What makes the Placenta So Special ?
The placenta is the amazing organ of nourishment made uniquely and co-operatively by your baby and you.
For the duration of your pregnancy this wonderful organ works at passing blood to baby via the umbilical cord. Filtering nourishment, oxygen, glucose, as well as antibodies to provide protection, to your baby. The placenta also filters out substances that could be harmful to your baby and removes carbon dioxide and waste products from your baby’s blood. In addition the placenta produces hormones progesterone, oestrogen and other protein hormones to facilitate the successful progression of your pregnancy.
How incredible is this organ!
How natural it is to return this wonderful nourishing goodness back to you!
What Is the Story behind Placenta Encapsulation ?
The placenta has been involved in medicinal remedies and ceremonial practices for centuries with many cultures revering the placenta as a symbol of life and spirit, celebrating this with their their own unique post birth traditions.
The more recent practice of ingesting dried placenta, via capsule form, has been seen in the Western world since the 1970’s & ’80’s thanks to the work of American midwife, Raven Lang.
Today’s culture embraces the numerous benefits of ingesting the placenta during the Postnatal period. This period is also known as the Fourth Trimester, the ’first 40 days’, and the Postpartum period and is considered to be the recovery time for all newborn Mothers as they fall in love with their baby. It is the time that a Mother’s heart, mind and body recovers from birth and adjusts to the mysteries, wonders and demands of motherhood.
There are several options of ingesting the placenta with the most frequently used preparation appearing to be placenta encapsulation. Other options include: to be eaten raw, cooked or in smoothies or tinctures.
Why is Placenta Encapsulation good for me ?
Mothers the world over have reported the varied benefits of Placenta Encapsulation to:
- Boost energy levels
- Prevent and minimise the ‘baby blues’ and postnatal depression
- Encourage a healthy milk supply
- Replenish nutrition: Vitamin B6 & E and iron stores are made more attainable by the process of steaming
- Supply haemoglobin to reduce and aid recovery in post birth bleeding and anaemia
- Balance hormone levels in reducing postnatal depression for a happier postnatal period
- Reduce stress levels with increase in CRH, a cortisone-like hormone
- Assist recovery of uterine tissue in returning to pre-pregnancy state
How is My Placenta encapsulated ?
There are two methods for encapsulation:
TCM Method (Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Where the placenta is cleansed of blood, steamed, dehydrated and desiccated.
Ingredients such as lemon, ginger, chilli and lemongrass can be added to the steaming process and are beneficial as a gentle antiseptic to remove the risk of surface bacteria on the outside of the placenta. These ingredients are used to steam the placenta only. The are not dehydrated or included in your capsules.
If preferred, steaming alone is also believed to remove the risk of surface bacteria on your placenta.
Once steaming is complete your placenta is dehydrated, desiccated, and put into capsules.
Raw Method
Where the placenta is cleansed of blood and then dehydrated at 46 degrees Celsius in order to preserve nutrient values according to Raw Food guidelines.
The placenta is then desiccated and put into capsules.
The capsule quantity is higher as there is less shrinkage of the placenta due to steaming.
What else might I want to know ?
- The number of Capsules vary for each individual with the quantity ranging from 70 – 200 .
- Capsule number is dependant on the size of your placenta and the size of the capsule used.
- Your capsules are returned to you within 48 hrs from receipt of your placenta.
- Capsules are ingested once or twice daily, with food.
- Baby’s umbilical cord is also dehydrated and packaged separately as a keepsake.
- All processing is performed in a sanitised environment following stringent Food Hygiene & Blood Borne Pathogen Standards.
- Each placenta is identified and labelled at time of collection.
- Each placenta is processed separately.
- Discuss your intention to have your placenta encapsulated with your midwife or birth doula and list in your birth plan.
Experience from one of my beautiful mothers…
“I am so thankful to have met Deborah and to have had her do my placenta encapsulation for my second birth, I feel like the tablets have helped me heal incredibly well from my csection, my mood and energy levels have been great and I’m just feeling really well overall at 10 days PP. Deborah was so lovely to deal with I enjoyed all the chats we had before and after my baby was born, she has such a warm lovely energy and I wouldn’t hesitate to have her involved in my birth experience in the future. Thank you Deborah! Xx” ~ Rachael V