Claire
Did you know that once your baby is born there is one more thing that still needs to come out? Your placenta! (Thanks @iheartguts on Instagram for the visual!)
The placenta is an organ just like your liver or lungs. It has a VERY important role in the development of your baby. The placenta works to filter out toxins and provide a place for baby and mom’s blood to exchange vital nutrients and oxygen/carbon dioxide.
The blood of the mom and baby don’t actually touch or mix but the thin membranes in the placenta allow for these vital substances to exchange.
The placenta delivers after baby and this can take just a few minutes or up to 30 minutes. 🕛🕧
Sometimes the provider will massage your uterus – called a fundal massage- to help the placenta detach and come out.
It can feel kind of painful or crampy when it’s delivering but it is a HUGE relief once it’s out! 😀
What did it feel like after your placenta was out?
Let us know in our comments below.
Originally posted 2021-01-07 12:55:31.
All I remember was feeling like the placenta just slipped its way out of me. I didn’t have to push it out. I think my body naturally just pushed it out because the dr didn’t have to push down on my abdomen to help move it out either. I was as shocked as them especially with my son being my only pregnancy so far and I had him in 6 hrs including pushing him out.
My contractions continued after the baby was out so it actually made it difficult for me to focus on the baby. Thankfully just about 5 mins after baby the placenta came out beautifully and I was finally pain free!!!
My midwife pulled my placenta out and it caused me to hemorrhage. Ended up in the hospital and it was a mess. Next time I know to make sure someone will give me that time.
I had mine encapsulated, the health benefits are huge, especially for postpartum.
I have no memory of my birth due to being an emergency c section that I had to be out under for. It’s crazy to see all the different experiences on an aspect of birth I have no experience with.
The “massage” IS NO MASSAGE 😂😂😂 it’s so painful
I was lay on the bed doing skin to skin and said to the midwife “I think my placenta has just come out” 😂 didn’t feel anything except a bit of a splat when it popped out on the bed haha! Completely unmedicated and natural, it just slid out on its own 🤣
My epidural was still working overtime so while I was holding my daughter, the doc said gimme one good push and out it came. I didnt even feel it. But now I’m on my second pregnancy and I will have 2 placentas to deliver. We will see how this round goes 🤣
I didn’t feel it coming out
I don’t even remember delivering the placenta. I was so caught up in my sweet baby boy on my chest.
Lots of medical malpractice testimonials going on in these comments. Sad that women are still dealing with childbirth abuse these days.
I had a fairly difficult birth that almost resulted in a c section bc I couldn’t get him out. So maybe I was just too tired but I don’t ever have any memory of delivering my placenta! I do however remember them massaging my belly and it felt awfully crampy. That must have been what was going on😂
Mine didn’t delivery despite having the injection. Dr had to manually remove by hand 😐 thankfully I’d had an epidural so I didn’t feel anything but I ended up with a post natal uterus infection 3 weeks later. Was in hospital for 4 days on antibiotic IV
I don’t remember with my first how it felt but when I delivered my 2nd prematurely the doctor was horrible he almost hit my son head on the foot stirrups then he literally pulled my placenta out! Painful and such a strange relief. 3rd it all happened so fast but I got that one encapsulated 💊
It’s great to hear everyone stories. I don’t recall having any pain delivering the placenta and I didn’t have an epidural. Curious as to what method providers use when delivering the placenta and when they use interventions. Great questions to ask your provider.
Once my baby was delivered, my doctor reached into my uterus elbows deep and ripped it out. I felt tugging and and my belly kept dipping as she pulled. She didn’t let me naturally deliver my placenta with the next contraction because her shift was over and she wanted to leave. She even rushed my birth cause she wanted to go home. I pushed twice and she threatened to cut me so I pushed a third time extremely hard and he was born, but unfortunately I severely tore myself. I’m so pissed she bullied me into rushing the whole experience.
Pssshhh delivering the placenta was noooooothing compared to the baby 😂
First birth i forgot midwife said time to push again im like what another baby!?
Thanks for sharing our post
Mine didn’t deliver completely and i was cramping at home so much- and bleeding. Went jn for exam and the doctor reassured me that it all came out. 5 days later while at home, a BIG contraction came and it fell out in the toilet. I was soooo sick. I took it to the doctor in a bag and they did an ultrasound and sent it off. It came back as the placenta. I was soooo upset but thankful they didn’t have to surgically remove anything.
I have not given birth but have a huge fear of this. My sister had three children and said the doctors are always in a hurry so they would pull her umbilical chord until the placenta would detach. Which is scary because of this she was hemorrhaging almost died twice! The uterus would not contract again. How can I make sure I can deliver my placenta naturally without the tugging? 😳😩
The placenta leaving my body is one of my favorite feelings in this world! Maybe why I’m about to have my 3rd in 3.5 years! Seriously though, it feels as though I’m immediately “not pregnant” and a HUGE rush of oxytocin – 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
The placenta “massage” was the most painful part! Aghhh 😭 but after that I got to hold my dude and eat chicken fingers so 👌🏼
Didn’t realise it’s an organ