I haz a question...

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

BB has informed me of so much surrounding birth, and I was a support person for my sister when she had her last bub, so I've seen it up close 'n' personal. But I've read in a lot of different places that birthing the placenta is harder/more painful than birthing the baby. Why is that?

Is it more of an annoyance thing, like, you've already birthed your bub and (hopefully) you're holding him/her, but you've still got these annoying contractions and there's no 'bonus' at the end? Or is it actually a completely different pain?

Shanks for answering, birthing warriors

ETA - Thanks to the lovely Arcadia, I now know I actually want to be asking about afterbirth pains! I'll leave my post so y'all know what the first few posts are talking about though

[xXHopeXx]

I actually found the placenta easier to birth! It wasn't harder at all, but it was a very odd feeling (abit TMI) as because it wasnt a hard mass as such, it felt weird pushing it out, and I was more conscious of pushing it out, rather than my body giving me no choice but to push out DD lol. But there was no pain and it was easier, for me anyway.


Sent from the land of "iSomethings" so forgive me for any spelking misstaks

[Arcadia]

Mine basically fell out both times. I *think* I had contractions still, but I just remember feeling something in my vagina and just felt like pushing and it plopped out (ewwwwwww). Felt great to get rid of it!

Now the afterbirth pains...that's completely different....is that what you mean? They are contractions that happen after the baby and placenta have been birthed and the uterus tarts contracting back to normal size. It's like intense perid pain and hurt a lot with the second bub. They last for a few days too and are worse when breastfeeding. I think it's confusing that people call the placenta the 'afterbirth' but these pains are not associated with the placenta at all.

Hth

[PumpkinZulu]

Noooooo, do not harder or more painful!! I think I was a little more *aware* of birthing the placenta, in the way that my body had just done this huge, amazing thing (which was do big, I was pretty distracted from the pain, while pushing anyway), and then bubs was out, we cuddled, got up, had a walk around, got into bed, started to breastfeed...all that time, the contractions had stopped. So when they came back (not in full force, but pretty ouchy), I really didn't have much tolerance for it. I was a sook was like, can I have some panadol forte now?? The modwife was like, sure, just one second and I'll get it (while smiling and shaking her head to say no at DH). It was out in like 2 or 3 pushes. Didn't hurt at all to actually come out, just felt like a slimey, gooey, giant blob. It was a bit odd to push out, seeing as I'd just pushed out an 8 and a half pound baby, it was weird getting a small, boneless thing out. But I definitely wouldn't say it was more painful or more difficult, just different. I wasn't on the rush or natural hormone high (which was more amazing than any drugs could be I reckon!) when I birthed the placenta. So yeah. That's my take on it any who.

[Catastrophic]

i found the placenta easy to birth, it was just the annoyance factor... by the time it was ready for the placenta I was so tired, already had my baby girls so didn't want to do anymore work lol

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

AHH Arcadia, yep, that's what I mean! LOL, I thought afterbirth pains were from birthing the 'afterbirth' - thanks!

Thanks everyone else too, for answering the question I asked by mistake

[Rouge]

Contractions were way worse post birth than during. But that's a common story from the women in my family. Placenta wasn't hard. I had unmanaged third stage. But the contractions. OMG! I wanted drugs after birth BAAAAADLY!

But it gets worse with each child. I imagine because your body has to work harder to get it back into shape each time.

[Novella]

My afterbirth pains with dd2 were bloody awful as bad as my worse labour contractions but worse as they came while breast feeding is I couldn't move through them. Heat packs were great, after having three births analgesic free I had ibuprofen and paracetamol post dd3 birth and the after pains were much more manageable. I also didn't have IM synto in after dd3s birth which may have lead to less forceful afterbirth contractions. The contractions did their job though and any midwife who checked was surprised at how quickly my uterus shrunk back to normal

So my advice is consider declining IM synto post if its not indicated, heat packs and nurofen if needed. I had no idea the after pains are so much worse after a second or subsequent child and it was a real shock for me so giving people the heads up might help

Delivering the placenta was not painful at all for me, did feel weird and slimy and was a little annoying but I felt a huge sense of relief once it was out, it was a really intense surging kind of feeling of relief not sure if it was hormone related

[onthefly]

I heard they get worse with each baby but I had painful ones with DS, but none with DD. weird. didn't miss them, though

[Heaven]

Mine weren't too bad but not looking forward to next time. Didn't feel any afterbirth pains with DD1, but did for a few days with DD2 when breastfeeding. Not real fun but just like bad period pain.

[buffy1]

I didn't even notice it coming out, or the vigorous stitching going on to repair the second degree tear. As soon as that baby was out and in my arms, she was all I could focus on!

[PumpkinZulu]

Ohhhh okay! Afterbirth pains? Hurt like a biatch! But for me, not worse than my contractions. They were huge! It was really disconcerting when breastfeeding for the first week or so, very painful.

[Tinks]

So you mean the pains you get for the few days after giving birth?

My after birth pains were like period pain and nowhere as intense as labour. THey got worse with each baby too.

[BellyBelly]

Yes, the more babies you've had, the harder the uterus has to work to get back to shape, so afterpains can be ouchier with each birth. Heatpacks!

Placenta encapsulation can also help.

[peanutter]

My afterbirth pains were pretty bad, but only the second time around - I had almost no trouble the first time with them ... but the second time (possibly because I had a c-section??) they were rather owies - but not as bad as the actual birthing contractions the first time around.

Comprendez vous?

[Rouge]

I had a c/s the first time and they weren't as bad as the second. But that could have been because I was doped up after a c/s who knows.

Did anyone else feel completely ripped off? I felt totally jibbed because I'd done all the hard work, got my vbac and then it hurt MORE. What sorcery is this?!

My mother had warned me that for her and all the women in our family afterbirth was more painful than the birth. I thought she meant birthing the placenta. No. She meant after that. And ouch.

[meow]

I found the contractions during the 3rd stage more painful, but the actual birthing of the placenta wasn't painful at all.

My first birth I had a managed 3rd stage and didn't feel a single thing. No pain, don't even remember feeling the placenta come out.

Second birth I had a natural 3rd stage and I think I sort of thought the placenta would just plop out. I started to get intense back pain that wasn't like my previous contractions. The pain didn't have a rise & fall that contractions have so I had no sense of how long it would last or that it was coming on. That made it worse because it throws you off mentally with a sort of 'senseless pain' that you have no idea when it will end. I started to really carry on and had no idea what was going on actually! My MW got me a hot water bottle and told me to push with the 'contractions' (so that's what the pain was!) and that did help somewhat. Pushing didn't hurt like pushing my baby though as there was no internal pressure of a head making it's way down. Then when I did push the placenta out it did just plop out and wasn't at all painful.

As for after birth pains- I've been pretty lucky there. I had none what-so-ever with my first baby and a few mild-ish ones in the first week with baby#2.

[skybie]

Ive never really noticed my placenta coming out, more uncomfortable than painful. After birth pains have alwsys knocked me for six, they were horrible after my last birth but thankfully only lasts a few days