Ok, hold up - Before you never speak to me again, let me give you a little background.
When I was in my second trimester, Scott and I started attending Bradley classes, which are otherwise known as "Husband-Coached Childbirth" classes. The premise of these classes is to encourage all-natural childbirths wherein both parents know what to expect, and how to handle everything that comes about. I was taught to really understand what was going on in my body during labor and delivery, and Scott was educated well on how to be an active and necessary support system for me. During Bennett's birth, I also had my midwife and doula present - All of whom were integral to the success of Bennett's birth.
But back to the Bradley classes.
Once a week for twelve weeks, we spent two hours with a Bradley coach and a number of other couples who were also at the same point in their expectancy. We learned all about how to eat right during pregnancy [protein is crucial!!], what to expect during the labor and delivery, and how to care for a newborn. We also chatted about breastfeeding and the benefits of breastmilk.
One fateful evening the instructor dropped a bomb about "placenta ingestion" [placentophagy], and we all shrieked collectively. I mean, I was down with the all-natural thing, but I wasn't crazy. She said that it was worth looking in to, shared a number of its benefits with us, and segued into the next topic. I don't even remember what the next topic was, because I was completely distracted by the thought of eating my own placenta. And did she say "Placenta Chili?!?!"
Wow, I thought I had heard it all.
But guess what? It turns out that ingesting one's own placenta is actually an amazing thing. I can tell you that with confidence, because I did it. It's common for a midwife to package up your placenta post-birth, and make it accessible for you to bring home. I drove home with mine in a Ziploc bag at 2am. Haha. Yes, it's a crazy concept -
But only because we haven't been educated properly about it.
Here's why placentophagy is such a good thing:
"The placenta is a baby’s in-utero power pack, providing the fetus with all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients - not to mention oxygen - to grow from just a few cells to a full-fledged tiny person. The placenta is also loaded with iron and vitamins B6 and B12, as well as estrogen and progesterone, both important postpartum hormones. A few studies have connected placenta-eating with increased breast-milk supply and pain relief. Fans of the practice say that eating the placenta can protect against Postpartum Depression (PPD)."
Did you know that this extended quote comes from whattoexpect.com?
Not some weirdo back-woods personal blog that's been written, but actually by the "What to Expect" giant, itself.
There are thousands of resources online about the benefits of ingesting a healthy placenta, and what it has done for women postpartum. We women lose so many vitamins and minerals during delivery, that it only makes sense to take back in what we've lost. Sure, it can be done with store-bought pills and capsules, but why reinvent the wheel?
I got involved with placentophagy for two reasons, 1) Because I was experiencing postpartum anxiety, and 2) It is known to help boost milk supply. I was open to anything and everything that would help me to feel better [in a time where I had a newborn, and was mourning my mother's very recent death], and that would give me enough milk to supply Bennett's needs. Turns out I never made enough breastmilk, but not from the placenta's inability to help..
Rather, from IGT - On which I'll write a post at another point.
But I can definitely attest to it stabilizing my moods and causing me to be less weepy and sad. Placentophagy can also boost a woman's energy and keep her going in a time where she's needed around the clock.
Ok, so the obvious question is, "How?" How does a woman go about eating her own placenta? Well, it depends on who you ask.
I took the route of "placenta encapsulation", which was the only way I could conceive of eating it. My sweet husband committed to preparing the placenta for me, because I couldn't handle the thought of seeing it done.
You can ask Scott to tell you about it himself, but in short form - He dried it like jerky [it's meat!], ground it up to fine powder, and put it all into capsules for me to take once or twice a day. The placenta, being LOADED with Iron [a crucial nutrient], has a very bitter, metallic taste. As such, I found it to be too difficult to swallow outside of a pill. But I know some ladies have dried it like jerky and eaten it that way. And as our Bradley coach had mentioned, some people use it for Placenta Chili..
But even that goes beyond what I could handle. :)
There are companies out there who will encapsulate your placenta for you. I don't know the details on this, but it's certainly worth the cost if you're unable to do it yourself. The placenta should be a healthy one - And treated with understanding, as it can go bad just like any other meat.
For those of you having hospital births, you can also take your placenta home. I recently assisted with a friend's natural birth in a hospital, and all that was needed was a form to be filled out. The hospital staff was reluctant to give it to me, and insisted it go in a bio-hazard bag, but the end result of taking it home was a success.
And oh, it also makes soil extremely nutrient-rich, so it's great for gardening, or planting underneath a new bush or tree.
Animals eat their own placentas postpartum, because they have the innate understanding that it's good for them. Ever seen a cat with postpartum depression? Kidding.
But seriously - Let's take a cue from nature.
Sometimes the best things for us are right under our noses.
To health, happiness, and good stewardship!
When I was in my second trimester, Scott and I started attending Bradley classes, which are otherwise known as "Husband-Coached Childbirth" classes. The premise of these classes is to encourage all-natural childbirths wherein both parents know what to expect, and how to handle everything that comes about. I was taught to really understand what was going on in my body during labor and delivery, and Scott was educated well on how to be an active and necessary support system for me. During Bennett's birth, I also had my midwife and doula present - All of whom were integral to the success of Bennett's birth.
But back to the Bradley classes.
Once a week for twelve weeks, we spent two hours with a Bradley coach and a number of other couples who were also at the same point in their expectancy. We learned all about how to eat right during pregnancy [protein is crucial!!], what to expect during the labor and delivery, and how to care for a newborn. We also chatted about breastfeeding and the benefits of breastmilk.
One fateful evening the instructor dropped a bomb about "placenta ingestion" [placentophagy], and we all shrieked collectively. I mean, I was down with the all-natural thing, but I wasn't crazy. She said that it was worth looking in to, shared a number of its benefits with us, and segued into the next topic. I don't even remember what the next topic was, because I was completely distracted by the thought of eating my own placenta. And did she say "Placenta Chili?!?!"
Wow, I thought I had heard it all.
But guess what? It turns out that ingesting one's own placenta is actually an amazing thing. I can tell you that with confidence, because I did it. It's common for a midwife to package up your placenta post-birth, and make it accessible for you to bring home. I drove home with mine in a Ziploc bag at 2am. Haha. Yes, it's a crazy concept -
But only because we haven't been educated properly about it.
Here's why placentophagy is such a good thing:
"The placenta is a baby’s in-utero power pack, providing the fetus with all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients - not to mention oxygen - to grow from just a few cells to a full-fledged tiny person. The placenta is also loaded with iron and vitamins B6 and B12, as well as estrogen and progesterone, both important postpartum hormones. A few studies have connected placenta-eating with increased breast-milk supply and pain relief. Fans of the practice say that eating the placenta can protect against Postpartum Depression (PPD)."
Did you know that this extended quote comes from whattoexpect.com?
Not some weirdo back-woods personal blog that's been written, but actually by the "What to Expect" giant, itself.
There are thousands of resources online about the benefits of ingesting a healthy placenta, and what it has done for women postpartum. We women lose so many vitamins and minerals during delivery, that it only makes sense to take back in what we've lost. Sure, it can be done with store-bought pills and capsules, but why reinvent the wheel?
I got involved with placentophagy for two reasons, 1) Because I was experiencing postpartum anxiety, and 2) It is known to help boost milk supply. I was open to anything and everything that would help me to feel better [in a time where I had a newborn, and was mourning my mother's very recent death], and that would give me enough milk to supply Bennett's needs. Turns out I never made enough breastmilk, but not from the placenta's inability to help..
Rather, from IGT - On which I'll write a post at another point.
But I can definitely attest to it stabilizing my moods and causing me to be less weepy and sad. Placentophagy can also boost a woman's energy and keep her going in a time where she's needed around the clock.
Ok, so the obvious question is, "How?" How does a woman go about eating her own placenta? Well, it depends on who you ask.
I took the route of "placenta encapsulation", which was the only way I could conceive of eating it. My sweet husband committed to preparing the placenta for me, because I couldn't handle the thought of seeing it done.
You can ask Scott to tell you about it himself, but in short form - He dried it like jerky [it's meat!], ground it up to fine powder, and put it all into capsules for me to take once or twice a day. The placenta, being LOADED with Iron [a crucial nutrient], has a very bitter, metallic taste. As such, I found it to be too difficult to swallow outside of a pill. But I know some ladies have dried it like jerky and eaten it that way. And as our Bradley coach had mentioned, some people use it for Placenta Chili..
But even that goes beyond what I could handle. :)
There are companies out there who will encapsulate your placenta for you. I don't know the details on this, but it's certainly worth the cost if you're unable to do it yourself. The placenta should be a healthy one - And treated with understanding, as it can go bad just like any other meat.
For those of you having hospital births, you can also take your placenta home. I recently assisted with a friend's natural birth in a hospital, and all that was needed was a form to be filled out. The hospital staff was reluctant to give it to me, and insisted it go in a bio-hazard bag, but the end result of taking it home was a success.
And oh, it also makes soil extremely nutrient-rich, so it's great for gardening, or planting underneath a new bush or tree.
Animals eat their own placentas postpartum, because they have the innate understanding that it's good for them. Ever seen a cat with postpartum depression? Kidding.
But seriously - Let's take a cue from nature.
Sometimes the best things for us are right under our noses.
To health, happiness, and good stewardship!