Stages of labour

The fourth stage

Baby’s birthday

After the birth, you and your partner will be given time with your baby so that you can get to know one another.

• It’s important that you and your baby stay together, skin to skin, ideally for the first two hours after birth.
• Your baby will be examined, weighed, measured and given identification bracelet/s.
• If you consent, baby will also be given vitamin K as an injection or orally.
• Your baby may be dressed and wrapped in a warm blanket.
• You may then be transferred to the postnatal wards or you may request an early discharge if you and baby are well.

Checks after your baby is born

While you are holding your baby, your midwife or doctor will do a check called an ‘APGAR score’.

The APGAR score will be done twice, at one minute and five minutes after birth. You probably won’t even notice it’s being done, as the midwife can do this while baby and mother are skin to skin.

It helps the midwife or doctor to know whether your baby needs additional care following birth.

The APGAR score is based on the baby’s:

• breathing rate
• heart rate
• skin colour
• muscle tone
• reflexes.

Blood loss after birth

Blood loss after birth is normal.

Bleeding in the days or weeks after birth (also called lochia) is completely normal and occurs regardless of whether you have a vaginal birth or caesarean birth.

What is normal blood loss after birth?

Women’s experiences of bleeding after birth vary considerably. In the first few days after birth, most women experience moderate to heavy bleeding. Over the first few days to weeks this bleeding will gradually decrease and will change colour.

Most women will stop bleeding between four and six weeks after birth. It is also common for bleeding to be heavier after breastfeeding.

More information: Queensland Clinical Guidelines parent information – Bleeding after birth

In this guide:

1. Baby’s journey of labour
2. Hormones during labour
3. Stages of labour
4. First stage of labour
5. Second stage of labour
6. Third stage of labour
7. The fourth stage

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