Eww, gross! Why would I possibly ever consider consuming my placenta?!
The placenta is an incredible organ that YOUR body made specifically for you and your baby. It nurtured and nourished your baby in utero, and as it contains your own natural hormones, it has been perfectly made to nourish your unique body during your post-partum period.
-The hormones and nutrients of the placenta help your milk come in and sustain a good supply
-Quicker healing time of the vagina and birth canal (who doesn't want this?!)
-Increased energy
-Ease post-partum depression (Psychiatric medication is sometimes necessary. Placental ingestion is a good place to start and can be used in conjunction with medications).
-Helps to return the uterus to pre-pregnancy state and decrease postnatal bleeding
-Replenishes iron levels, helping to restore energy and prevent anemia
When in doubt, freeze your placenta and decide later.
How is the placenta prepared?
Raw Preparation: For a completely raw preparation the thoroughly washed, drained, trimmed placenta is cut into small pieces (size of small grape). The pieces are individually frozen in plastic and can be stored for ~6 months in the freezer. To consume, a single small piece of placenta is thoroughly blended into a smoothie of your choice - you will not be able to sense that it is there!
Benefits of raw preparation: Some women prefer to ingest small pieces of raw placenta, particularly during the first few days post-partum when a more cooling energy is desired due to hormonal fluctuations (raw food is considered cooling in Traditional Chinese Medicine). Additionally, some enzymes and hormones may be denatured or degraded during the steaming and dehydration process. Thus, to gain the maximum benefits of the placenta, a raw preparation may be preferred. You may also choose to have a small portion of your placenta frozen raw, dehydrating the rest.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) encapsulation: The thoroughly washed, drained, trimmed placenta is gently steamed with purified water containing organic lemon and ginger slices. The steamed placenta is sliced thin, dehydrated for 8 hours in a sterile food dehydrator, pulverized in a sterile coffee grinder and encapsulated in vegetarian capsules. The capsules will be presented in a glass jar and should be stored in a cool, dry place (no refrigeration required). This is the most popular method of placenta preparation.
Benefits of TCM encapsulation: Steaming with lemon and ginger imparts warming qualities to the placenta. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is believed that warming properties are desired after the first few days of birth to nourish the blood supply and nurture the new mother. Steaming also destroys any bacteria that may be present. Encapsulation is an easy, convenient way to consume placenta and allows women to enjoy the benefits of the placenta whenever they feel they need it, as it can be stored for years. It is great to have some capsules around months down the road when your milk supply is low or you are going through a particularly stressful time. Some women even save the pills to ease menopausal symptoms.
Non-steamed encapsulation: The thoroughly washed, drained, trimmed placenta is sliced thin, dehydrated for 8 hours in a sterile food dehydrator, pulverized in a sterile coffee grinder and encapsulated in vegetarian capsules. The capsules will be presented in a class jar and should be stored in a cool, dry place (no refrigeration required).
Benefits of non-steamed encapsulation: The non-steamed placenta has more stimulating qualities to it, which some women prefer. The raw dehydration also preserves some enzymes and hormones that would normally be lost during the steaming prcoess . Sometimes women find that these pills give them so much energy that they do not give their bodies the rest that they need - caution must be exercised, take good care of yourself!
How many capsules will my placenta make? Just as every woman is unique, every placenta varies in size, shape and color. How finely ground the placenta is also makes a significant difference. Most placentas will yield between 75-150 capsules.
How should I store my placenta prior to encapsulation? Most hospitals in the Metro area are familiar with women taking their placentas home - you should never feel strange asking for your placenta. It is YOUR organ and you have every right to leave the hospital with it. Inform your provider beforehand that you intend to keep your placenta and write it on your birth preferences sheet. Have your partner or someone on your birth team be responsible for the placenta after it is birthed. Most hospitals will place the placenta in a small lidded bucket or some may place it in a bag. A few hospitals require the placenta to be off of the premises within a particular time period (sometimes 2 hours after birth), so I always encourage my clients to bring a small cooler to the hospital with them. The placenta must then be kept on ice or placed in a refrigerator where it is perfectly fine for up to 72 hours. If the placenta will not be prepped within 72 hours after birth it must be frozen. Frozen placentas can stored in the freezer for up to 6 months and easily prepped at a later time.
Disclaimer:
The information on this site has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The services offered on this site are not clinical, pharmaceutical, or intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Families who choose to utilize the services on this site take full responsibility for researching and using the remedies.
The placenta is an incredible organ that YOUR body made specifically for you and your baby. It nurtured and nourished your baby in utero, and as it contains your own natural hormones, it has been perfectly made to nourish your unique body during your post-partum period.
-The hormones and nutrients of the placenta help your milk come in and sustain a good supply
-Quicker healing time of the vagina and birth canal (who doesn't want this?!)
-Increased energy
-Ease post-partum depression (Psychiatric medication is sometimes necessary. Placental ingestion is a good place to start and can be used in conjunction with medications).
-Helps to return the uterus to pre-pregnancy state and decrease postnatal bleeding
-Replenishes iron levels, helping to restore energy and prevent anemia
When in doubt, freeze your placenta and decide later.
How is the placenta prepared?
Raw Preparation: For a completely raw preparation the thoroughly washed, drained, trimmed placenta is cut into small pieces (size of small grape). The pieces are individually frozen in plastic and can be stored for ~6 months in the freezer. To consume, a single small piece of placenta is thoroughly blended into a smoothie of your choice - you will not be able to sense that it is there!
Benefits of raw preparation: Some women prefer to ingest small pieces of raw placenta, particularly during the first few days post-partum when a more cooling energy is desired due to hormonal fluctuations (raw food is considered cooling in Traditional Chinese Medicine). Additionally, some enzymes and hormones may be denatured or degraded during the steaming and dehydration process. Thus, to gain the maximum benefits of the placenta, a raw preparation may be preferred. You may also choose to have a small portion of your placenta frozen raw, dehydrating the rest.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) encapsulation: The thoroughly washed, drained, trimmed placenta is gently steamed with purified water containing organic lemon and ginger slices. The steamed placenta is sliced thin, dehydrated for 8 hours in a sterile food dehydrator, pulverized in a sterile coffee grinder and encapsulated in vegetarian capsules. The capsules will be presented in a glass jar and should be stored in a cool, dry place (no refrigeration required). This is the most popular method of placenta preparation.
Benefits of TCM encapsulation: Steaming with lemon and ginger imparts warming qualities to the placenta. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is believed that warming properties are desired after the first few days of birth to nourish the blood supply and nurture the new mother. Steaming also destroys any bacteria that may be present. Encapsulation is an easy, convenient way to consume placenta and allows women to enjoy the benefits of the placenta whenever they feel they need it, as it can be stored for years. It is great to have some capsules around months down the road when your milk supply is low or you are going through a particularly stressful time. Some women even save the pills to ease menopausal symptoms.
Non-steamed encapsulation: The thoroughly washed, drained, trimmed placenta is sliced thin, dehydrated for 8 hours in a sterile food dehydrator, pulverized in a sterile coffee grinder and encapsulated in vegetarian capsules. The capsules will be presented in a class jar and should be stored in a cool, dry place (no refrigeration required).
Benefits of non-steamed encapsulation: The non-steamed placenta has more stimulating qualities to it, which some women prefer. The raw dehydration also preserves some enzymes and hormones that would normally be lost during the steaming prcoess . Sometimes women find that these pills give them so much energy that they do not give their bodies the rest that they need - caution must be exercised, take good care of yourself!
How many capsules will my placenta make? Just as every woman is unique, every placenta varies in size, shape and color. How finely ground the placenta is also makes a significant difference. Most placentas will yield between 75-150 capsules.
How should I store my placenta prior to encapsulation? Most hospitals in the Metro area are familiar with women taking their placentas home - you should never feel strange asking for your placenta. It is YOUR organ and you have every right to leave the hospital with it. Inform your provider beforehand that you intend to keep your placenta and write it on your birth preferences sheet. Have your partner or someone on your birth team be responsible for the placenta after it is birthed. Most hospitals will place the placenta in a small lidded bucket or some may place it in a bag. A few hospitals require the placenta to be off of the premises within a particular time period (sometimes 2 hours after birth), so I always encourage my clients to bring a small cooler to the hospital with them. The placenta must then be kept on ice or placed in a refrigerator where it is perfectly fine for up to 72 hours. If the placenta will not be prepped within 72 hours after birth it must be frozen. Frozen placentas can stored in the freezer for up to 6 months and easily prepped at a later time.
Disclaimer:
The information on this site has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The services offered on this site are not clinical, pharmaceutical, or intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Families who choose to utilize the services on this site take full responsibility for researching and using the remedies.