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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Placenta delivery

29 replies

Zahrah5 · 26/01/2015 21:20

Ok, I havent heard anywhere much talk about this.

So how does it work in reality? How long after the baby is born placenta is to be delivered? How does it actually happen? Do you have to push it out just like a baby? Does it hurt?
If you have c-section do they take out placenta via the incision?

Thanks to all exoerienced moms.

OP posts:
Trooperslane · 26/01/2015 21:25

Doesn't hurt.

Looks weird though! Midwife showed me and it's like a massive lump of liver. Was shocked at how large it was.

I had the injection (forget what it was called) to minimise bleeding and it sees to slip out really easily.

No drama at all xx

AuditAngel · 26/01/2015 21:31

With DS I had to have a manual removal because, despite having the injection, the placenta didn't come away. The MW tugged the cord and it snapped!

I had sections with both DD1 and 2 abpnd, yes, they remove the placenta through the incision and check they have it all.

Pippidoeswhatshewants · 26/01/2015 21:37

Didn't have an injection, just delivered the placenta with one more push 20-30 minutes after dd was born. Very easy compared to getting a baby out there, but I, too, was surprised by how big it was!

With a c section they take care of everything during the operation. Plus they really clean you out, so less bleeding in the days/weeks after.

milkjetmum · 26/01/2015 21:40

Was different for me, definitely painful (though of course not as bad as the birth) and also gave me the OH MY GOD I'M GOING TO POO moment I had avoided in the birth itself.

So my advice is don't let them take the gas and air away until placenta (and any stitches) done and dusted.

GingerCuddleMonster · 26/01/2015 21:50

I had the injection and 5mins later something just sorta flopped out of me, no pushing needed Blush.

I didn't see it, I was exhausted I hadn't even held DS yet either, I was a mess in all honesty and just layed there haha

geekaMaxima · 26/01/2015 21:55

YY to hanging onto the gas and air until they have completely finished their ministrations. Placenta delivery hurt quite a bit with contractions. Not as much as my single stitch, though

With a natural (no injection) 3rd stage, the placenta took an hour to appear. DS and I were comfy in the birthing pool for about 50 mins with nothing happening, then a few contractions, then a surprising amour of pushing was needed in the end. No problems.

We left cutting the cord until after the placenta was delivered (so its blood ended up in DS rather than a bin). It was a fascinating thing to look at, more like a flat red sponge than a liver Grin

geekaMaxima · 26/01/2015 21:56

*amount

MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom · 26/01/2015 21:58

Feels like shitting out an organ. Not painful though. Whatever you do don't GooglE

Zsazsabinks · 26/01/2015 22:32

It feels really odd but I don't remember it actually hurting either time Ive done it. Tbh, you're so in a haze and looking at your new baby that you really don't notice a lot at that point. Interesting to look at if you get a chance, it's a massive floppy organ like a huge liver or something, and there's membrane attached, actually amazing that your body grows an entirely new organ!

I had the injection to help it out both times, just because I feel like I've worked hard enough pushing out the baby, can't be bothered to wait for that to come in its own time just for the sake of it.

NickyEds · 27/01/2015 10:19

Don't really remember it coming out. Definitely didn't have to push but then ds had just "paved the way" with his massive head. I had the injection and it was about 5-10 minutes after ds was born so I was still having my first cuddle and just let the mws deal with it all! After delivering the placenta they then put lots of bandages on my tears until i could be sewn up. Yes to keeping hold of the gas and air, I swapped it for tea and toast when i was sure they'd done with me!

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 27/01/2015 10:49

Well, in a vaginal delivery there are two 'normal' ways to deliver the placenta.

The first is a managed third stage. They'll give you an injection and the placenta will come pretty much straight away. You may need to push a bit.

In a natural third stage, you deliver the baby and then wait. Sometimes the placenta comes pretty much straight away and with little effort. Sometimes you need to wait for contractions to ramp up a bit and push the placenta out (though, as the MW memorably said to me with DS "don't worry, you can give it some welly. The placenta doesn't have bones"). Like Geek, it took around an hour in my third delivery.

You may also want to look into delayed cord clamping.

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 27/01/2015 10:55

Mine kind of just fell out about 10 mins after the birth. They were about to give me the injection then it just came out. No pain, no pushing. I think it varies quite a lot between different people.

Tallblue · 27/01/2015 16:30

With my DD the placenta just would not deliver, had injection, tried pushing, midwife and doctor also tried to pull it out to no avail. Ended up having spinal block and going to theatre for a manual removal. Not wanting to worry you OP, I think the chances are very small, but one of the main things that got me was that I hadn't even realised this situation was a possibility, it never came up in books or antenatal classes. I wish I had learned more about the third stage in advance, as you are doing!

Highlandbird · 27/01/2015 16:39

I had said in my birth plan I didn't want the injection but after pushing DS out the last thing I wanted was to hang about for ages waiting for the placenta to make an appearance, so asked for the injection and it just sorted of flopped out with some pushing. Same with DS2. I was so busy cuddling my new baby and trying to get them on the boob I didn't take that much notice and it wasn't much of an ordeal really.
Took mine home in a plastic bag and planted trees on them Wink

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 27/01/2015 16:41

OP if you do NCT antenatal classes they talk you through delivery of the placenta. I didn't have any NHS classes but I imagine you can ask them to talk you through it there too.

jaykay34 · 28/01/2015 06:07

I had the injection and it came out straight away - no pain and I didn't even feel it.

The midwife said "i am goig to deliver the placenta now"; I said "will it hurt ?" and she said "It's out now". I literally didn't feel a thing or know she had done it.

purplefeathers · 28/01/2015 17:24

With my two assisted births it was pulled out. I didn't feel it.

With my hb i had a natural third stage and i was surprised at the contraction-like pain that came over me. It was quite painful for me but easier to push out than a baby Grin

GlitzAndGigglesx · 28/01/2015 17:30

I pushed it out about 10 mins after birth. I thought it would hurt as my nether regions felt battered but it didn't it just kind of slid out. I wanted to vom at the sight of it though

Chunderella · 28/01/2015 20:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mouthfulofquiz · 28/01/2015 20:26

I literally didn't even notice both times! Blush

SolomanDaisy · 28/01/2015 20:29

I didn't have the injection, needed to push and it felt very similar to having the baby. Took around forty minutes and I had gas and air. Apparently it was a huge placenta though, the midwife called her colleague to see.

chillychicken · 28/01/2015 20:41

I had a managed third stage and it took 14 minutes to deliver. It didn't hurt - Infact I was on the phone to my mum whilst the midwife pulled it out of me. We then had a look at it and I was surprised how big it was! I didn't need gas and air for it but did use it during stitching but to be honest I didn't really need it for that either!

I never got the choice with keeping the cord attached to DS until it stopped pulsating as there was meconium in my waters, he got into distress during delivery and had a high temp so was whisked away to be checked after a 30 second cuddle.

Mammanat222 · 28/01/2015 20:53

I had the injection with both my deliveries - first time I didn't have a choice (MW needed to see placenta to check baby had been getting oxygen) and second time round I opted for injection.

Was a bit out of it first time round, but this time I was very aware of it all. Placenta came out completely and easily maybe 10 minutes after baby, MW kind of pressed on tummy and gave some gentle tugs of umbilical cord - all pain free and simple!

Mammanat222 · 28/01/2015 20:54

Oh and she showed it to us.... held it up in all it's disgusting glory by the cord and waved it about in front of us!

Looserella · 28/01/2015 20:58

It's disgusting. I pushed it out about ten minutes after the baby was born but the midwife was sort of pulling at it. It made me feel really squeamish and I only peeked at it out of the corner of my eye.

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