Placenta encapsulation

SoonToBeGenao

I had a terrible horrible no good very bad..... Ok getting carried away... I had a very difficult recovery when my son was born. Physically, emotionally you name it. I had done research about placenta encapsulation but he surprised me and was born on my first day of maternity leave at 38w after a super fast labor. I never got around to making arrangements.

This time I decided not to waste any time and prepare ahead. I just "booked" my encapsulation with a very popular local mama who does them (plus a placenta print a a cord keepsake!). I am so excited and hopeful for a better experience this time.

Anyone else planning to do placenta encapsulation or smoothies etc? Anyone already done it and have an awesome story?

SoonToBeGenao

@kristhegirl‌ definitely research the benefits. It's absolutely amazing! Humans are the ONLY mammal that doesn't routinely consume their placenta. I thought it was insane at first but the more I learn about it the more it makes perfect sense.

I can't wait to test it out since I ready l know what it's like without it.

Plus it totally fits into my uber crunchy hippy lifestyle anyway haha

SoonToBeGenao

lol @caleo it's not like I'll take a bite of it. It's dehydrated and ground down into powder then put into capsules to take like a pill

ahsile10

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aimbje88

Had to Google what this was! Very different indeed. Can't say it's for me but hey if that's what you're into go for it! Weird info for ya though, my mum still has my 14 year old sister placenta in her freezer...

intensivepurposes

Crunchy people like to tell me that Taco Bell is gross, then they do stuff like this.

jlbaker08

We are the only mammals that don't eat our placenta, a very large part of that is because we don't have to conceal birth/newborns from predators and we get our nutrition from regularly scheduled meals, multivitamins and grocery stores.

To each his own, I wouldn't eat mine but I'd consider burying it under a tree... I think there's something about doing that out there?

Mamamads

Yessss! I had anxiety after my daughter and have heard amazing things about placenta encapsulation. I've hired a doula who also offers that service and I can't wait to try. You would have to take something like 40 different herbs and supplements to mimic the benefits of your placenta and it helps with milk supply, bleeding, energy and ppd. I also loved how the doula recommended saving any you don't use up and freezing them for when you have a bad Pms month. I know a few people who did not do it with their first child(ren) and then did with their others and they rave about them. I definitely think it's worth a shot to make postpartum a little easier.

emwithpeanuts

The benefits sound great, but I personally feel it's self cannibalism, so I will not do it.

ahsile10

sandybananas said:

I don't have to be articulate because @CALEO‌ is for me today. I'll +1 her words.

+2 for @caleo

nittanyllama

I'm open to learning more about it, but leaning towards probably not doing it...

SoonToBeGenao

Mamamads said:

Yessss! I had anxiety after my daughter and have heard amazing things about placenta encapsulation. I've hired a doula who also offers that service and I can't wait to try. You would have to take something like 40 different herbs and supplements to mimic the benefits of your placenta and it helps with milk supply, bleeding, energy and ppd. I also loved how the doula recommended saving any you don't use up and freezing them for when you have a bad Pms month. I know a few people who did not do it with their first child(ren) and then did with their others and they rave about them. I definitely think it's worth a shot to make postpartum a little easier.

Awesome!! I hope it works out for you! We should keep in touch so you can share your experience

Mamamads

SoonToBeGenao said:

Mamamads said:

Yessss! I had anxiety after my daughter and have heard amazing things about placenta encapsulation. I've hired a doula who also offers that service and I can't wait to try. You would have to take something like 40 different herbs and supplements to mimic the benefits of your placenta and it helps with milk supply, bleeding, energy and ppd. I also loved how the doula recommended saving any you don't use up and freezing them for when you have a bad Pms month. I know a few people who did not do it with their first child(ren) and then did with their others and they rave about them. I definitely think it's worth a shot to make postpartum a little easier.

Awesome!! I hope it works out for you! We should keep in touch so you can share your experience

Yes hope it helps you as well! We definitely should

SoonToBeGenao

@Cosmicturtlemama‌ I am super blessed to live in an area with a huge birth network. Lots of amazing midwives/doulas/lactation specialists you name it. The woman I'm using if recommended by many in the network. I'm so glad to hear you are doing it too I hope you get lots of benefits from yours!

SoonToBeGenao

@junedear67‌ you can actually do it at home. You can use the oven if you don't have a dehydrator. The process doesn't seem that complicated actually

petrichor14

CALEO said:

And I don't think it's cannibalism, and I feel like calling it that is pretty dramatic.

I'm legitimately curious - how would you differentiate it?

Hmm, I agree it isn't really cannibalism, because once the baby is born the placenta is more of a waste product than actual flesh. So it's more akin to drinking your own pee, I guess? Which still hits on some taboos and probably gives most people a visceral "hell no" reaction. But some people are into it, and it isn't harmful, so whatevs.

I'm firmly on the side of "no thanks," personally. My mom had my little sister at home and buried her placenta in the center of the garden, with a peony planted over it. I always thought that was kind of beautiful. But I wouldn't haul mine home from the hospital (if that's even a thing they let you do) just to do that.

petrichor14

ETA: Nevermind, I misunderstood.

SoonToBeGenao

Definitely didn't mean to gross people out with the post. I truly believe in the benefits of it and wanted to share in case it was something that would interest someone- or share in that with someone who also planned to do the same. Everyone is of course entitled to their feelings and I get that it's not for everyone.

thiscoffeechick

I'm 99% sure I will do encapsulation. The notion of ingesting if at all makes me queasy but dried up pills will be doable. I believe in the benefits but totally see why other people are so turned off by it. I'm gagging writing this but a smoothie or anything other than pills is so gross. I can't even.

mkjbw&+1

I plan on putting some in a smoothie and the rest will be buried under the tree we are planting in memory of our son we lost. I feel that from the research I have done it is worth doing to give my body and milk supply a boost. I'm positive I have consumed worse things that are considered food and with a lot less health benefits in my life so drinking a placenta smoothie is no big deal.

kcebeling

I don't go here, but it seems like the only "research" posted is by those who stand financial gain, no? My accupuncturist tried to talk me into this...and even said the placenta could be frozen until menopause and then processed and consumed. No...just no. (Enzymes in meat cause the tissue to break down after 6-8 months.)

JuneBug0611

Didn't do this with DD and had no postpartum issues so I'm not inclined to do it this time either. This subject combined with m/s makes me super-queasy.

I had a friend who was going to do this but changed her mind after the baby released meconium prior to birth (which DD did too). Not sure if that's a concern to the people who do encapsulation or how they deal with that situation to make sure the placenta isn't contaminated. I haven't read up on the process (and won't until I'm out of first tri and this m/s gets better!!).

SoonToBeGenao

@kcebeling‌ the way I see it- my recovery can't be worse than my first was. What do I have to lose by trying? If I take a few and I don't like it or there are no noticeable effects then I just stop.

It's very hard to do a controlled study when 1- you can't make people consume their placentas. And 2- every single woman and every single pregnancy are very different

CoachTsWife

I find this an interesting topic, have read about it before, and plan to research options in my area as I would really like to try it.

slapsappyhappy

I definitely would like to do it, but I won't be telling anyone in my family. They freaked out when I said I want to do it. Even dh is against it but this is a battle he is losing. I am terrified of getting PPD and even if it's a placebo I don't care! I am looking into a few different places and will book when it gets closer. Don't listen to anyone else, it is your body and your choice!

jlbaker08

@SoonToBeGenao‌ my guess is that you will see positive effects, I think it's probably a mind over matter thing. If you believe it will help, it will. I hope it does make your experience better, as well as having more control over the situation will help make it more enjoyable for you.

SoonToBeGenao

Lol @slapsappyhappy‌ hubby is totally on board but said "we aren't like going to tell anyone about this are we?" Haha

emwithpeanuts

CALEO said:

bookitup said:

And I don't think it's cannibalism, and I feel like calling it that is pretty dramatic.

I'm legitimately curious - how would you differentiate it?

Self-cannibalism is literally eating parts of your own body. There is a part that's a little different where it's unintentional (ie: biting your cheek and swallowing blood or skin) but if you are intentionally eating a part of your body, it's self-cannibalism and its called placentophagy.

nittanyllama

Things I found tonight on google:
1. There isn't much, if any, scientific data to support the effectiveness of this practice and
2. None of the hospitals in my area will release the placenta to the patient as they consider it biohazardous waste.

JennyJensing

bookitup said:

Placental encapsulation is not my hill to die on by any means, but it always irritates me when people try to shame others into or out of making decisions by using trigger words or negative words. I would never call a mother who ingested her placenta a cannibal or say she's committed a cannibalistic act...it just seems harsh IMO. It seems like trying to belittle her decision by reducing her to a less civilized being.

 

Stuck in quote box...

This! Eating your placenta is an old, old practice. Just because you think it's gross and that you'll regain nutrients lost by taking vitamins or eating a balanced diet, doesn't mean we should shame her. IMO, the same could be said for breastfeeding. I'm a big proponent for BFing, but it's not necessary any more because babies can drink formula and be just fine. It's great to have your own opinion, but I think some of the viewpoints that have been expressed in this thread so far are offensive.

OP-seems like my last time around on these boards, I heard someone talking about making placenta popsicles. Not my thing, but more power to ya!

ahsile10

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cschissell

I didn't with DS and probably won't this time around either.  I've looked into it and while I think some of the benefits seem amazing I just am kind of too lazy to really go through with it. 

petrichor14

I'm curious is there's any actual scientific data on the active nutritional content of the capsules you end up with. Because it seems to me that much if not all of the supposedly beneficial components would be destroyed by heating/drying it- wouldn't they? Some things like iron are still going to be there, but proteins and hormones? Aren't they kind of fragile? So even if there were evidence that raw placenta contains a bunch of beneficial things, and evidence that consuming those things would help you, that doesn't mean capsules of dried placenta are going to do any good. I'd need to see evidence before I'd be willing to do something like this, and all I see are anecdotes and sales pitches.

Mamamads

petrichor14 said:

I'm curious is there's any actual scientific data on the active nutritional content of the capsules you end up with. Because it seems to me that much if not all of the supposedly beneficial components would be destroyed by heating/drying it- wouldn't they? Some things like iron are still going to be there, but proteins and hormones? Aren't they kind of fragile? So even if there were evidence that raw placenta contains a bunch of beneficial things, and evidence that consuming those things would help you, that doesn't mean capsules of dried placenta are going to do any good. I'd need to see evidence before I'd be willing to do something like this, and all I see are anecdotes and sales pitches.

From what I remember my doula said the raw placenta does hold stronger vitamins etc but they are cooked in a method where very little is lost. I would be glad to ask her for any specific studies she may have on the matter.

yelah250

I do find it to be fairly repulsive, but my good friend / doula offers it as part of her package deal, so I'll have it done. I didn't with my first two, so I don't have previous experience. I figure it can't hurt.

mkjbw&+1

The reason I'm doing a smoothie over putting it in pills is one I like smoothies and two I don't want to lose any benefits by drying it out. Plus cutting some off and popping it in my nitro bullet with fresh fruit and some honey seems to easy. My husband has the mindset that if we aren't harming anyone then really he doesn't care what people think. Will my family and freinds find it unusual and gross probably. That's fine with us. Our family choices our for us not them.:)

Bountifulbride

My pharmacist DH encapsulated mine for me last time (the first of my 4 births doing it) and I definitely felt better postpartum than any of my previous births.  Even if it was a placebo effect (which I don't believe it was) it was worth it to me and I plan to do it again this time. 

yelah250

You are blending it up raw in a smoothie? WOW. I don't know if I could do that because of taste alone...

mkjbw&+1

You cut off a few peices as soon as possible right after birth put them, berries, fruit, honey or really whatever you want your smoothie to have. Blend or pulverize until smooth and drink. I would think you would taste the other stuff more than the placenta meat. There are a few recipes that different places use, but really I don't see why you can't pick your favorite fruit smoothie and just add the placenta peices.

ahsile10

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imavera

I had my placenta encapsulated with my second, and I'll be doing it again. I had zero recovery time (mainly due to the water birth, though) and no baby blues. I also avoided the night sweats among the other fun hormonal shifts that occurs, and my hair loss was not as extreme. Definitely worth it to me.