Photo from Joy Within Birth Services
Placenta Encapsulation. I know what you’re thinking… “Eww, gross! I would never eat my placenta!” Agreed, the first word that came to my mind when I heard of this was “barbaric”. But then I watched THIS VIDEO and it changed my entire perspective.
I grew up with a mother for a midwife. She planted all four of her children’s placentas into trees and would marvel at how fast they would grow. All four trees are alive today, huge and flourishing and have survived two cross-country moving excursions. No doubt the placenta has some life-giving forces.
She used to tell me how her European midwife friends would cook their placenta up like a steak and eat it. That wasn’t “for her” back then, even in her hippie years; she would rather them go into her garden. But she often tells me now that if encapsulating the placenta had been mentioned to her back in the day, she would have absolutely opted for that method.
I learned about Placentaophagythe, the act of consuming the placenta, in midwifery school. Did you know that most mammals consumer their placentas after birth? Once we covered the benefits of it for mothers in the postpartum period , I was sold. I was so ready to learn this process and to be able to offer it to my local mamas. It has been one of the most rewarding “dirty jobs” I’ve ever had! I am constantly, on a week-to-week basis, getting messages and calls from my clients telling me how their capsules are doing wonders for them. I am equally as grateful to have learned this for when I have kids one day.
Read HERE to learn the method that I use. I use a blend between the Traditional Chinese Method and the Raw Method. I do not steam the placentas simply for the reason I don’t steam my vegetables. I don’t want those raw nutrients to leave. Not to mention, steaming causes for a horrific stench. Honestly, the process does not have a smell without that steaming part. I learned a lot about proper sterilization technique and adding herbs to my capsules from this DIY site.
What is IN the placenta??!!
Your placenta is full of your own bio-specific hormones, nutrients and healing properties:
- Gonadotropin: the precursor to estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
- Prolactin: promotes lactation.
- Oxytocin: for pain and bonding; produced during breastfeeding to facilitate bonding of mother and infant. In pharmaceutical form this is a very addictive drug because it promotes a feeling of connectedness with others.
- Thyroid stimulating hormone: boosts energy and helps recovery from stressful events.
- Cortisone: combats stress and unlocks energy stores.
- Interferon: stimulates the immune system to protect against infections.
- Prostaglandins: anti-inflammatory.
- Hemoglobin: replenishes iron deficiency and anemia, a common postpartum condition.
- Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII: stops bleeding and enhances wound healing.
- Gammaglobulin: immune booster that helps protect against postpartum infections.
What are the benefits??!! Just to name a few…
This new organ of life holds nutrients such as iron, vitamin B6, and hormones that can aid your postpartum bodies in immense ways. Consumption of the placenta via encapsulation can:
Increase:
- Milk supply
- Depleted iron
- Depleted B vitamins
- Energy level
- Balance in your bodily system
- Your own natural hormones
Decrease:
- Likelihood of postpartum depression
- Sleep disorders such as insomnia
- Uterine size post-pregnancy
- Postpartum bleeding
The most amazing testimonies I have read are from mothers who chose to encapsulate the second or third time around. It truly can kick Postpartum Depression in the butt! The moms that suffered from PPD in a previous pregnancy desperately put their hope in consuming the placenta pills… And they were pleasantly thrilled! The placenta has proven itself over and over again, providing energy and a clear perspective. It provides the proper hormones (FROM your body, FOR your body) that you exactly need after the huge hormone drop-off that occurs during birth.
Even Hollywood is picking up on the health benefits. Little do they know… this is not a “new trend”. This is Ancient Chinese Medicine, people! But it’s fun to read about it in the news on the front page of Yahoo!
“I regret eating my placenta.” – Said, no one, ever.
Click HERE for some more Placenta Encapsulation FAQ. For more resources and reading, click HERE and scroll to the Placenta section.
I had my fourth baby a week ago and this was my first placenta encapsulation. I decided to do it because with my past three pregnancies I have suffered with PPD for almost a year each time. I don’t have time for that while chasing four, and I don’t like the type of mommy/wife I tend to be during PPD. so I was willing to try anything! I have noticed an completely different recovery this time! Granted its only been a week but my bleeding has virtually stopped, usually I bleed 4-6 weeks, my emotional state is amazing, and its definitely helped with my fatigue. I can’t say enough good about encapsulating!
[…] Encapsulate your placenta
I have had one birth where I kept the placenta and planted it. The next time I had a lotus birth. Next time I do think I will encapsulate – we have just had a beautiful doula in our community write about encapsulation on our own blog and it just makes sense. Although I have indeed heard one not great story the experienced midwife I heard it from said that it was a rare experience (amplified hormonal symptoms that subsided once the capsules stopped being taken) and indeed most of what you read online and hear from womens mouths is a very positive experience.