NHS Suffolk and North East Essex - Labour and Birth Booklet

11 What to expect in labour and birth baby also starts to breathe. After 10-15 minutes this blood supply will naturally stop as the placenta separates from the womb. At this point the cord can be secured and cut. Soon after you will feel some mild contractions in the womb and perhaps an urge to push. You may find adopting upright positions helps, and your placenta will slide out easily. This is normally painless as the placenta is soft. Active third stage If you opt for an active third stage, or if your midwife recommends it after the birth of your baby, your midwife will give you an injection of a medication that causes the womb to contract. This injection normally takes a few minutes to work, and at this point the baby’s cord will be secured and cut. Your midwife/doctor will then place gentle pressure on your lower abdomen and carefully pull on the umbilical cord, causing the placenta to deliver. This process normally takes between 10-20 minutes. For more information visit: • NHS Choices www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/what-happens-during- labour-and-birth/#third-stage-of-labour • National Childbirth Trust www.nct.org.uk/birth/third-stage-labour Monitoring your baby During labour, your midwife will listen to your baby’s heartbeat to check his/her wellbeing, and to ensure he/she is coping well with labour. There are three different ways your midwife can check this, by using either: • a hand-held machine • a pinard stethoscope; or • continuous electronic fetal monitoring. If you’ve had a normal and healthy pregnancy, and your labour started naturally after 37 weeks, you will normally be offered monitoring using a small-hand held machine which produces the sound of your baby’s