From Push to Placenta: Your Post-Birth Reality Guide

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We spend so much time preparing for labor, but what about the moments that come right after your baby is born?

In this episode of Tend and Befriend, I’m walking you through what really happens after the final push. From skin-to-skin and delayed cord clamping, to delivering the placenta, the fundal massage (you've probably heard of it), and the quiet start to postpartum recovery.

Whether this is your first baby or you're preparing for another, understanding what to expect in those first few hours can help you feel calm, confident, and prepared.

Inside this episode:
 ✨ What pushing is really like for first-time parents
 ✨ How and when the placenta is delivered
 ✨ What the golden hour looks like and why it matters
 ✨ The truth about fundal massage and your right to say no
 ✨ What happens in the birthing room before you’re moved to postpartum care

You deserve to feel supported through the entire experience, not just during labor. When you know what’s coming, it’s easier to speak up, advocate for yourself, and move into postpartum feeling grounded.

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Episode Transcript

Deborah (00:12):
Hey Mamas, you're listening to Tend and Befriend,
a podcast about women's mentaland physical health.
This is Debra.
I'm a mom of two, a labor andbirth coach and birth advocate,
a health professional, and todayI'm your host.
Let's dive into today's episode.

(00:35):
Any information you hear orthat is suggested or recommended
on these episodes is notmedical advice.
Hey, mamas, welcome back toTend and Befriend.
It's Debra, your favorite doulaand massage therapist, who has
seen a lot of babies come intothe world.
Today we're diving intosomething that doesn't get
nearly enough attention whatactually happens right after you
push your baby out.
We put so much focus on labor,and rightfully so.

(00:57):
It's long and intense, but whatabout that moment?
You're holding your baby onyour chest and wondering wait,
what now?
So let's talk about it.
I want to walk you through whatreally happens in those next
few minutes and hours, frompushing and placenta to
postpartum recovery andeverything in between.
So you've made it to 10centimeters, you're in the

(01:18):
second stage of labor, alsoknown as the pushing stage, and
if this is your first baby, youmight be here for a little while
.
The average push time for afirst time mom is about two
hours.
Yeah, yeah, I know this soundslike forever, especially when
you're exhausted.
But let's be real.
Your body knows exactly what todo and it has never done this

(01:39):
part before.
So it's going to take a littlebit of time for the baby to move
down that path.
That baby has to do a full-onwiggle, twist and squish through
your pelvis and that takes time, but it's instinct for them.
Sometimes people push once,sometimes they push for two

(02:01):
hours either way, and your bodyis going to do it Usually as the
baby starts to crown.
If you have a midwife, they'reusually with you the entire time
, and especially during thepushing.
But if you're in a hospitalwith an OB, this is typically
when the everyone shows upmoment happens.
A charge nurse might come in,the baby team is getting ready
and we're making sure that allhands are on the deck.

(02:23):
I like to jokingly refer tothis as the after party, because
we sometimes get to 10centimeters and think, oh, thank
gosh, I made it.
But it's really just startingthis part.
So you might hear somethingabout the APGAR score being
thrown around here.
It's a quick little check thatis done at one minute and five

(02:45):
minutes after birth and it's areading of the baby and it's
rating baby's appearance, theirpulse, grimace, so basically
their facial reaction, theiractivity and their respiration.
This tells us how baby'stransitioning to life on the
outside and most of the timeeverything is just fine.

(03:06):
Immediately after birth is knownas the golden hour.
The cord is still attached atthis point and if baby is doing
well, most hospitals nowpractice delayed cord clamping
and will typically do a minute.
If you want more and we alwayslove more you will want to watch
in the hospital that they don'tcut it before that minute is up

(03:30):
and advocate for longer.
We do really feel that, unlessthere's an emergency, that cord
shouldn't be cut right away.
So immediately after baby isborn it goes right onto your
chest and skin to skin beginsand once the health team gets
the green light, your partner orwhoever you choose gets to cut

(03:51):
the cord.
We call it the golden hour andit's not just sweet, it's
scientifically powerful.
Baby can initiate breastfeedinghere.
It stabilizes the baby'sbreathing, the heart rate, the
baby's temperature.
It helps the mom's uteruscontract and it supports bonding
like nothing else.

(04:12):
You get to just be.
Baby is here and you'retogether.
But wait plot twist you're notquite done yet.
You still have a placentainside and part of that
umbilical cord is on the outside.
The placenta usually comeswithin 5 to 30 minutes after
birth and it doesn't feel great,I'll be honest, but compared to

(04:35):
the baby, most women don't seemto mind A lot of times.
If there is an OB in thebirthing room, they will do a
few things to help the placentacome quicker than waiting for it
.
You really need to advocatehere in this moment.
Next, we get to watch youruterus do that thing that they

(04:56):
do, and that is to contract down.
So once baby and placenta areon the outside, the spotlight
turns to the uterus and thereare protocols around this now,
and if you don't want thatprotocol, don't forget to

(05:20):
advocate for it before babyarrives.
This protocol involves a doseof Pitocin and even if you
didn't have it during labor, youwill get it here, unless you
advocate not to get it.
This helps your uterus contractand doesn't usually create
cramping at the level of labor,but you can definitely feel them

(05:41):
for sure.
Next comes the fundal massage amassage therapist's least
favorite massage ever.
You're going to hear the wordsand I know it has massage in the
name and it's very misleading.
This is where your nurse orprimary provider presses hard on
your abdomen, on the top ofyour uterus, to make sure it's

(06:02):
firm and not filling with blood.
They will tell you that it'snecessary.
They will tell you that it'seffective.
Whether or not we agree, here'sone thing I do know for sure it
hurts and it's not fun, andthey will continue to do this
every 15 minutes for the firstcouple of hours.
And it's up to you to advocatefor this to stop.

(06:26):
And here's where the postpartumrecovery begins.
Once things are stable, youruterus is firm, bleeding is
under control and baby is doingwell, things typically get a
little slower in the birthingroom, and this is some of the
most special moments to bepresent, for you might still be
in your labor room for a littlebit longer.

(06:46):
Usually you're there for twohours and then you'll be moved
to the postpartum floor.
Some hospitals do keep you inthe same room the whole time,
which can be great forcontinuance of care.
Usually you finally get to eatsomething here, you get cleaned
up a little and maybe even getto visit with your family that
have been waiting to see you andto meet the newest little human

(07:07):
in your life.
That's it.
You have the pushing, you havethe placenta, the pitocin, the
fundal massage and the goldenhour, bonding and the beginning
of postpartum.
My hope is that this episodehelps you feel a little more
prepared and a lot moreempowered, because when you know
what's coming, it's easier tofeel confident in your body and
your birth and you're able toprepare for the things that you

(07:29):
don't care for.
And remember you always have asay in what happens to your body
and your baby.
You get to ask any questions,you get to say no and you get to
advocate or have someone besideyou who will advocate for you.
You've got this mama, and ifyou need more support, I'm

(07:50):
always here.
Thank you so much for listeningto Tend and Befriend.
If you found this episodehelpful, please share with a
friend or come say hi to me onInstagram at Debra Dadula.
This is your baby, your birthand your way.
You don't have to do it alone.
Let's talk soon.
Talk to you soon.
Okay, let's talk soon.