Hi 
I find this happens often in practice at home births.
I usually suggest the woman either kneel or stand up
for a few minutes after the baby is welcomed. 
I do this in or out of water.

The placenta usually arrives within 5 minutes without
any maternal effort. 

Using a birth stool would aid this method too..... I
wish.
val

 
--- Tina I Harris <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi all,
> I concur with Deborah's points. I think we do often
> miss the timing of physiological third stage as
> women and midwives concentrate on welcoming the baby
> and making the woman comfortable after the exertion
> of childbirth (usually by sitting down). I think if
> we could facilitate a more upright posture for a
> little longer, the placenta would deliver very
> rapidly aided by gravity. Also the sensations women
> experience may be more apparent as a result. Work
> carried out by Krapp et all (2000) suggested the
> placenta separates very quickly after birth and
> therefore I can only surmise the long third stage
> may be more to do with the woman sitting on her
> separated placenta in situ which prevents its
> expulsion. This may also link in with the suggested
> slightly increased blood loss in physiological third
> stage.
> Tina
> 
> Dr Tina Harris
> Principal Lecturer in Midwifery
> De Montfort University
> Room H1.31a
> Hawthorn Building
> The Gateway
> Leicester
> LE1 9BH
>  
> 0116 2577804
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A forum for discussion on midwifery and
> reproductive health research.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
> Of Ans Luyben
> Sent: 22 June 2007 10:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: FW: Re Third stage
> 
> Hi Deborah,
> 
> Tina Harris might know more about this topic as she
> did her PhD in this
> area.
> I guess she will reply to this mail soon, if she is
> not on a holiday.
> 
> best wishes,
> 
> ans
> 
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: A forum for discussion on midwifery and
> reproductive health
> research.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]Namens
> jenny hall
> Verzonden: Donnerstag, 21. Juni 2007 23:53
> Aan: [log in to unmask]
> Onderwerp:
> 
> 
> Dear Deborah
>  This has always been an interesting one for me from
> my perspective as a
> mother. As far as I am aware, there is not much
> research about this,
> especially the shorter end of the time,  but I may
> be wrong. From my
> personal view, I feel that we sometimes miss the
> timing of the physiological
> third stage. I have been blessed with five
> straightforward labours ranging
> from 3hs to under an hour. As I had nothing for pain
> relief, I was always
> aware of when the placenta separated and moved down
> in the pelvis as I felt
> it and each time it was within five minutes of the
> births. Now I suspect my
> hormones/body was efficient, which is why the
> separation was so quick. I
> also wonder whether this is also actually the case
> in many births, but we
> are so busy with mum/baby and doing things and
> mothers can be unaware about
> their own bodies, that they don't feel what is
> happening enough to tell us,
> that we may actually miss when the separation takes
> place. I would be
> interested to know what you discover
> 
> Best wishes
> Jenny
> 
> Jennifer Hall
> The Practising Midwife
> For information on subscriptions, advertising and
> contributors guides please
> contact [log in to unmask] or
> www.thepractisingmidwife.com
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A forum for discussion on midwifery and
> reproductive health research.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
> Of Deborah Caine
> Sent: 15 June 2007 17:17
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject:
> 
> Dear All,
> 
> Does anyone know of any research/guidance about
> acceptable length of
> physiological third stage of labour (with no
> complications)?
>