Delivering your placenta

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I'm a FTM and so I have no idea which option for delivering my placenta I want!

Everything I have read either gives a very clinical description or is too brief for me to be able to make a decision from, so I'm keen to find out what other mums what you did/would suggest: wait to naturally deliver your placenta, or opt for the injection for a quicker delivery?

Thank you!

No injection with both mine. Both came without fuss, 2nd was a Homebirth and it came within minutes of birth.

First time injection, second time no injection (I wanted the cord blood to go back to the baby) and it took about 10 mins to come out. Neither was difficult but the first time I was cold and wet after coming out of the birth pool and just wanted it over and done with

FWIW delayed core clamping is standard in straightforward deliveries, certainly was in both of mine - I didn’t have the injections for a good half hour at least after delivery of the babies from what I can remember

My plan was I'd wait twenty minutes see if any contractions turned up and if not have the injections. I think you can wait up to an hour without concern from the midwife. On the day I was so excited to hold my baby and nervous for another contraction I think I scared them all off. After 40mins, not even a twinge so I had the injection. Two minutes after I had the injection got into a squat position and it just fell out. Really gross but no pain or sickness.

I'm 35 weeks pregnant now, and I haven't decided what I will do this time. I'll probably just see how I feel at the time.

i had the injection on midwife recommendation. delivered placenta quickly and easily with a little tug from the midwife! no side effects and i barely felt it.

*delayed cord clamping

I had it but that wasn’t the plan- wanted to avoid cord cutting until it had stopped pulsing and then deliver naturally. What actually happened was that DS had the cord round his neck, so obviously it was cut immediately. Then the placenta wasn’t showing signs of delivering, so they asked if we wanted to wait or go with the injection. I thought that as the cord had already been cut, I might as well get the placenta out ASAP. It was fine. They did have to tug it though- which felt really... icky?

I had injections 4times and no side effects

Injection. There is a greater risk of haemorrhage if you don't have it, and I didn't want to risk it.

Delivering my placenta was worse than delivering the baby. I would definitely opt for the injection.

Same. I had quite bad tearing which didn't help.

Oh, also, you can get them to delay the injection into they've cut the cord so having the injection doesn't mean you can't wait for the cord to stop pulsating before cutting it.

*until they've cut the cord, not into

Thank you all for such quick replies, it has been really helpful to read your stories.

I opted for the injection, I had zero energy for anything else, and didn't want to risk having to have further interventions if it wouldn't come out itself.

Mine was hoovered out during my emergency section. 😂

Completely forgot about this bit of the birth, I was so traumatised from waters being broken at 10am and son not being born til 1.26am... Exhausted.
I think they midwife advised injection, I was too dazed to disagree, felt a bit of tugging and it was out.
Wasn't sick at all.

I decided to deliver without the injection the first time because I stupidly was scared it would hurt! I delivered it fine but then had the injection anyway because I had bled too much. Second time round i had the injection which I barely noticed and all was fine, so from my experience I would say have it but its completely your decision

I had an injection with my baby with no vomiting or side effects. By the time they had done the injection I had already delivered the placenta!

I had injection all 3 times, though the last time it came out when I was having the injection. Not sick, no side effects.

Injection. I had read up on it and was really unsure but in the moment I couldn't have cared less and it was extremely uneventful. I asked to see the placenta though and have a hazy memory of it being held up for me.

My kids are 4 and 7. I remember the placenta coming out within 30 minutes for both but don't recall any injection?!

I had really quick deliveries with both my babies. First was 7 minutes of pushing. Then the placenta took bloody forever. I had to move and sit on a weird squatty stool thing while holding the baby. It was almost worse than the actual birth! They gave me the injection after half an hour but I dont know if it made much difference. The second time around the same thing happened, I didnt bother with the injection that time.

When I had my first I didn't do any research and didn't give it a thought until after the birth. I just had the injection and it was fine. I was sick anyway but probably from the gas and air

I know I had the injection the first time, and think I did the second time. Still, the placenta took a long time the first time, but both times I found the contractions and delivery easy after what I had been through, and I felt quite euphoric at delivering them.

I had the injection the first time. I think I put it on my birth plan. It was along time ago so can't really remember. No problems.

For DC2 and DC3 I put in my birth plan no injection (unless really necessary- I'm pretty flexible) and I wanted to wait until the cord had stopped pulsating before it was it. No problems either time.