Placenta Encapsulation
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Why should I consume my placenta?
During birth women lose 1/8-1/10 of their blood supply. The mammal placenta was made to be consumed and make up for this loss by giving the new mother essential fats, amino acids, vast amounts of iron and essential hormones to aid the body in self recovery after birth.
Will placenta capsules help with my breast milk supply?
A study of dried placenta use leading to increase a breast-feeding mother’s milk supply was the first and still one of the few ever studies on using placenta as a lactagogon. It had the following results; 181 out of 210 women who were given dried placenta to increase milk supply had positive results, seeing an increase in their milk supply. This study was from 1954 and is considered a low quality study as it was conducted on a small pool of women and measurement of milk supply was subjective. You may read the study here.
* Placenta as a Lactagogon; Gynaecologia 138: 617-627, 1954
I’m delivering in a hospital. Can I still have my placenta encapsulated?
Absolutely! When you sign up for my service, I will provide you with instructions and paperwork to give to all your hospital caregivers to make bringing the placenta home easy and stress free for you.
What if they want to take my placenta to pathology?
In rare cases your physician may feel that your placenta needs to go to pathology. If this does happen ask if they can do a visual exam in the delivery room instead, or see if a small piece sent to pathology would suffice instead of the entire placenta. If your physician feels the whole placenta needs to be examined in pathology unfortunately it will no longer be suitable for encapsulation/consumption due to cross contamination. Please be aware that a small percentage of placentas actually need to go to pathology in their entirety. Most doctors will try working with you so everyone gets what they need. Placentas that are sent to pathology for examination are NOT able to be encapsulated, so this is something that should be avoided if at all possible.
What if I give birth prematurely?
Premature birth does not automatically determine your placenta being unfit for encapsulation and I have encapsulated numerous preterm placentas. I have found that most area doctors will try to still accommodate your wishes to take your placenta home with you and will try to either do a blood test, send only a piece of placenta to pathology, or will only do a bed-side visual examination in order to not have to send the entire placenta to pathology. However, in some cases the placenta legitimately does need to be sent to pathology in order to determine possible preterm cause. Ultimately it is up to the decision of your doctor as to whether or not your placenta will be released or not.
What if I want a Lotus Birth?
A lotus birth is when the placenta is left attached to the baby until it detaches on its own, generally after several days. In lotus birth, it is common to salt or otherwise help the placenta dry out more quickly. While lotus birth is a beautiful ceremony honoring the connection between placenta and baby, it renders the placenta unsuitable for consumption if done in this traditional manner. However, you can still have a lotus birth and encapsulate your placenta if you preform it using this trick from Gloria Lemay:
LOTUS Birth with PLACENTOPHAGY: buy a new thermal lunch bag with a zipper closing around the top. Buy six freezer cold packs that will fit well into the thermal lunch bag. Have two packs in the freezer at all times. Soon after the placenta is birthed, create a little mini-fridge for it by putting one frozen pack on the bottom of the bag, then the placenta, then the second frozen pack and, then, do up the zipper with just the cord coming out of the corner of the zipped up bag. As soon as the cord separates (typically day 4 or 5), dehydrate and encapsulate the red, meaty parts from the maternal side of the placenta or contact your Encapsulation Practitioner. You’ll know the placenta has been kept fresh by the smell i.e. it should smell like fresh meat.You can also preform a modified lotus birth by keeping the placenta connected to the baby for up to three or four hours. This would give the baby a gentle transition to the world, and the placenta would still be fit for consumption after this amount of time without having to follow the above steps. Do not exceed four hours before separating the placenta and refrigerating it if you do not follow the above steps.
What about sanitation? I've been told the placenta is a bio-hazard.
Uninformed people call the placenta a biohazard. I thoroughly disinfect the area where we work before, during, and after the process. All of my equipment is used solely for encapsulation and is disinfected with a quality cleaner that is effective against HBV and HIV (the viruses that cause hepatitis B and AIDS), EPA registered, and meets OSHA requirements for blood spill clean up. I am careful to go beyond OSHA’s rigid requirements and additionally work with a Certified Central Sterile Supervisor who also sterilizes the equipment to ensure total safety everyone involved. I work with one client at a time so there is never any risk of mix-ups or cross-contamination.
Can you tell me a little about the supplies you use and how they are stored and sterilized?
The supplies used in the dehydration and encapsulation process are all stainless steel and food-grade plastic. They are thoroughly washed with antibacterial soap and hot water & sanitized with bleach solution. The stainless steel tools are also boil or oven-sanitized. They are stored between use in a sealed container to keep them clean and fresh. I also sanitize each piece before use. I follow the same guidelines for cleanliness and sanitation that are used in food service establishments.
When does the encapsulation process begin?
The encapsulation process should begin within 48 hours after birth. The placenta will generally be suitable for consumption for 7 days (refrigerated the entire time) but the capsules will not be as potent as when the encapsulation process begins earlier. If it is not possible to begin the process within the first 72 hours, the placenta should be frozen within the first 24 hours. Double-bag the placenta in gallon sized ziplock freezer bags. The placenta will be entirely thawed for TCM style encapsulation, which takes about 24 hours in the refrigerator. It does not need to be thawed entirely to make the raw capsules.
I delivered some time ago; my placenta is in the freezer. Is it too late to encapsulate?
Absolutely not. Although it is best to process the placenta within six months, all hormones and some nutrients are still viable and beneficial.
How long does the placenta encapsulation take?
Once I receive your placenta I am usually able to complete the encapsulation process in about 48 hours. Tinctures are also available.
How many capsules can I expect from my placenta?
It all depends on the size of your placenta; anywhere from 80 – 150 capsules.
How long do I use my capsules?
The first two weeks are the most important and effective time to be taking the placenta. You can taper off after that or continue to take them at the original dosage. We encourage women to follow their body’s cues and adjust the dosage accordingly.
Is there anytime I should NOT take placenta capsules?
Placenta should not be taken if the body is fighting off a common cold, flu, or infection. If you should get a breast infection (mastitis), the placenta should not be taken until infection is cleared. If symptoms such as chills, fever, sneezing, aches, flushed cheeks, hot palms and feet or night sweats should occur, stop taking the capsules until the body has fought this off. The reason for this is because placenta is extremely tonifying in nature and can cause a pathogen to grow stronger and go deeper into the body.
Will placenta pills help prevent the ‘baby blues’ or post-natal depression?
The ‘baby blues’ is now a named symptom of birth and mothers are told to expect to feel sad, anxious and very emotional around the third day after the birth, usually when the milk engorges the breasts. These symptoms can sometimes develop into post-natal depression. Studies have proven that the symptoms of post-natal depression are linked with a severe lack of essential nutrients such as iron, vitamin B6 and hormones including CRH (our stress reducer homone), all of which are in high supply in the placenta. Consuming the placenta after birth using placenta encapsulation or other placenta remedies nourishes the mother of lost nutrients and hormones and some woman report experiencing prevention entirely of the ‘baby blues’ and/or post-natal depression. Research is not yet available to demonstrate self-reported results. Results cannot be guaranteed with placenta capsules or any other placenta remedy. Because your placenta is made by you the quality and potency of your placenta smoothie and capsules is unique to your own placenta.
During birth women lose 1/8-1/10 of their blood supply. The mammal placenta was made to be consumed and make up for this loss by giving the new mother essential fats, amino acids, vast amounts of iron and essential hormones to aid the body in self recovery after birth.
Will placenta capsules help with my breast milk supply?
A study of dried placenta use leading to increase a breast-feeding mother’s milk supply was the first and still one of the few ever studies on using placenta as a lactagogon. It had the following results; 181 out of 210 women who were given dried placenta to increase milk supply had positive results, seeing an increase in their milk supply. This study was from 1954 and is considered a low quality study as it was conducted on a small pool of women and measurement of milk supply was subjective. You may read the study here.
* Placenta as a Lactagogon; Gynaecologia 138: 617-627, 1954
I’m delivering in a hospital. Can I still have my placenta encapsulated?
Absolutely! When you sign up for my service, I will provide you with instructions and paperwork to give to all your hospital caregivers to make bringing the placenta home easy and stress free for you.
What if they want to take my placenta to pathology?
In rare cases your physician may feel that your placenta needs to go to pathology. If this does happen ask if they can do a visual exam in the delivery room instead, or see if a small piece sent to pathology would suffice instead of the entire placenta. If your physician feels the whole placenta needs to be examined in pathology unfortunately it will no longer be suitable for encapsulation/consumption due to cross contamination. Please be aware that a small percentage of placentas actually need to go to pathology in their entirety. Most doctors will try working with you so everyone gets what they need. Placentas that are sent to pathology for examination are NOT able to be encapsulated, so this is something that should be avoided if at all possible.
What if I give birth prematurely?
Premature birth does not automatically determine your placenta being unfit for encapsulation and I have encapsulated numerous preterm placentas. I have found that most area doctors will try to still accommodate your wishes to take your placenta home with you and will try to either do a blood test, send only a piece of placenta to pathology, or will only do a bed-side visual examination in order to not have to send the entire placenta to pathology. However, in some cases the placenta legitimately does need to be sent to pathology in order to determine possible preterm cause. Ultimately it is up to the decision of your doctor as to whether or not your placenta will be released or not.
What if I want a Lotus Birth?
A lotus birth is when the placenta is left attached to the baby until it detaches on its own, generally after several days. In lotus birth, it is common to salt or otherwise help the placenta dry out more quickly. While lotus birth is a beautiful ceremony honoring the connection between placenta and baby, it renders the placenta unsuitable for consumption if done in this traditional manner. However, you can still have a lotus birth and encapsulate your placenta if you preform it using this trick from Gloria Lemay:
LOTUS Birth with PLACENTOPHAGY: buy a new thermal lunch bag with a zipper closing around the top. Buy six freezer cold packs that will fit well into the thermal lunch bag. Have two packs in the freezer at all times. Soon after the placenta is birthed, create a little mini-fridge for it by putting one frozen pack on the bottom of the bag, then the placenta, then the second frozen pack and, then, do up the zipper with just the cord coming out of the corner of the zipped up bag. As soon as the cord separates (typically day 4 or 5), dehydrate and encapsulate the red, meaty parts from the maternal side of the placenta or contact your Encapsulation Practitioner. You’ll know the placenta has been kept fresh by the smell i.e. it should smell like fresh meat.You can also preform a modified lotus birth by keeping the placenta connected to the baby for up to three or four hours. This would give the baby a gentle transition to the world, and the placenta would still be fit for consumption after this amount of time without having to follow the above steps. Do not exceed four hours before separating the placenta and refrigerating it if you do not follow the above steps.
What about sanitation? I've been told the placenta is a bio-hazard.
Uninformed people call the placenta a biohazard. I thoroughly disinfect the area where we work before, during, and after the process. All of my equipment is used solely for encapsulation and is disinfected with a quality cleaner that is effective against HBV and HIV (the viruses that cause hepatitis B and AIDS), EPA registered, and meets OSHA requirements for blood spill clean up. I am careful to go beyond OSHA’s rigid requirements and additionally work with a Certified Central Sterile Supervisor who also sterilizes the equipment to ensure total safety everyone involved. I work with one client at a time so there is never any risk of mix-ups or cross-contamination.
Can you tell me a little about the supplies you use and how they are stored and sterilized?
The supplies used in the dehydration and encapsulation process are all stainless steel and food-grade plastic. They are thoroughly washed with antibacterial soap and hot water & sanitized with bleach solution. The stainless steel tools are also boil or oven-sanitized. They are stored between use in a sealed container to keep them clean and fresh. I also sanitize each piece before use. I follow the same guidelines for cleanliness and sanitation that are used in food service establishments.
When does the encapsulation process begin?
The encapsulation process should begin within 48 hours after birth. The placenta will generally be suitable for consumption for 7 days (refrigerated the entire time) but the capsules will not be as potent as when the encapsulation process begins earlier. If it is not possible to begin the process within the first 72 hours, the placenta should be frozen within the first 24 hours. Double-bag the placenta in gallon sized ziplock freezer bags. The placenta will be entirely thawed for TCM style encapsulation, which takes about 24 hours in the refrigerator. It does not need to be thawed entirely to make the raw capsules.
I delivered some time ago; my placenta is in the freezer. Is it too late to encapsulate?
Absolutely not. Although it is best to process the placenta within six months, all hormones and some nutrients are still viable and beneficial.
How long does the placenta encapsulation take?
Once I receive your placenta I am usually able to complete the encapsulation process in about 48 hours. Tinctures are also available.
How many capsules can I expect from my placenta?
It all depends on the size of your placenta; anywhere from 80 – 150 capsules.
How long do I use my capsules?
The first two weeks are the most important and effective time to be taking the placenta. You can taper off after that or continue to take them at the original dosage. We encourage women to follow their body’s cues and adjust the dosage accordingly.
Is there anytime I should NOT take placenta capsules?
Placenta should not be taken if the body is fighting off a common cold, flu, or infection. If you should get a breast infection (mastitis), the placenta should not be taken until infection is cleared. If symptoms such as chills, fever, sneezing, aches, flushed cheeks, hot palms and feet or night sweats should occur, stop taking the capsules until the body has fought this off. The reason for this is because placenta is extremely tonifying in nature and can cause a pathogen to grow stronger and go deeper into the body.
Will placenta pills help prevent the ‘baby blues’ or post-natal depression?
The ‘baby blues’ is now a named symptom of birth and mothers are told to expect to feel sad, anxious and very emotional around the third day after the birth, usually when the milk engorges the breasts. These symptoms can sometimes develop into post-natal depression. Studies have proven that the symptoms of post-natal depression are linked with a severe lack of essential nutrients such as iron, vitamin B6 and hormones including CRH (our stress reducer homone), all of which are in high supply in the placenta. Consuming the placenta after birth using placenta encapsulation or other placenta remedies nourishes the mother of lost nutrients and hormones and some woman report experiencing prevention entirely of the ‘baby blues’ and/or post-natal depression. Research is not yet available to demonstrate self-reported results. Results cannot be guaranteed with placenta capsules or any other placenta remedy. Because your placenta is made by you the quality and potency of your placenta smoothie and capsules is unique to your own placenta.