Are you keeping your Placenta?

ejlynch · January 2011

DH and I had our labor and delivery hospital tour last night. One of the couple that was present for the tour asked if they were able to obtain their placenta after the birth. The hospital had no problems with it but did request that it not be buried in the backyard, as this could attract wildlife, who would then dig it up and eat it. I know that you can also donate your placenta to schooling midwives to assist with training or to a canine search and rescue group to also help in training exercises.

I have decided to let the hospital dispose of my placenta, I don't feel the need to keep it or donate it. Are you planning on keeping you placenta? if so, for what?

Twinkz · January 2011

We aren't going to keep it.

MrsChelseaP09 · January 2011

We are definitely not going to keep it. I have heard of some people keeping it and eating it though. The whole idea just grosses me out.

scorpioscuba · January 2011

I'm considering having my placenta encapsulated to take after the birth. I know it sounds odd but I've read and heard stories (on Pregtastic) of women who have done this and it cut down on PPD and baby blues symptoms. I'm personally terrified of PPD and want to do whatever I can to keep it at bay. There are tons of other benefits as well:

https://placentabenefits.info/articles.asp

ETA - I think of it this way...your body has been living off of the hormones generated by your placenta for 40 weeks and once that placenta is gone the hormones are gone. Like going cold turkey. Stopping anything cold turkey is bound to cause side effects (such as PPD in this case) so it makes sense to me to be able to continue those hormones in a way that you can taper them off gradually so it is easier on your body.

diannica · January 2011

NO.

mrssburnison · January 2011

MrsChelseaP09:
We are definitely not going to keep it. I have heard of some people keeping it and eating it though. The whole idea just grosses me out.

THIS!!! The idea of keeping it never EVER crossed my mind....

jayellekay · January 2011

I would like to have mine encapsulated, but no one does it around here, and I'm certainly not doing it myself. The thought of taking gel-cap pills of my placenta to aid in healing and PPD doesn't bother me one bit, but the thought of boiling it and cutting it up myself gives me the heebie-jeebies. Stick out tongue

Since we can't have it encapsulated, I am participating in a USDA research study on vitamin D in pregnancy. They get my placenta after I deliver so they can study it. The researchers handle everything--all I had to do was sign a paper releasing it to USDA.

Brit242 · January 2011

No. No way.

veronica2447 · January 2011

mrssburnison:

MrsChelseaP09:
We are definitely not going to keep it. I have heard of some people keeping it and eating it though. The whole idea just grosses me out.

THIS!!! The idea of keeping it never EVER crossed my mind....

ALL OF THIS!!!!

earmuffs03 · January 2011

Umm no! Our birthing teacher said that we can have in en capsuled or made into a teddy bear that is kept in a glass case Ick!

I'm sure there are people that would do these things but that is not me. Before you know it they'll be saying you can drink your amniotic fluid and that will help with breast milk!

Phillychickadee · January 2011

Ewwww.

This may be the grossest post I have read. And some of those toddler poop questions are pretty darn gross!

MandusMaximus · January 2011

I wanted to bury it in the woods but DH says he's not driving me home if it's in the car with him. Jerk. I think I may try and find something to donate it to.

blathnat · January 2011

I'm getting mine encapsulated to help ward off PPD and help with milk production.

shaunamw · January 2011

No.

bre87 · January 2011

i dont need it so i'm not going to keep it. before becoming pregnant i would have been like "that's the craziest thing i've ever heard, why would i keep it" but now i've tried to be open minded/less judgemental and figure some things wont work for me but that doesn't mean they won't work for someone else.

except i don't understand why you would bury it???