What is the max time for placenta to deliver itself?

[JaimeF]

I am planning a HBAC and want to know how long a placenta can be inside me after delivery before I should be concerned.

[Alanamom]

For what it's worth, a friend of mine just delivered unassisted.  Her placenta came 14 hours later and with significantly less bleeding than her previous assisted births. 

[IntuitiveJamie]

I've always heard that they typically come out b/n 10 minutes and up to an hour.

Mine have both taken 45 minutes. And I just had a friend tell me her's take up to 2 hours.

I never heard of one taking 14 hours until today, so I guess anything's possible. Isn't that just the truth with pregnancy and birth?!

[OrangeMoon]

I had placenta out on hand from in his hands, and I took it when my dd was born. With my son it came out easy peasy in like ten-fifteen minutes but with my DD it had been an hour and I was starting to get nervous. I took two doses and about ten minutes later it came out. GL!

[IntuitiveJamie]

Great to know OrangeMoon, b/c I planned on ordering some of that this time! I really don't like having the placenta in for so long. I don't get nervous, it just becomes uncomfortable. Even though I'll get in bed and nurse, it's just this feeling of knowing there's something else that's supposed to come out and I'm ready for it all to be done. I'm not patient when it comes to the placenta at all. I'll definitely be ordering some of that for sure!

[andisunshine]

My placenta took 4 hours.  It was starting to get a little worrisome and I was taking Placenta Out, too!  Although my husband was measuring out the doses and I suspect that they weren't full doses since that darn bottle has a tiny little opening and he gets impatient.  Once I took the bottle and started squeezing full doses it took about 15 minutes.  My midwife friend mentioned later "the sea of chi" (I think that's how it's spelled) and said to press down with two  fingers four fingers-width above the pubic bone.  I don't have experience with this method but she used it before  successfully.

[JaimeF]

Thank you for your responses.  I just wanted to make sure I couldn't get an infection or anything if it was in there long. 

[lah7]

Originally Posted by JaimeF 

Thank you for your responses.  I just wanted to make sure I couldn't get an infection or anything if it was in there long. 

Infection is only one worry if you retain placenta.  The more urgent one would be that it can interfere with your uterus contracting properly and lead to postpartum hemorrhage.  In addition, retained placenta can lead to problems with lactation and yes, lead to a uterine infection.

Prior to having a UC, you need to ensure you've done enough research, beyond asking people on a message board, what the norms are for such events, because the consequences of NOT dealing with a retained placenta can be dire.
 

[IntuitiveJamie]

  ITA with lah7!

[UnassistedMomma]

My last took 5 hours, which was the longest ever in my 5 baby history.  I had very little bleeding while I waited though, so while I was beginning to get concerned, I wasn't ready to transfer.  We were just beginning to discuss transfer plans (UC) when it finally came out. 

[roadfamily6now]

Mine took 45 minutes to come out, which was nearly as long as my labor! LOL

[BlessedOne]

maybe I am missing something......but why not just birth it out right after the baby is born like normal? Now I understand some leave it attatched to baby for a bit, but why leave it inside of you?
With all of my 4 (including 2 UC) I just did the afterbirth right after I had the baby and checked them out and took a few minutes to relax.
Typically the placenta came out with very little effort. Is there a benefit to leaving it in???
I have never heard of this prior to reading this thread....can someone enlighten me?

[IntuitiveJamie]

I'm not under the impression anyone's holding it in. Is that even possible? Once that sucker wants to come out, is there anyway to even hold it back? What I'm hearing from this thread, is that for some women it's taking an extra long time. Both of mine took 45 minutes. I REALLY wanted mine to come out. I'm praying it comes out faster this time. But both times it didn't budge before 45 minutes. Not after laying down and nursing, not with uterus massage. Nothing. I do believe the "typical" time frame is 10 and up to an hour. But everyone's different.

[UnassistedMomma]

Um, yes.  No one is *choosing* to retain a placenta.  It comes when it comes... but some have had to wait a longer amount of time - by no choice of their own - for it to release and come out. 

[JaimeF]

Oh gosh no, that isn't what I meant at all LOL,  I was just asking because I have scar tissue from previous c-s and I really want my placenta to deliver itself but I had no clue how long it was supposed to take and if it is a super long time, should I worry.  I plan to use Placenta Out and a few other natural techniques and just hope they work.  I do want it out ASAP.

[BlessedOne]

lol...pregnancy brain at its finest...lol

I guess the phrase "placenta to deliver itself" threw me for a loop. I kind of perceived it as people just waiting around to have it fall out or something....lol

With all of my 4 deliveries mine came out quickly and easily without any issue....just a push or two when I was ready. I guess I didn't realize it could take longer to come out.

thanks for clarifying =S

[slmommy]

Mine took about half hour. Nursing your baby (or trying) and vertical position can help, toilet is actually a good place since it keeps you vertical, although maybe not if you want to encapsulate placenta or eat it or something! Added bonus there is that weight of your internal organs will help further compress uterus.

[JaimeF]

LOL yea I said deliver itself as opposed to someone delivering it by going in to to try to detatch it if it took too long. 

Thanks for the toilet idea.  I do plan to keep the placenta for consumption. 

[IntuitiveJamie]

I delivered on the toilet both my last two children. The placenta unfortunately still never seemed to want to come out. I became tense waiting and got uncomfortable sitting there and trying to hold the baby and start nursing. I was so ready to be off the toilet and resting comfortably. So after about 1/2 hour we got me to the bed both times and waiting and it still didn't come out for a bit.

I'm really hoping placenta out works for me this time. I find the placenta delivery to be the most uncomfortable part.