Questions & Answers

Yes, it does burn when the largest part of the head comes out. And mine burned, even with an epidural. They turned my epidural off when I started pushing b/c I wasn't pushing hard enough. By the time my daughter came out (about 25 mins later) I could definaltey feel the burning (althoug Im sure it was not near as bad as what others have gone through.) lol - I have a low tolerane for pain! My doctor delivered the placenta shortly after and I didn't even know it was happening. My daughter was surrounded by the NICU team b/c I had meconium and she swallowed it. I was so overwhelmed with what was going on, I didn't even know she delivered the placenta until my husband almost passed out from seeing it lol - that is the easiest part. Good luck with everything!

You're referring to the "burning ring of fire" ... the widest part of the head when the baby is crowning, it will hurt (unless you have an epidural to numb everything)
Also you will be offered to have an injection to deliver the placenta or you can wait and deliver it naturally. I will be opting for the injection.

beautiful cries come next.

Piece of advise that the others didnt say...make sure your dr. gives your placenta time to come out on its own. My first was born in Mercy Hospital (iowa) and without any kind of emergency or need...other then the dr. made it his regular routine to rush out of the room as soon as possible...He manually went in me elbow deep 5min after baby came and scraped my uterine walls and grabbed the placenta by hand. It was so traumatizing..I made sure my husband told the dr. for my 2nd one..to wait the safe 30 min you should wait for the placenta to come on its own. this was at a different hospital and when my hubby told them to leave me alone..they looked at him like he was crazy and said that he needed to relax because your placenta delivers itself..lol..they were not aware of the reason behind my hubby jumping the gun there. Anywho...placenta doesnt hurt to deliver. baby crowning..burns..but by that point of delivery..it happens so quick..its over before you know it..beautiful cries come..

Knicole pretty much covered it. But I have to comment on one thing, having given birth naturally once before, I want to assure you, giving birth to the placenta is a walk in the park, I wouldnt even worry about that. I'm assuming you were asking that out of interest more then anything, but if you were worried about "having to push one more thing out", forget about it. You don't even notice the placenta coming out, and if some women do, i doubt the notice it much, and you barely even feel the contractions that help u push out the placenta... like at all. I literally pushed the placenta out, and didnt even realize it.

While I cannot comment on birth from a personal experience because this my first.. I have heard ob's call it "the ring of fire" when you are crowning the babies head and yes it is true. Everyone's pain tolerance is different so everyone will tell you their birthing experience differently. Labor/Birth is going to hurt no matter what. To expect it to be pain free is .. kind of unrealistic but everyone handles pain differently so what hurts for one may not for another and yes you do give birth to the placenta as well after giving birth to the baby. You will have contractions to push it out.. though not as intense as the contractions that guide the baby out. Hth :)