The Placenta
There are many views about what is often referred to as the third stage. Many women, while pregnant, may not even consider that there are choices available to them.
What is meant by an active third stage? (Medically managing the third stage) or just letting things happen naturally? What happens to the placenta? You may wish to find out more about the positive or negative aspects of different ways of looking at the third stage.
Research has offered insights into the value of leaving the baby and cord intact while waiting for the placenta to come away from the wall of the uterus and out through the vagina. The cord continues to pulsate bringing valuable oxygen, iron and stem cells to your baby and in most hospital settings the cord is now not cut until the pulsations in the cord cease.
My focus in this blog is considerations of what happens to the placenta once it comes away and what choices around the placenta you wish to make. This is your baby and your journey and the knowledge you gain will help you to make the decisions that make you feel comfortable. These decisions can be communicated to your care givers for discussion while you are pregnant.
What happens to the placenta?
In a hospital setting, the placenta is checked for its completion. That is to minimalize the possibly of any missing parts remaining inside the mother’s uterus. It is then disposed of as medical waste. If you are considering taking your placenta home have that discussion with your care givers well before your baby is here.
If you choose to bring the placenta home, you will need to decide what to do with it Some families plant the placenta in the garden under a special tree or in a Sacred place or plant a new tree above the placenta. Other options are to have the placenta made into capsules to be consumed by the mother. Some women leave the baby and placenta intact until natural separation of the cord and the placenta occurs. Named Lotus birth, considerations need to be made regarding hygiene, that is, caring for the placenta during this time and any risks of infection that this method may present.
For more in depth information that is easy to understand and well researched I would suggest the following books.
Birthing Your Placenta, the third stage by Dr Nadine Edwards and Dr Sara Wickham
Gentle birth, gentle mothering by Sarah J. Buckley, MD
A spiritual Connection
A different point of view recently came to me when I was reading a book by a senior woman of the Wirradjirri people ‘Under the Quandong Tree’ by Minmia. I am very drawn to the Indigenous teachings of our country as well as other countries throughout the world. In Minmia’s book there are many wonderful insights about life. I was particularly dawn to the importance of the placenta.
In the book, Minmia explains that when the placenta is buried, the unique spirit or soul print of the baby is with Mother Earth (Nungeena-tya) The Earth is nourished by the richness if the placenta and a two-way relationship establishes placing the responsibility for the child into Mother Earth.
She writes that when a child reaches 12-14 years (‘child spills seed’) then Mother Earth grounds and guides the child throughout their physical life.
She talks about the current practice in Western cultures for the placentas to be disposed of (incinerated) melting together many soul prints. At puberty when Mother Earth guides and grounds a child, there is confusion, stress and lack of direction.
If this concept interests, you, I suggest you read Minmia’s book ‘Under the Quandong Tree” This information is in chapter 5. She also includes a Rebirthing ceremony on page 75.
I hope the above information helps you decide what is comfortable for you when it comes to that amazing day when your baby joins you on your journey into Motherhood.