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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Injection for birthing the placenta...Opinions and stories please!

53 replies

AlwaysTryingToHelp · 29/03/2023 15:10

I am pretty much set on all of my birth 'preferences'. I know things don't always go the way you want them to during birth and labour but I feel I factored this in and I feel informed enough to make the decision (with my DH) at the time if needed.

The only thing I am still unsure about is if I should have the injection for birthing the placenta after birth ? I am asking for delayed cord clamping (Waiting until it is white), and everything I have read has said to have the injection after that time.

I just wanted to know peoples views and experiences with the injection for placenta birth ? Is is really necessary and does it help speed things along ?

Thank you x

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fairgame84 · 29/03/2023 15:21

I've had 2 births and both with the injection. I barely noticed the placenta delivering both times, I was just asked to push once and it was out.

Just be aware that extended delayed cord clamping can cause jaundice. I work on nicu and we've seen an increase in babies needing jaundice treatment after delayed cord clamping. The optimum time is 5 minutes at present but obviously research into it is ongoing.

TheBirdintheCave · 29/03/2023 15:26

I had delayed cord clamping and chose to not have the injection for the placenta which was delivered maybe ten to twenty minutes after my son was born.

PMAmostofthetime · 29/03/2023 15:29

@AlwaysTryingToHelp

I have opted for the injection after researching and asking others what they did. I decided to have it as it can prevent you haemorrhaging.

80% of the people I asked had the injection and of the 20% who didn't over half haemorrhaged and ended up in theatre.

It's a personal choice and only you know what will feel right.

Flittingaboutagain · 29/03/2023 15:29

I wanted as little medical intervention as possible. With my first, very quickly after baby latching on the boob (which usually triggers placenta to deliver) I felt the urge to push again and then it easily came away. With my second, I felt no such urge and after an hour and a half (including cuddles with delayed clamping, feeding, kneeling up on the bed and a trip to sit on the loo) i said I didn't think it was happening and was feeling uncomfortable waiting. I had the injection and then went back to lovely cuddles and skin to skin. Pretty quickly then the midwife was able to gently remove it.

So in my experience I would go for natural but ask for the injection if it turns out it is actually needed.

Trixiedrum · 29/03/2023 15:31

I had the injection both times and I would again. It doesn’t hurt or cause any problems, and it reduces the chance of complications.

trevthecat · 29/03/2023 15:33

I've done both! Tbh didn't notice a difference either way. But for reference, dc 1&2 were highly medicated and had the injection. Dc3 no pain relief and no jab. So it could have made a difference with the first two, who knows. With the 3rd, I had delayed cord clamping and it came out about half hour after birth with just a little push

Oopswediditagain2023 · 29/03/2023 15:34

I did delayed cord clamping - this time we delayed by 10 minutes which is standard at the trust I birthed at.
I had an injection with my first after trying for "natural" for an hour (an hour is usually the limit they'll let you wait to birth the placenta) and it was fine but it did make me throw up!
Second time placenta came out naturally. Can't say there's any real difference other than the being sick!

shakeitoffsis · 29/03/2023 15:39

I had delayed cord clapping both times and the injection and both times it didn't work for me and I needed manual placenta removal in theatre.

BouncingWorms · 29/03/2023 15:41

If you decide not to I really recommend standing up so gravity helps, and if it’s not happening on its own just take the injection it’s really not a big thing.

Fwiw I had one with injection immediately, one with injection after 2 hours of nothing, and one without.

scrivette · 29/03/2023 15:42

I didn't have the injection the first time, I barely noticed it as was sitting on a potty type seat holding DC.

The second time I was advised to have it as they thought I may haemorrhage.

Hobert · 29/03/2023 15:44

I didn't have it but can't remember why not - is there a downside? Placenta delivered very easily maybe they wait a bit and see if it's needed.

Onekidnoclue · 29/03/2023 15:46

both times I decided I’d done enough and got the jab and it popped out a treat, no both unlike the babies!

Desperatelywantinganother · 29/03/2023 15:48

I had an induction with the drip so didn’t need the injection - they just turned the drip back in at one point when they thought I was bleeding a bit too much. It’s the same hormone used in the injection. I had already delivered the placenta at that point anyway.
My baby was born with the cord around his neck and the midwife cut it before I pushed out his body. She didn’t ask us for an opinion so I think it was probably medically necessary.

BeanzToastie · 29/03/2023 15:52

I wasn't intending to have it first time (hospital birth), but I had pressure from the rather old-school midwife to accept it so in the end, I did – and guess what? They then had a panic to get the placenta out before my cervix closed and unbeknown to them, I ended up with a lot of retained membrane (which thankfully came out by itself a few days later).

Second time (homebirth) I didn't have the injection and delivered the placenta over the toilet naturally, about 20 minutes after the baby. Midwife fished it out and examined it over the kitchen sink – going full on hippy, we later planted it under a tree in the garden!

GracePooleslaugh · 29/03/2023 15:53

I didn't have it the first time and had a big haemorrhage so second time I had it to be safe.

It hurt a bit when the placenta came out with the injection but compared to delivering a baby it was still a breeze.

BeanzToastie · 29/03/2023 15:56

Hobert · 29/03/2023 15:44

I didn't have it but can't remember why not - is there a downside? Placenta delivered very easily maybe they wait a bit and see if it's needed.

There is a small risk of the cervix closing before the placenta is "birthed" which would them mean a trip to surgery to remove it.

tb4122 · 29/03/2023 15:57

I didn't have the injection but I did have delayed cord clamping. My placenta wouldn't come out despite baby latching and feeding well so I had the injection at that point. Placenta was still stubborn but the midwife eventually got it out without me needing to go to theatre. It was about 90 minutes in total and I know the midwife was worried. They estimated that I only lost 500ml of blood but I became severely anaemic shortly after birth so it is now suspected that I lost more.

Next time, if there is one, I'll have the injection straight away.

Twoinapod · 29/03/2023 16:08

I’ve had it with both. Tbh by that time I just wanted to enjoy my baby and not be lying the legs akimbo waiting for it to come out. It’s totally painless and comes out really quickly. Delayed cord clamping is pretty standard now in most places.

Canwedoit4 · 29/03/2023 16:15

I had the injection with my first child, was sick as a dog!! Declined it for my second and third children and just pushed once and out it came, no problems, no sickness...

waterlego · 29/03/2023 16:20

I had the injection the first time (hospital birth) but not the second time (water birth at home). In the pool at home, I delivered DS and cuddled him for a few mins in the water but was quite keen to get out then as the water was quite bloody and I was ready to get clean and dry and snuggle my baby. When I stood up, the placenta fell out very easily into the pool (I think the mw might have caught it actually but can’t remember).

These births were a while ago to be fair but both were fine and there were no particular pros or cons for me from either method.

WimbyAce · 29/03/2023 16:22

I have to say I have no idea what happened about my placenta! 2nd birth was forceps delivery. I can't even remember opting for anything tbh!
I honestly wouldn't put too much weight into your birth plan, I am yet to come across anyone in real life where it went as per plan!

Emilyanna · 29/03/2023 16:32

I hate feeling sick, and read the jag can cause this, so I declined both times. I got nearly to the hour the first time, so they made me walk a bit and it came out immediately. Second time, reached the hour again and midwife gave cord a gentle tug and that made it come out.
Placentas have been coming out naturally for millions(?) of years, so if 50% of women really needed to be whisked off to theatre due to haemorrhaging (as PP's research suggests) the human race would be a lot smaller! I appreciate there is a risk of bleeding, but generally I prefer natural unless I am more at risk than other women for any reason.
Either choice is very valid ☺️

afinethingindeed · 29/03/2023 16:37

We did delayed cord clamping and then I had the injection. No issues here and would do the same again.

Babynugget12 · 29/03/2023 20:10

When they talk about reducing the risk of haemorrhage with having the injection research suggests actually that it reduces blood loss initially after birth with the injection but generally ends up being the same amount of blood loss over the next few days in total with or without the injection. My opinion is if you’ve had a straight forward labour with low intervention your body will birth the placenta in good time with low risk, if you’ve had any intervention such as induction, hormonal drip, forceps delivery or epidural etc your chances of bleeding are higher after birthing the baby so I’d opt for the injection….this is because the uterus may not contract as it should after birth to get the placenta out and you may therefore bleed more, but your midwife will monitor all of that.

I had a lovely home birth and delayed cord clamping of 17 minutes, planned to have no injection but no sign of the placenta after an hour so had the injection and the midwife gently pulled it out. Someone mentioned babies can be jaundice from longer periods of delayed cord clamping, my girl was jaundice by day 3 for about 14 days in total but it wasn’t pathological so all good in the end and no treatment needed.

Hope your birth goes well and as you hope it to go :)

Flittingaboutagain · 29/03/2023 20:35

Oh yes definitely use gravity. Not sure why anyone would be legs akimbo trying to push unless you have an epidural and can't move of course. The more upright you can be throughout labour the better and the same goes for when you get the urge to deliver the placenta.

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