Secondment: what happens in the last phase of childbirth?
The afterbirth is the last stage of the placenta to the uterus. The afterbirth occurs after the birth of the baby, and is made possible by the last uterine contractions, which effectively close the obstetric phase.
Manual afterbirth: why is it done?
Fifth month of pregnancy: what happens in these weeks?
Sometimes the afterbirth does not happen by itself, either because the contractions have stopped or because of placental retention. In that case, the obstetrician proceeds to manual afterbirth: a little pressure on the mother's belly can help release the remains of the placenta and membranes. This procedure is called the Brandt-Andrews maneuver in obstetrics. If the afterbirth is not completed with With manual help, the midwife might also inject a small dose of oxytocin to stimulate new, painless contractions, and thus help expulsion. It is important that the afterbirth takes place in a complete manner, so that the uterus can return to normal in the period of the puerperium.
The physiological afterbirth
Usually the afterbirth is physiological, it occurs spontaneously without any manual or pharmacological intervention. Often mothers don't even notice it, because it is a short and painless phase. There are cases in which blood losses occur: they are completely normal, they are haemorrhages deriving from the detachment of the placenta and from the elimination of membranes previously attached to the uterus. The contraction of the uterus itself should contain these losses, which could last to a lesser extent throughout the puerperium phase. It is important that the uterus is completely free from the placenta and membranes, because otherwise you could incur infection or bleeding. In any case, the mother is followed by the obstetrician or gynecologist throughout the immediate post-partum phase, so there is no need to worry.
The pains of childbirth: how to deal with them?
In this video, Nanny Simona tells us which are the main methods to avoid or reduce the pains of childbirth. From epidural to laughing gas, from water birth to less common techniques, discover all the options for giving birth without pain!
