What’s the big deal with placentas, anyway?
The placenta is an amazing organ! It is the only intentionally temporary organ in the human body. Responsible for secreting numerous hormones throughout pregnancy, it is what fed and nourished your baby until birth. Nearly all mammals consume their placenta directly following birth. While there is a lack of scientific data about people ingesting their placentas, proponents believe it helps balance hormones postpartum. Clients who have chosen to encapsulate or otherwise ingest their placentas have noted an increase in milk supply and energy, seemingly shorter recovery time, and a decrease in rates of postpartum depression. Many describe their emotional experience as “even keeled” and sometimes save a few capsules in the freezer for another transitional time (such as weaning, trying to conceive again, or coping with family visiting for the holidays)!
Most people prefer to have their placenta made into capsules after birth. Adventurous others have placenta prepared as food, added raw to smoothies, powdered and mixed to medicinal chocolate truffles, or tinctured in alcohol.
With your placenta, I can:
- Make a print, saving your “tree of life” umbilical cord image. All placentas look unique!
- Encapsulate the powder. Traditional steam or raw method available. Can’t choose? Feel free to chat with me about the options.
- Prepare chocolate truffles, small raw pieces for smoothies, or other edible
creations. - Create a tincture, which can be preserved for years, and is often thought of as a remedy for menopause.
- Create a salve. This is an olive oil and beeswax based balm that uses your own stem cells to create a soothing rub. Can be used on a healing perineum or Cesarean section scar – I don’t add essential oils and it is suitable for sensitive skin.
In summer 2024, I’m winding down my placenta encapsulation offerings while I build a doula collective with other colleagues and continue to focus on births.
I have been providing placenta encapsulation for Boston-area families for over ten years. I have had the honor of working with several hundreds of clients seeking capsules, keepsakes, art prints, salves and tinctures. Now, Mia Eastwood and Teresa Vittorioso-Fortin are two of my recommendations to reach out for placenta services in the Boston area. Both providers are people who I’ve personally trained, been working with for years, and have encapsulated several placentas with.
In 2020 and beyond, placenta encapsulation is still an option for many folks. There is some evidence of coronavirus present in placental tissue with some (not all) folks who test positive for covid-19 during pregnancy or labor. Testing positive for covid-19 during pregnancy doesn’t necessarily exclude you from placenta encapsulation services. If you have any questions about your individual situation, feel free to reach out!
If you’re a birth worker interested to learn about placenta encapsulation, be in touch!