Another Placenta Encapsulation Question

[Birthisbeautiful]

I have just been asked by two pp doula clients to help them encapsulate their placentas. I am a big advocate of this practice, but have not personally done it. I am planning on baking the placenta in a very low oven overnight then grinding it (she is suppling the grinder) and then putting it in capsules. Those who have done this -- is this how you would recommend preparing it?

I also just contacted Jodi from the PBI training course and felt a bit funny about the program. Are there other placenta encapsulation training programs out there, or do many of you provide the service without formal training? Thanks so much!

Blessings

[Juvysen]

[donnamr3211]

I have looked for other on-line trainings/certifications and could not find any. I did find some local workshops just not in my area. I contacted someone that did it and they sent me directions. I also found how to videos on youtube.

[Ranni]

I personally feel that the only real reason to become certified to encapsulate placentas is for branding for your business. If you feel that the benefits of being certified and being part of a particular "brand" for providing this service are worth the strings that are attached then go for it. If you do not feel that the strings are worth the potential benefit of signing on to the brand then get some books, read up on-line and go for it!

Ranni
Wife, Mother, and Midwife under supervision!

[PrincessRuby]

Your funny feeling is correct. It's a sinking ship that many, if not most veteran specialists bailed on. There is another post on this topic that you should read if you're considering getting certified with Jodi. http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1185307
Alldoulas.com has a board dedicated to placenta encapsulation or www.thenewplacentagroup.ning.com
Best of luck to you

[evdakia]

I recommend doing it on your own. That allows you to be in charge of your business, not pay dues to anyone, not have quotas, you are able to run your own local advertising campaigns that you will benefit from directly, and make your own business choices that are right for you and your family.

There are many placenta preparers out there who do this on there own. Here are just a few:
http://www.avoidthebabyblues.com

[conniebonnie]

you could also ask around the local homebirth community, odds are that the homebirth midwives know of a few encapsulators in your area who would be happy to talk with you over the phone, or even meet with you to talk about how its done.

[IPEN]

New International Placenta Network Coming Soon!

Hi Ladies,

I'm also a placenta specialist, self-trained and working in England, south of London. I was asked to start running training placenta workshops for doulas and midwives and since November 2009 there are 6 more placenta specialist in the UK. We have the support of some London hospitals, which is great so the awareness is really growing out here.

I've decided to launch The International Placenta Encapsulation Network (IPEN), an international website where specialists around the world can advertise their services, encapsulation, training and other placenta services online. There will be a very easy search tool were interested mums can find a specialist in their area at the click of a button.
This gives independent specialists around the world to have more clients and become part of an international network of specialists - we will also have a forum where we can all chat, exchange ideas, tips and much more!

I'm really excited to have found this thread, my search to become a specialist also started with PBi, and like the rest of you, a gut feeling told me not to. To read more about me and other UK trained specialists visit
www.koalatherapies.com/placenta (new website coming soon)

x Lynnea

[chellebee]

I remove the membrane and cord. There is way less foam involved if you remove the membrane first. Steam in a basket steamer with jalapeno (or other hot pepper), ginger, and lemon. This is according toTraditional Chinese Medicine. Once steamed, slice it up into thin strips and lay out on cookie sheet to dehydrate in the oven. Put dry slices in a paper bag and beat with a rock. Dump this into a coffee grinder and grind into powder (may have to do it in batches). Encapsulate. It's worth it to get an encapsulator if you don't already have one. As much as I hate the waste, I disgard the steamer basket (you know, those little cheap expandable ones) because they are absolutely awful to clean. I also line the pot with foil to help keep placenta from crusting on. It has a tendency to do that. HTH!

Oh, I wanted to add...I am doing this on my own too. I did find a local few hour encapsulation training tought by a doula who has been doing this for a long time. It helped with specifics--the little things that I never would have thought of that make the process smooth.

[TO Doula]

Originally Posted by chellebee

I remove the membrane and cord. There is way less foam involved if you remove the membrane first. Steam in a basket steamer with jalapeno (or other hot pepper), ginger, and lemon. This is according toTraditional Chinese Medicine. Once steamed, slice it up into thin strips and lay out on cookie sheet to dehydrate in the oven. Put dry slices in a paper bag and beat with a rock. Dump this into a coffee grinder and grind into powder (may have to do it in batches). Encapsulate. It's worth it to get an encapsulator if you don't already have one. As much as I hate the waste, I disgard the steamer basket (you know, those little cheap expandable ones) because they are absolutely awful to clean. I also line the pot with foil to help keep placenta from crusting on. It has a tendency to do that. HTH!

Oh, I wanted to add...I am doing this on my own too. I did find a local few hour encapsulation training tought by a doula who has been doing this for a long time. It helped with specifics--the little things that I never would have thought of that make the process smooth.

Curious as to why you're doing the bag-and-rock thing and *also* using a grinder? I would have thought that one or the other would do it. I just put the strips a handful at a time into a spice grinder. I *love* the hand grinding idea (mortal and pestle or something), but I hear it takes forever and I don't think my wrists would be up it!

Also, if you invest in a steamer pot (one that has holes in the bottom and fits into the top of your water pot) you can scrub that clean and not have to throw out steamer baskets.

Although, someone recently recommended just putting the placenta on top of the sliced lemon etc and using a small amount of water, and I think I'm going to try it that way next time - having only one pot to scrub certainly sounds like a good idea to me!

How is the oven drying working for you - how long does it take? I always thought the oven would be too hot and would kind of burn it. I've been finding that I keep turning down the temperature on my dehydrator and setting it for shorter and shorter amounts of time because it's upsetting when the strips are really blackened. I want it done but not over-done. It would be great to have an oven-drying protocol to offer to people who want to do it themselves without buying special equipment, though.

[Right of Passage]

I did this yesterday http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read...ons_w_Pictures. My placenta spent 5 hours in the oven at 200. I also ground it up with submersible blender.

[chellebee]

Originally Posted by TO Doula

Curious as to why you're doing the bag-and-rock thing and *also* using a grinder?

I do the bag + rock to make the grinding go faster/easier in the coffee grinder. It's just an initial breaking up so I start with smaller chunks to grind. We're talking a few good blows with a rock (or hammer, but I am usually lazy and just go outside and grab a rock since I pound it outside anyway). It goes a lot faster and I get everything ground finer if I do this first. I could see skipping that part if the grinder was superb.

The oven time really depends on how thick the slices are and how low you can turn the oven down. I check on it after about 4-6 hours at 200 and go from there. I would actually rather use a dehydrater because it may make for a technically better preparation, but do not have one. The oven does work though!

Interesting that you are having an OK time with a real steamer pot...I *hate* cleaning steamers after placenta because stuff dries on like cement. Some of it just doesn't come off for me...which I find kind of a sanitary issue. If regulators were looking for a way to shut down encapsulators, it would be the public health aspect in dealing with human tissues...so I like to keep the process as separate as possible for each placenta, just for that reason. Silly as it may sound. If it's the mom's house/pots I could care less...since it's her tissues.

[morganeldi]

This is my process:

First and foremost I like to set the atmosphere with calming music and candles.

Supplies and ingredients that I have dedicated to placenta:

a large plastic bowl
A medium sized pot with lid
New steamer basket each time
A knife
A fork
A flexible plastic cutting board
Non latex non powder sterile gloves
Dehydrator
encapsulator
00 capsules
Magic Bullet

Red hot pepper (1 small)
Lemon (1 small/medium)
Ginger (thumb sized piece cut into slices)

1. wash off as much of the clots and excess blood as possible.
2. Cut off the membrane and cord (cutting off membrane reduces foaming)
3. Put a bit of water in the bottom of your pot and put half of peppers, lemon and ginger in the water
4. Place steamer basket in pot
5. Place placenta in basket and place the rest of the veggies on top
6. Put the lid on and turn stove heat on medium. Watch for overboil, steam about 10 minutes on each side
7. Take placenta out of the pot and place it on the cutting board to let cool for ~ 5 or 10 minutes
8. Slice into *very* thin slices and place onto dehydrator. Also put in all the veggies.

9. Dehydrate on the lowest setting for 8 hours or overnight
10. Grind *very* well with magic bullet
11. Fill up encapsulator with capsules
12. Carefully dump ground placenta onto encapsulator, fill and cap.
13. Place in a dark jar.

I find that this typically makes about 150-175 capsules per placenta.

Then I give this to my clients with an instruction sheet and a print. I like to replace most of my stuff every 15-20 placentas.

I hope I remembered to list all the steps here.

[Inner_Serenity]

I agree very much with what everyone has said. I learned on my own and it seems like we are primarily following the sam TCM of encapsulation.... I also make tinctures with the placenta for Mom's and baby...

I love the idea of foil lining the pot cuz it is a bear to clean out...

I am so glad to see so many woman doing this for Mom's.

Tia

[JennTheMomma]

I do the same as everyone else has already mentioned. However, I did my own placenta different. I washed my placenta, cut off cord and membranes, sliced into thin pieces. I dried it in the oven, lowest setting with the door open some. Took about 6 hours, checking frequently. Then I put it in the grinder, and then used the encapsulation machine. I got about 105 capsules, a few of them broke when I was doing it. So take your time.

[scline11]

why steam?

I know steaming is the traditional Chinese medicine way of doing things but does anyone have an explanation as to why this part is beneficial? It seems like dehydrating it would be sufficient and retain more nutrients.... keeping it more raw. I'm a week past my due date so will be dealing with my placenta any day now. Wondering whether to steam or go raw style. What do you all think?

[chellebee]

I am by no means well versed in Chinese medicine, but the preparation has to do with making it a warming preparation and getting down to the essence, so to speak, of the placenta. It being more raw is undesirable because raw placenta is considered cooling. Obviously raw placenta has it's place (like PPH), it just depends what you are after. In my understanding, the benefits differ.

Also, the steaming step allows the hot pepper and lemon (both warming) to be encorporated into the encapsulation.

[conniebonnie]

I was just coming on here to say the same thing about warming and cooling medicine.
And on a different note, I know plenty of women who have had their placenta raw in fruit smoothies, or just pinched between cheek and gum (like chew!)

[IPEN]

IPEN's Website is now online and a great source of Information for all sorts of Placenta Remedies.  Please enjoy! 

xx Lynnea

[Gunter]

Robin Lim just wrote a new book called 'Placenta, the 8th Chakra' which covers this and many other things about the placenta.  It's in it's second printing right now with limited copies coming out of Bali.  But, there is a PDF option if anyone wants to contact me off list about how to get a copy.