After the birth of the baby, the placenta must be
born. This is stage 3. Stage 3 usually lasts
less than 1 hour.
This can be a wonderful and
exciting time for the family.
Watch closely to be sure that
everything is healthy and normal.
But be sure to give the mother
and family time to be with the
new baby.
If you have a helper, one of you can help the mother while the other one
watches the baby. If you are working alone, you will need to decide whether
to care for the mother or the baby first.
• If the mother is healthy, and she is not bleeding much,
care for the baby first.
• If the mother has risk signs, care for her first, and the baby later.
• If the mother and baby are both in trouble, help the mother first,
even though it may feel like a difficult choice.
Check the mother’s physical signs
After the birth, you must watch the mother for signs of infection, pre-eclampsia,
and heavy bleeding (which can lead to shock). Check the mother’s blood pressure
and pulse every 30 minutes. Check her temperature every 4 hours. Check more
often if you see warning signs.
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