensations or contractions
- Uncontrollable Shaking
BEHAVIOR & ATTITUDE
- Tears of Joy
- Uncontrollable Smiling
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
The placenta delivery doesn't need much management. After a few hours, you might find that the afterbirth pangs require some breathing and relaxation techniques as your uterus begins to contract back down to its normal size. Nursing is the best way to naturally stop postpartum bleeding (called "lochia") by helping the uterus contract. Fundal massage, where a care provider presses on your uterus, can also be performed to slow bleeding and break up any clots. However, this can be uncomfortable depending on the person doing it. Nursing is more effective but if fundal massage is recommended, then you can ask someone to instruct you on how to perform it, and then do it yourself.
WHAT YOU MIGHT DO
- Cry
- Request Immediate Contact with the Baby
- Nurse Immediately
- Delay Newborn Procedures
WHAT YOUR Birth COMPANION MIGHT DO
- Stay with You
- Hold the Baby
- Take Pictures
- Make a Video
It is common to experience uncontrollable shaking after the placenta delivery. This is just the body's normal reaction to the hormonal changes that take place after birth. It can sometimes interfere with your ability to hold your baby. It usually lasts only a few minutes and wrapping yourself with blankets from a warmer will help keep you comfortable until it subsides.
After the placenta delivery, you may wish to see or keep it. Remember that some hospitals will sell your placenta if you don't claim it. If you’re not okay with medical research on your placenta, then tell your care provider you want to dispose of it yourself.
Planting the placenta is one
option. You
should dig
a hole at least 16 inches deep and bury the placenta. You
must wait a year before trying to plant a tree or anything over it
because it will be too rich and may kill the plant. You can
save the planting for your baby's first birthday.
References
Rabe H, Reynolds G, Diaz-Rossello J. Early versus delayed umbilical cord clamping in preterm infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD003248. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003248.pub2.Prendiville WJ, Elbourne D, McDonald S. Active versus expectant management in the third stage of labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2000, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD000007. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000007.
Cotter A, Ness A, Tolosa J. Prophylactic oxytocin for the third stage of labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2001, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD001808. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001808.
