Afterbirth

[Evie76]

Hello

When I gave birth to DS (the whole thing was a four hour whirlwind) I did the bonding thing etc and was then 'wheelchaired' off to my room for a shower.

As soon as I stood up out of the wheelchair a very large amount of afterbirth dropped on to the floor of the shower. I was completely shocked as I was not expecting it and called the nurse immediately. She just said it was afterbirth (looking a little inconvenienced) and washed it down the drain.

Is something else supposed to happen after giving birth/placental delivery, to combat the afterbirth? I am sure I will probably encounter the same thing with the next baby, but I have ALWAYS wondered about this particular moment.

Or... is this a very common occurrence?

Thanks,
LP.

[catherinemoses]

I thought the afterbirth was delivering the placenta?
It could have been a bit of retained placenta that thankfully came out by itself.
Sorry not much help.

[doudou]

i doubt your placenta would wash down the drain..unless she stomped on it to get it through the holes....
it might have been a large clot (just blood semi dried and gloopy)

[satya]

Yeah I experienced much the same after my birth however the shower was in the labour room & I was helped into it by the middy & my DF and I was placed on the chair. I'd had an episiotomy & there was a load of blood & clots that came out. I didn't know that this would happen but the middy was at the door of the shower keeping an eye on me and she just said don't worry, it's all normal.

People tell you all sorts of stories about birth & what happens afterwards but not one person warned me about the possibility of that happening. The shower room looked like someone had been murdered in it - that's how much blood there was. I gave birth 6 1/2 months ago & I'm still low in iron storage. I guess some of us just lose more blood than others.

[mummy of many]

Hi there,Ive always had very large clots come away after my natural births,but my 4th pg,was the worst for bleeding & my after birth was like large cluggy livers, from a butcher,sorry TMI,but i also called for a midwife & she said that, that sometimes happens,everything should be fine.It was a bit scary though. I think if you are ever in doubt you should always ask,no matter how silly you think it might be after all they are there to help us.

[Evie76]

It wasn't placenta. That was delivered fully in tact - so it didn't even enter my mind that that's what it was.

It was just an enormous blood clot (like liver), Satya hit the nail on the head there.

So, I suppose I can expect it again then. The middy did not stand in the door way. She pretty much pushed me in the door and said here's your room and your baby (my DH was allowed to sleep in the vacant bed next to me - so there were two of us her were completely confused). I didn't even get any water to drink until I asked for it.

So, when I went to the shower DH was looking after our brand new DS and I was dropping my insides outside. A little disconcerting.

[doudou]

was dropping my insides outside

i remember that feeling.....after dd a had to crawl back to bed as i felt so woozy from seeing big clots