10 Questions about placenta encapsulation
Have you heard about eating your placenta? The first time the suggestion comes up it can seem a bit unreal. But once the conversation gets going, you may see some pretty compelling reasons why many women do – the wellness factor for recovering from childbirth are pretty convincing. Eating your placenta is said to help balance hormones as you go from pregnant to not pregnant, helping combat post-partum depression and insomnia. It also helps with milk production and is said to boost energy.
Some people have recipes, but a great method has been developed to make it easy and palatable – encapsulation. It’s intriguing for all of its health benefits so invited Jenny DiPietro, a birth and postpartum worker – and specialist in placenta encapsulation – to answer the questions you know you want to know about this practice.
1. I have to eat my placenta? Nope
When I hear the word “eating” I think of something that lingers on my palate and is cooked al dente. That is not the case with Placenta Encapsulation. You swallow a neat and tidy pill. The pills are made for you with nothing else added except your ground up placenta.
2. I have to have a home birth? Nope
Your Placenta Encapsulation Specialist will give you full instructions for keeping your placenta safe and cool while in the hospital, until it is ready for the encapsulation process.
3. I can do it myself ? True
I have seen many tutorials on YouTube. I cringe every time. Women are not following the proper steps to keep the placenta clean. They are not processing it properly and they are allowing the ingredients to touch the placenta.
Think about this a little more for a moment. You have just had a baby. Is processing and encapsulating your placenta really what you want to do while you are trying to heal, rest and take care of a new baby? Hiring a Professional Placenta Encapsulation Specialist helps ensure you get the most medicinal properties from your placenta.
4. This is a new fad ? Nope
The practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine has been around for thousands of years. In fact, I know of Placenta Encapsulation Specialists that have been practicing this art professionally for 25+ years — in Canada! This is a tried, tested and true remedy to heal, boost and support women who have just given birth.
5. Animals do it to keep predators away? Nope
This theory has been debunked time and time again. I give you the short explanation: Animals that are able to leave their nesting site shortly after birth stay to consume their placenta. This can take up to 2 hours – plenty of time for a predator to sniff out and launch an attack. An animal would never be able to completely clean the nesting site from the fluids left behind, yet they still stay at the nest. Animals that have their young in trees do not drop the placenta from the tree, they stay and consume it. There are many more examples, but you get the picture. Why do they consume their placenta? Bonding, important nutrients, iron stores, and so many more reasons have been linked to this practice.
Did you know – The products made from your placenta will last forever. You can use them in menopause, another hormone imbalancing stage in a woman’s life.
6. Only the “Crunchy” moms do it? Not anymore
Thanks to celebrities this practice is hitting the mainstream mommas very quickly. I wouldn’t consider the Kardashian family crunchy , would you?
7. I’m a vegetarian or vegan. Awesome
This is your placenta and it has come from life. It is ethical to consume. As a vegetarian or vegan you need to make your Professional Placenta Encapsulation Specialist aware of this so gelatin free capsules can be used.
8. Doctors won’t let you take your placenta home from the hospital. False
Unless the placenta needs to be brought to pathology for some reason, you are free to do what you please with your placenta. In fact, you can ask if only a piece can be sent to pathology so you can still keep your placenta. It is your responsibility to make the doctors and nurses aware of your intention to bring home your placenta.
9. Pills are too hard to swallow.
Most Professional Placenta Encapsulation Specialists can work with you to find a more comfortable solution to this. Smaller capsules can be used, for example. The milled placenta does not have to be encapsulated. It can stay in powder form and added to fruit based smoothies instead.
10. I can’t participate in cord blood banking or lotus birth or water birth practices if I want Encapsulation . Nope
Cord Blood Banking is absolutely possible. Placentas need to me milked of blood before being processed so cord blood banking just makes the job easier for your Professional Placenta Encapsulation Specialist. If you are planning a lotus birth you can have your cake and eat it too! Your placenta can be kept out of the fridge for up to 4 hours before it is deemed unusable for encapsulation. 4 hours gives your baby plenty of time to reabsorb the blood and precious stem cells and allow the cord to stop pulsing. This is called a partial lotus birth or modified lotus birth. It is gentle, ethical, and absolutely possible to encapsulate too.
Water birth is just fine as well. Your Professional Encapsulation Specialist is trained to know how to cleanse your placenta properly before encapsulation. She will let you know if additional cleaning needs to take place and get your permission to do so.
Go ahead! Hire a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist to get you feeling great after birth. You only get one chance with your placenta — make it count!
Jenny DiPietro is a homemaker, placenta encapsulation specialist, blogger, and most importantly, wife to Paul and mom of 4 fantastic kids. She has recently formatted a brand TV show entitled, “Let’s Talk, Mom”. Jenny is having fun hosting guests and leading discussions through topics such as, “Planning for Postpartum”, and “Breast Milk”. In her quiet moments she enjoys hiking with her kids and dog and watching Netflix.
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Golden Heart Postpartum Services
This post originally published on goldenheartbaby.com
