What is the Third Stage?

• Third stage involves the birth of the placenta, the Tree of Life that once nourished your child through its vital connection to you. It is still a part of the birth process.

• There should be no discomfort when birthing the placenta as the contractions are generally different to the ones that released your baby.

• When the placenta separates from the uterine wall, the cord will lengthen, there will be a spurt of blood and a heavy, boggy sensation that indicates you can now push the placenta out.

• It is better (and easier) to birth your placenta in an upright position, working with gravity. I have on two occasions birthed the placenta over a colander placed under the seat in the toilet bowl. This was very comfortable and also allowed me to relieve my bladder.

• You can wait for many hours to birth your placenta, this is normal and may be due to some unresolved issues, the last minute bliss of having baby all to yourself, or you may simply need to empty your bladder. Depending on where you choose to birth you may have to negotiate with your care provider over this one (if you birth in hospital or a birth centre, please be aware that the midwife may wish to give syntocinon to accelerate the birth of the placenta – if your wish is to continue to let your body do its thing in its own time, then you should let her know before you go into labour).

• It has been shown to be more beneficial for the baby to leave cutting the cord until it stops pulsating (which generally doesn’t occur until after the placenta has been birthed). This ensures that the baby has received all of his nutrient-rich blood supply and will not shock his vital organs into working before they are fully transitioned and before they have received all of their blood supply. You may even choose to leave the cord/placenta attached as in the practice of Lotus Birth, or cut the cord and bury the placenta under a special plant, have a ceremony.