Small, Uncontrolled Study - Eating the Placenta - Page 3

[frogautumn]

1. If you consumed your placenta, did you consume it raw, dried, or cooked?
I dried it and encapsulated it myself! I didn't take the first dose until last week though (I am 4 mo pp).
2. Did you experience PPD or PPP after your birth?
No.
3. If answer to #2 is "no," did you experience any "baby blues" at all after the birth?
Maybe...I've been feeling slightly off lately which prompted me to start taking the placenta.
4. Do you have any experience with depression?
Yes. I experienced some major depression as a teenager and some very minor depression in my 20s...none since my children have been born. 2 women in my family have committed suicide (including my own mother--likely a result of untreated PPD), so I felt it was very important to create a good "safety net" around myself.

[krismarie]

[QUOTE=amberskyfire;15015016]I am hearing that more and more mothers are choosing to consume their placentas after their birth. (The practice, by the way, is known as placentophagia.) We all probably know that the placenta is full of all kinds of wonderful nutrients that our bodies need after giving birth, but the main reason women choose to consume them seems to be that it prevents postpartum depression. So far, I have not been able to locate a woman who consumed her placenta and DID have PPD.

1. If you consumed your placenta, did you consume it raw, dried, or cooked?
small piece raw (in smoothie) day of birth, then i consumed dried placenta for about 4 weeks...starting with 1/2 tsp/day and weaning down to nothing
2. Did you experience PPD or PPP after your birth? yes, but only a matter of days compared to weeks with ds1 (did not consume any after his birth)
3. If answer to #2 is "no," did you experience any "baby blues" at all after the birth?

And, by popular request:

4. Do you have any experience with depression?
not other than what i go through after birth

[Sharlla]

1. If you consumed your placenta, did you consume it raw, dried, or cooked? Raw/frozen. I consumed 1/7 in a smoothie for 7 days.
2. Did you experience PPD or PPP after your birth? No
3. If answer to #2 is "no," did you experience any "baby blues" at all after the birth? No

And, by popular request:

4. Do you have any experience with depression? Yes, I get seasonal depression and had bad PPD with DS1

[itsajenism]

1. If you consumed your placenta, did you consume it raw, dried, or cooked?

It was dried and encapsulated. I started it on day 2.

2. Did you experience PPD or PPP after your birth?

Not at all.

3. If answer to #2 is "no," did you experience any "baby blues" at all after the birth?

No.

4. Do you have any experience with depression?

Yes. I've had mild (undiagnosed) depression off and on. I also experienced baby blues after my first birth.



An interesting note: During the first week and a half of taking them, I missed two days in a row (I was taking 6 a day at that time) and by the end of day two I could feel my mood declining big time and started feeling much more tired. Once I started taking them again, I felt much better physically and emotionally.
When I started taking them again, I cut it back to 3 a day for a week, then 1 a day.

I'm 5 weeks PP now and haven't been taking them for the past few days and once again have started feeling more fatigue and not as "evened out" emotionally (though nothing like before). Luckily I have some left.

Needless to say, I'm a big advocate now!!

[AnnieNimIty]

1. If you consumed your placenta, did you consume it raw, dried, or cooked?
Raw, a piece right after birth, and 2 smoothies.
I didn't use all of the placenta, there is a great deal of it in my freezer. I had to go out of town immediately because my son was born with a birth defect. My husband froze it for me. He cut the placenta into 6ths. I still have 4 parts left for when I go home.
Currently I am in a hospital with my son post op.

2. Did you experience PPD or PPP after your birth?
I have experienced depression, and because it is postpartum you could call it PPD. but a big part of it is his surgery and recovery and being in the hospital for a potential total of 6 weeks.
3. If answer to #2 is "no," did you experience any "baby blues" at all after the birth?
4. Do you have any experience with depression?
I have a history of depression in high school and PPD with my first child.


All that said, after I had the placenta I felt amazing. I craved it and I still do. When I get home I am going to eat it even though I am pretty far out from the birth.
It made me feel balanced out and capable.

[mojobot2000]

1. How did you consume the placenta?
I ate a few chunks raw right after the birth (yum!), then my husband dehydrated the rest in a low-heat oven, ground it up in a food processor, and encapsulated it. I took about 6 capsules a day for as long as they lasted--seems like a month? But I don't really remember.
2. Did you have any PPD?
Thankfully, no.
3. Did you have baby blues?
I had a moment a few days after the birth where I realized, "Oh, I've been high on birth hormones, and I'm about to come down," but it was gentle, not a terrible crash. I had some weepiness, but it felt like a normal response to a huge event--just releasing big emotions, including joy and gratitude. Despite a difficult post-partum period, I kept on a pretty even keel emotionally.
4. Do you have experience with depression?
Yes, I have been treated for major depression which occurred on and off throughout my late teens and my twenties. I'd been mostly symptom free for about two years by the time of my pregnancy. My shrink and I were very on the lookout for PPD, and were thrilled that it didn't show up. I honestly think the placenta helped enormously.

[mamaspirit]

1. If you consumed your placenta, did you consume it raw, dried, or cooked?

I consumed my third placenta (last pregnancy) I had it dried raw and encapsulated. My doula did it for me, although I have done it for clients before also... just didn't want to do my own . This next time I plan on eating it raw right after birth and also encapsulating my dried placenta.

2. Did you experience PPD or PPP after your birth?

Slight post partum anxiety and depression, but not nearly as serious as I have had after previous births.

3. If answer to #2 is "no," did you experience any "baby blues" at all after the birth?

And, by popular request:

4. Do you have any experience with depression?

I had extreme ppd with my first and was hospitalized for several weeks. I could not even get out of bed. I took anti-depressants prophylactically after my second and had ppd although not quite as severe as the first time. After my last pregnancy I had very slight ppd, but it was much shorter and I had no anti depressants, just the placenta pills.

I also noticed that I had more energy with the placenta pills. I went several days without taking them and started feeling aweful, really low energy, kind of depressed, etc. I started taking them again and within 3 days had markedly increased energy and better mood.

I really, really believe in placenta consumption!!! It works!!!

[Bendemolena]

1. If you consumed your placenta, did you consume it raw, dried, or cooked?
Steamed, then dehydrated in the oven and encapsulated. I took a few pills a day for several weeks postpartum, then one whenever I was feeling emotional for a couple more months.

2. Did you experience PPD or PPP after your birth?
Nope.

3. If answer to #2 is "no," did you experience any "baby blues" at all after the birth?
A couple times I cried for no reason and felt despondent, but after taking the placenta pills and a glass of wine , I felt fine.

4. Do you have any experience with depression?
No, but I have had anxiety issues in the past.