Eat your own placenta?!

DebraG421

I heard about this and read it from books, but I heard that your placenta can be crushed into a pill that is then good for nutrition and to help stave off post partum depression.  If you've read my other posts, you know that I am greatly interested because i"ve already had an emotional pregnancy.  Does anyone know about this? HOw to do it?  How to ask for it?  I am with Kaiser and they don't bring up any of this kind of stuff.

goldie987

There's no actual evidence that it works and, personally, I think it's more than likely a placebo effect than anything else.  Dehydrating the placenta and taking it over many months is so very different from what any animal does in the wild (the main rationale I've heard for actually doing it is that other mammals eat their placentas) that I don't personally see how it could actually be helpful.  Most hospitals won't do it for you but if you do some digging into more holistic care individuals, you'll likely find someone who will do it.  I doubt insurance will cover it (I assume that's why you brought up your insurance?) so you'd likely be paying out of pocket for encapsulation if you do choose to go down that route. 

ecwk

Search function. Seriously. There was a big thread on this not too long ago. 

taysun

Everything pp said, but asp some states will not allow a hospital to release your placenta to you because it's classed as hazardous waste. 

kyraaD

oh god, not this again..

tdart14

Nope.

elasticheart13

sarawifenow

I won't be eating anything that comes out of my body.

Boonhilde

The placenta is HUGE! 

Okay. That's all I have to say.

Except this might be one of those times when Google is more helpful than these boards. Good luck figuring it out!

msuzannah

A few things...
1. If you are drying a placenta aren't you taking the nutrients out? (Not all but at least some)
2. There are no creditable studies that say it actually does work most think it is a placebo effect 
3. Animals eat it in the wild to protect their young so predators won't find them through the scent. 
Granted I have not done extensive research on this because I am not interested in eating something my body knew to expel. My opinion is if I really needed it then it would stay in my body. 

buriedzombiecat

There's an episode of Archer where Ray asks, "What are you, my cat?" as Archer projectile vomits onto the carpet. Eating your own placenta reminds me of that moment.

Miss Lilac

I had mine encapsulated. My doctor said she feels she can see a difference in the mothers who've done it. My home visit nurse said the sane. As a FTM I have nothing to compare it to, but I will say that at one month postpartum I feel pretty fantastic and have had no troubles with milk supply, depression, or healing. I was instructed to front load talking them, so I'm actually finished my course. If it's a placebo effect I'll still take it. 

It wasn't covered by insurance though. You'll have to look for a Doula who does it.

Gingermom15

I took my home, cut it up and made stir-fry. Tastes like chicken.  

Gingermom15

My family didn't even know.