Third stage of labour

The final stage of labour is the birth of the placenta. There are two ways this can happen.

Physiological third stage means waiting for your placenta to birth spontaneously with your effort. This may take up to an hour following the birth. Baby will be with you skin to skin and your baby will have a breastfeed in this time.

Active management involves injecting an ecbolic (a drug to contract the uterus) into your leg after your baby’s shoulders are born. The ecbolic speeds up placental separation and your uterus (womb) contracts down to reduce blood loss and ensure your uterus remains contracted.