Everybody's doing it...
The Lowdown on Pregnancy and Childbirth's New Buzz Word:
Placenta Encapsulation
Oh, those birth junky-folk, and the things they think of… Water birth, Attachment Parenting, Home Birth, Bed Sharing, Orgasmic Birth, Co-sleeping, Baby-wearing, and now, eating your placenta? I mean… Come on.
Yes, that’s right. Placentophagy, the act of eating your placenta after childbirth, is growing in popularity. And with more and more people doing it, folks are asking… What exactly is this placenta encapsulation business and why would anyone do it?!
Well, first of all, most mammals do it. That alone isn’t a good enough reason. But, think about it. The placenta is a baby’s life force for 9 months, giving them everything they need to survive inside the womb. It is also responsible for producing many of the hormones that are at an all-time high throughout pregnancy and labor. Oxytocin, Prolactin, Cortisone, Lactogen; hormones that help women combat the extreme intensity of labor, that allow hip joints to stretch open for a baby, that are responsible for milk production after baby is born. All that marvel of your body… that’s your placenta.
Now, what if I told you this: After baby comes and for the next three days, women experience a slow decline in their hormone levels. This is because the placenta is gone. It’s no longer there to produce and regulate hormones. So, it takes the body a moment to find a new homeostasis.
Insert placenta encapsulation here! While the body is adjusting, the mom can regulate her hormone levels by taking capsules of her very own hormones, the ones that carried her through her pregnancy and labor, the hormones in her placenta!
There is little “scientific” evidence on placenta encapsulation out there at the moment. That’s because science is just now catching on to what mamas have been experiencing with placenta encapsulation and beginning studies in placentophagy. But the anecdotal evidence is everywhere.
Some benefits of ingesting placenta are:
Decreased chance of postpartum depression or the “baby blues”
Decreased fatigue
Increased milk supply
Pain relief
Aids uterus contraction back to normal size
Overall decrease in postpartum healing time and bleeding
Increased energy
Balanced hormone levels
Plus, it’s easy to have done. Most encapsulators will pick up your placenta at your hospital and drop off your capsules to your home in just a few days! Just do a Google search for “placenta encapsulation” or “placenta encapsulation specialist” near you. If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, Marin, Sonomo, the East Bay, or South Bay, reach out to me at North Bay Placenta Services.
So, fad or faux, the mamas are talking. And the secret is out: placenta encapsulation may be a key to smoother postpartum healing.
Love,
North Bay Placenta Services
Marin County, Sonoma, San Francisco, East Bay, and South Bay
