Home birth and the third stage of labour
There is no doubt that the third stage of labour, when you deliver the
placenta, is the least interesting part of the birth for both you and
your birth partner. However, it is part and parcel of the entire birth
experience and it's important to know how you want it handled, regardless
of whether you have a home or hospital birth.
Active management
Active management is when you are given a syntometrine injection as your
baby is born, or just after. This helps your uterus contract and the placenta
to come away from the wall of your womb and be delivered. This usually
takes about 5-10 minutes. The injection does have occasional side-effects
such as headaches and dizziness and there tends to be a lot of activity
around this time. Babyworld midwife Hannah Hulme Hunter also adds, "Many
women find the procedure uncomfortable albeit usually fairly quick."
Physiological or natural management
A natural third stage involves allowing the placenta to be delivered without
the use of the injection. This usually takes longer, perhaps up to an
hour, and may mean a higher blood loss. However, it is much less intrusive
and allows a more peaceful time for you to bond with your newborn baby.
Midwife Hannah warns, "It is not always wise to leave the third stage
to nature, and there are several potential drawbacks. However, many women
find that a natural delivery of the placenta is less intrusive and painful."
Whatever you decide, it's important to discuss with your midwife before
the birth how you'd like the placenta to be delivered. Because the timing
of giving the injection is important, there's not really much opportunity
for discussion about whether you'd like to have the injection or not at
the point at which it needs to be given - so this really is something
that's worth thinking about before your labour begins
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