What will you do with the placenta?

[alton]

After getting over the initial ick factor, I've become quite interested in the idea of placenta encapsulation. It's only an "idea" because I don't think I'd really be up for chopping and grinding it and filling all those capsules. As far as I can tell there is no service available here that would do that.

I mentioned the concept to DH and he was repulsed and horrified (wait, I may have put that too mildly) and not willing to be drawn on the matter. The blood and gore of labour might not change his feelings towards me but I think that the idea of his wife ingesting a human organ might be too much to take.

That's fair enough, so I tried sounding him out on other options, like planting it in the garden and growing a tree. Ever the pragmatist he gave me that look that lets me know that my state of mind is questionable, and pointed out that every passing cat, dog and fox would be digging it up and there would be a half-chewed placenta appearing on the deck every other day. Ugh.

I can't see him appreciating a "tree of life" print either. So basically what I'm planning at the moment is to let the midwife dispose of it as medical waste. Actually I'm not even certain that the midwives would let me have it in the first place.

It just makes me curious to know what other mums plan to do with theirs, if anything.

[TyrantOfTheWeek]

Our son was born in December. His placenta is in a gallon baggie in the freezer waiting to be planted with a special tree.

[JamieCatheryn]

My midwife never takes placentas. I would have ate some in a bleeding emergency, otherwise nah not my thing. After cutting the cord at 1 hour old we stuck it straight in the freezer in trash bag in an ice cream tub. Mine's thawing now, 10 months later, only because DS1 moved it looking for popsicles. Now I'm going to get around to planting it - DEEP underground just to be sure, maybe cut into pieces or blended up to spread the nutrient goodness around...though to break it up feels weird, I'll see how I feel when it's thawed and I see it again.

[jeminijad]

Not pregnant yet, but I'll be eating a bite raw and encapsulating the rest... I would imagine you could find directions online. I plan to have it professionally done.

My DH thinks it is gross, too, but I don't care in the slightest.

[gardenmommy]

My MW has a person who encapsulates placentas. I had her encapsulate mine, and I'm taking it a couple a day. I'm hoping it really helps me ward off the blues this time.

[springfever]

I'm getting mine encapsulated by a local lady who does it as a home business. She charges 175$(Canadian)and includes pick up and delivery, and a print if you want.
I don't see how the midwives could not "let" you have it, it should be your property.. it was part of your body.

[rissierae]

We planted a fruit tree over ds's. And plan to do the same with this next baby's. We do cherry tree a for boy, peach tree a for girl. I don't know why, it's just what we came up with. But I thought it was a cool idea that each kid would have their own fruit tree that grew from the same thing they grew from.

[To-Fu]

With my first pregnancy, I just let my MW take it and use it in her garden (we knew we were moving out of state shortly and didn't want to deal with storing the placenta for 6 mos. and then living in another rental).

This time, my doula has volunteered to dehydrate and encapsulate it for me. I'm vegan, so the idea of chopping and drying the thing is really kind of hard for me to stomach. I'm just going to close my eyes and swallow the pills with a lot of O.J. and hope for the best.

[Monarchgrrl]

I'm going to drink a placenta smoothie soon after the birth. That way I won't be able to taste it. Then my midwife will encapsulate the rest for me. DW thinks it's completely gross, but I don't care. Our midwife recommends frying it up with some veggies, but as of right now, I don't think I could do that.

[mommyfied]

I still have DD2's in the freezer... planning to put it under a tree if we ever plant one!

I am intrigued by the encapsulation idea. I might do that, but I don't know about preparing it myself. I really don't think anyone around here does it. I definitely couldn't eat it or do a smoothie.

[JamieCatheryn]

Well I told you mine was thawing, I finally got it in the ground yesterday, over 3 ft deep. When we get the chance, I believe I'll plant Camilla japonica bush over it in that shady corner of the yard, like this: http://www.huntersville.org/interact...ellia-bush.jpg

[averlee]

I tossed my daughter's placenta into the ocean. I'm pretty sure some gulls ate it.

[LeilaM]

I'm planning to encapsulate mine. I'm not exactly sure how to do it, but I have the basic idea from reading some forums on here. The idea of eating the placenta does gross me out quite a bit, but encapsulating it seems quite tolerable to me. I think the benefits are worth it, and so does my husband.

[mistletoe2382]

I am going to encapsulate mine, or have a friend do it. At first I was totally grossed out by it but after learning about all of the benefits, how could I not. I am seriously considering starting my own encapsulation business and have started asking friends if I can do it for them. LOL!

[UmmAbduRahman]

I'm Muslim so I'm gonna bury mine.

[triana1326]

Half of my DD's placenta was dried and encapsulated. I'm planning on doing the same thing for this little one as well. The other halves will be planted under special trees. I'd like to wait to do it when they hit puberty, mostly because when DD was a year old, I started preparing a special ceremony and got so emotional about it, I couldn't go through with it.