Any plans/experience with placenta?

shellac835

So I've never planned to do anything at all with the placenta, but today I was talking to my midwife about concerns about postpartum depression, and she said that anecdotally she's had a lot of patients have great experiences with placenta encapsulation helping with that. She didn't outright recommend doing it, but said it's something at least worth considering and looking in to.  I'm still pretty grossed out by it but am intrigued enough to do a bit of research, and was wondering if anyone here has experience doing it with a previous birth, or plans to do it with this one?  Or have you done anything else with your placenta?

skc040512

I have never had the desire to eat/encapsulate my placenta. #1 reason (aside from the ick factor) is that I delivered DD1 at a hospital that is moving towards all natural birth and post partum options, but they classify the placenta as medical waste and will not release it to the paitent. It's literally a dead organ. I have had friends do a good bit of research and find no legitimate studies that support encapsulation doing anything for PPD, and some recent studies show that there is a higher possibility of the mother becoming ill from consuming the placenta than having it help you in any way.

Edited to add the link below. Keep in mind, as stated here, there is no standard for placenta encapsulation, so you literally have no idea what you're putting in your body. My suggestion is to eat a healthy diet and keep up the prenatals.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2017/06/30/cdc-if-you-eat-your-placenta-this-can-happen/amp/

failuretofly

I'm considering encapsulation, but i am skeptical. I have heard both first hand anecdotes from friends and second hand from my midwife that basically say it is a game changer. 
However, like @Skcobb I understand that there is no supporting evidence of benefit. However, it isn't something that has been extensively studied.
I think it is one of those things that you have to decide for yourself. The article shared above is one single story out of likely hundreds of women who have been consuming placenta without issue. 
I would suggest if you do decide to encapsulate get a recommendation from a friend or your midwife and then research them yourself. Most practitioners should describe their methods of encapsulation thoroughly so you know whether or not you are comfortable with their practices. 

elcd458

Current review of the scientific literature-- https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(17)30963-8/fulltext

Honestly, even the doula that taught our birthing class said that encapsulation is a big risk, especially since it's mostly just someone taking it for you and prepping it in their own kitchen (bleh!).  IMHO it borders on a scam.  

Additional reading for fun: https://qz.com/1022404/no-mothers-in-human-history-ate-their-own-placentas-before-the-1970s/

nothingbuttherain

There are definitely serious health risks for you and baby from eating placenta, and with little evidence (other than anecdotal) for actual benefits, it doesn't seem like a good idea. If you're concerned about PPD there are other options for treatment that are generally accepted as safe and effective. My OB just started me on something and so far it seems to be helpful (although it's a little early to say for sure). I'd really suggest talking with a doctor about something other than placenta.

cait5413

I personally wouldn't do it (grosses me out). The other ladies are right that what little evidence there is points to a placebo effect--but placebo effects are real! That is, if you think it may help you, it may actually help you, but it is a psychological effect most likely, not from something actually in the placenta. The safety concerns are something to consider, though--who is going to prepare this and how? Given those concerns, I'd do a little more research on some other supplements or dietary changes that might help prevent PPD--if there is one you can believe in (that is safe, though many supplements aren't regulated either), that might provide a placebo effect that is just as effective. If you don't believe in it anyway, chances are it won't help anyway. 

lavashiner

I had mine encapsulated but never took it--I immediately had thrush and was advised by my doula and acupuncturist that the placenta was not great to take when dealing with thrush (it's contraindicated). My hospital allows patients to take their placentas--they wrap it up in a nice biohazard tupperware and a biohazard bag.

I have a friend who ate her encapsulated placenta to great effect (she did it with her second kid and not her first, and noticed a clear difference in her mood recovery after labor).

If you want to do something totally different, ask for the placenta dig a big hole in the ground and throw it in there, then plant a tree! The tree will love all that dead-organ goodness! https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/pregnancy-health/planting-your-placenta/

failuretofly

Here is a much more thorough review of the research with detailed explanations:
https://www.jognn.org/article/S0884-2175(15)00009-X/pdf

MY interpretation of this is, there is very little research done, therefore they cannot prove that it is beneficial, however the majority of the 'risks' are theoretical as well and have not been proven. Most of the risks that have been proven are related to infection risk/safe handling, therefore if you are confident your encapsulator (or yourself, or whatever) will mitigate those risks appropriately, I don't think it's a completely unreasonable option. 

I still have yet to decide, as beyond the benefit/risk debate, there is also a significant cost associated with encapsulation. In my town it seems to be around $500, curious to know what others have been quoted?

eazybreezy225

No, I won't be doing anything with the placenta and I haven't done anything with my previous placentas.
I get PPD after each of my kids and it was increasingly worse with each one.. I'm combating it with a good support system who are all aware of my PPD history, self-care therapies, and a small dosage of a prescribed anti-depressant safe for breastfeeding.

lavashiner

@failuretofly mine was $250, but I'd seen much higher quotes around here. We got pills and a tincture as well as a placenta print.

carolinefriesen

We planted  the placentas from my kids under a tree that is their special tree. We just had it in the freezer until we were ready to plant, which provided endless humorous responses to the question, “What should I pull out of the freezer for dinner?”  

shellac835

Thanks for everyone's feedback! I've found the same, there is very little research out there and I can really only find that one case where it caused GBS; even the CDC website only seems to mention that one. Unfortunately there isn't much research about the benefits, but anecdotally it seems good. I'm leaning towards doing it just so I have it, and then if I end up in the throws of PPD it's an option I have, but I won't plan to take it unless things get really low. Around here I've seen from $150-$300 in the small amount of searching I've done.