The third stage of labour is when the placenta is birthed (usually within 30-60 minutes of the baby being birthed). Today almost all 'civilised nations' who have women birthing in hospitals manage the third stage of labour with an artificial injection of ocytocin/ Pitocin /Syntocin in Australia). The purpose of this is to encourage the placenta to release from the uterus quickly, in order to prevent the occurrence of a Post Partum Haemorrhage. In natural birth when this stage takes place w...