Placenta Encapsulation

oxsarah7ox · October 2015

I do not think anyone has brought this up yet, so I figured I would ask. I have heard quite a few things about placenta encapsulation and the benefits. There have not been too many studies out there, more just womens experiences. Have any of you done it before to help with postpartum and breast feeding? Is anyone else considering it? I am really thinking about it.

surferP528 · October 2015

To add onto your question...how does one even go about getting it encapsulated? I assume this isn't something they do at the hospital? Do you have to ask to take it home? Where do you find someone to do it?

mamacat315 · October 2015

There is a thread on this from a few months back, I think. I did it with my son and loved it. I had no PPD and a copious milk supply that leveled off after a few weeks. I can't say if injesting my placenta was responsible or not, and am aware of the placebo effect in these situations, but my thinking is, "It can't hurt!" My amazing placenta seemed like too much of a gift from nature to just throw away or bury. Full disclosure: I am like 25% hippie.

mamacat315 · October 2015

PS I am definitely doing it again this time around.

wisco29 · October 2015

surferP528 said:
To add onto your question...how does one even go about getting it encapsulated? I assume this isn't something they do at the hospital? Do you have to ask to take it home? Where do you find someone to do it?

What my friend did is look up people in our are, read reviews on her and contact her with questions.

glitteryant · October 2015

mamacat315 said:

There is a thread on this from a few months back, I think. I did it with my son and loved it. I had no PPD and a copious milk supply that leveled off after a few weeks. I can't say if injesting my placenta was responsible or not, and am aware of the placebo effect in these situations, but my thinking is, "It can't hurt!" My amazing placenta seemed like too much of a gift from nature to just throw away or bury. Full disclosure: I am like 25% hippie.

Did the pills have any taste? How long did you take them?

oxsarah7ox · October 2015

If anyone finds the thread on it, that would be wonderful.

@mamacat315 I am really leaning toward it. My friend works at a birthing center and swears it is what helped her with her second birth. She had awful postpartum depression the first time around, and had a completely different postpartum experience the second time.

@surferp528 I believe my friend told me what @wisco29 said. You look up some people in your area that do it, it's not necessarily a hospital worker that will. My friend had a woman set up, she came to the hospital and picked the placenta up then gave her the pills she made from it.

mamacat315 · October 2015

@surferP528 I live in Ireland, where people think I am insane for doing this. I found a lady who is IPEN certified online who lives in my neighborhood. we made arrangements via email. When I gave birth, my husband basically put the placenta in a big Tupperware container, in a cooler with a bunch of ice, and did a hand-off in the parking lot with her. Two days later she dropped the pills (and a print she'd made by pressing my placenta into watercolor paper) at my house and I gave her 200 euros.

@glitteryant No real taste, I took them with juice or a smoothie every morning for about 8 months.

glitteryant · October 2015

@mamacat315- this black market-esque placenta trade off is crazy to me! I am really interested in trying this though, as I had some terrible PPD for about a year after my last kid.

LEAA14 · October 2015

A lot of doulas offer placenta encapsulation as a service, as well. My Bradley instructor is a doula and offers encapsulation separately, as do a lot of the doulas I've researched in my area. I am leaning towards it pretty strongly. I don't see the harm and the supposed benefits are pretty good (there has to be some sort of evolutionary reason that mammals eat them in the wild). Knowing it's just taking a pill and not literally frying up slices of placenta makes it easier to wrap my head around. You don't have to tell people that's what you're taking; just tell them it's a post partum supplement that your doula/MW gave you.

lovelydaye · October 2015

I am so interested in this, does it help with postpartum anxiety? I have really struggled since dd was born and am open to trying something that will help after this babe.

LEAA14 · October 2015

Here are the benefits listed on my Bradley instructor's website: "Reduced risk of postpartum depression - Increased breast milk supply - Replenishment of iron stores - Assisting recovery post-partum - Reducing the risk of postpartum bleeding - Aides in shrinking the uterus faster - Increased general feelings of wellbeing."

cMichelle0423 · October 2015

I think you have to look into your hospitals policies as far as whether or not you can even take yours home. A lot of hospitals don't let you. And as far as who can do it for you, I know in my area, a lot of doulas will do it for you.
I never did it but cool if you do. I never had ppd and always had an awesome milk supply. So not doing it doesn't mean you're going to have any issues with ppd or milk supply.

DrillSergeantCat · October 2015

LEAA14 said:

Here are the benefits listed on my Bradley instructor's website: "Reduced risk of postpartum depression - Increased breast milk supply - Replenishment of iron stores - Assisting recovery post-partum - Reducing the risk of postpartum bleeding - Aides in shrinking the uterus faster - Increased general feelings of wellbeing."

Based on what comparison, though? Since every pregnancy is different, there's truly no way to know if it's effective or not. There's just no way to do a proper study.

LEAA14 · October 2015

DrillSergeantCat said:

LEAA14 said:

Here are the benefits listed on my Bradley instructor's website: "Reduced risk of postpartum depression - Increased breast milk supply - Replenishment of iron stores - Assisting recovery post-partum - Reducing the risk of postpartum bleeding - Aides in shrinking the uterus faster - Increased general feelings of wellbeing."

Based on what comparison, though? Since every pregnancy is different, there's truly no way to know if it's effective or not. There's just no way to do a proper study.

Sure, but if there are no risks, what's the harm in doing it?

DrillSergeantCat · October 2015

LEAA14 said:

Sure, but if there are no risks, what's the harm in doing it?

It's costly is the only thing I can think of.

VitaLuna · October 2015

I replied at length on the other thread, so hopefully you can find that one. Breifly, I had it done last time, I will this time. There is no way for them to do a true study, so it's all anecdotal, but for me, it was worth the cost for the potential benefit (around $200, if I remember right). A local homebirth midwife did ours.

jaimeruns · October 2015

I was talking about this with a coworker, and she decided not to do it because apparently there have been concerns of the multiple placentas getting mixed together... So essentially you might be ingesting someone else's placenta. A lot of these services are done on people's homes, and I'm not sure there is a way to regulate it. Just something to keep in mind

VitaLuna · October 2015

@jamieruns the person that did ours requires the prep to be done in your home, for safety reasons. Most of the people in my area that do it have the same "rule". TBH, I don't think *that* many women are delivering on the same exact day and all encapsulating (therefore causing a mix-up), but you'd definitely want to find someone you trust.

cvolkmar · October 2015

I'm a FTM, so can't give any real input other than BFF just had her first in April and did this...she felt amazing and her DH was the one struggling

oxsarah7ox · October 2015

Thanks for all the thoughts ladies. I appreciate it!

thoughtfulmommy · October 2015

I had it done with my first. I found it beneficial. The biggest benefit to me was the increase in energy. I noticed if I did not take them in the morning I felt more tired, as if I had missed my morning coffee.

Most other mammals consume their placentas. There must be some scientific benefits of animals evolved to do this after birth.

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