The third stage of labor

Moments after the baby is born, the uterus contracts, allowing the placenta to detach from its base. The midwife or doctor assisting the birth will wait for the telltale signs of this and then deliver the placenta by applying gentle traction on the severed cord.

The mother does not have to do any pushing. Normally, this happens within minutes of delivering of the baby. Occasionally, the placenta does not detach and it has to be manually removed. This requires adequate pain relief, such as an epidural, spinal or general anesthesia. It should and is not done under a local anesthetic.

After completion of the third stage, if there was an episiotomy, this is repaired. Labor is then complete and the new mother can rest and savor this very special moment.

Repairing the episiotomy

Normally a local anesthetic will have been injected before the cut is made. Some more local anesthetic may need to be injected or, if there is an epidural in place already, this may be sufficient. The repair is done using suture material that dissolves with time. There is therefore no worry about having the stitches taken out.

The area will inevitably be sore when the local anesthetic wears off after a few hours. Pain-killers are sometimes necessary. This soon resolves and the new mother is likely to be perfectly comfortable within three or four days. Complete healing may take a couple of weeks or so, even though she will not be aware of it.

Fetal monitoring in labor: Next page

Commencement of the third stage of labor

Out of, and onto mother’s tum... Once the baby is fully out of the birth canal; the second stage comes to an end. This heralds the beginning of the third stage.