Labour 3rd Stage: Expulsion of Placenta
Within minutes after giving birth, your uterus begins to contract again. The contractions cause the placenta to separate from the wall of the uterus. It is then expelled through the cervix.

There is little pain at this stage of labour, since the placenta is soft and much smaller than your baby.

After you deliver the placenta, your uterus should contract as this helps cut off the open blood vessels at the site of placental attachment. If the uterus doesn't contract properly, profuse bleeding can occur from those vessels. An injection may be given towards the end of the labour to help the uterus contract and expel the placenta, reducing blood loss.

Any stitching required is usually left until after the placenta has been expelled.