The last part of labour is giving birth to the placenta. There are two approaches to birthing the placenta: active management and physiological. To reduce bleeding after birth we can ‘actively’ manage this process. The alternative is physiological birth which may avoid drugs but is associated with higher rates of bleeding and medical intervention may be needed if the placenta doesn't come without help.

When your baby comes out, your midwife will be examined to make sure they can breathe and do not require any additional support. If your baby doesn't need extra help, skin-to-skin and feeding your baby are some things you can do to start bonding with your baby and providing baby with some immediate benefits to their health. You can choose what is right or possible for you and your baby, for example feeding using breastmilk, formula or mixed feed. If support is required for your baby, for example they need some help breathing, assessments will be made by your midwife to identify what is needed to be done and how quickly.

Immediately after you give birth, you may experience some things which may be new for you. It is common to experience discomfort, bleeding (known as lochia), cramping similar to period pains (after pains), bruising, and perineal pain. Emotionally, you might feel anxious, exhausted, or down, which is normal in the first week or two. If these feelings last longer, it's important to seek help from a midwife or GP. Following birth, you may experience injury to your perineum. These could be bruises, grazes, or tears. Some tears will heal by themselves but others require stitches. You may feel different down below following a pelvic floor injury and if you get an infection, you may require antibiotics. Other physical symptoms like urinary incontinence or difficulty urinating may occur, especially after certain types of labour. If you are worried about any symptoms, please contact your midwife, health visitor, 111 or GP.

Experiencing some mental health problems may be normal following birth, such as baby blues. But it is really important to reach out when the normal becomes abnormal so you can receive the appropriate care. Postnatal depression, PTSD, postpartum psychosis and self-esteem issues can all be experienced after giving birth. If at any point you feel that something is not right or you feel you would benefit from help, seeking it out is the best thing you can do.