Placenta - How can I keep it?

[Moxie Miyamoto]

I have been reading a lot about the placenta smoothies and encapsulated placenta and i would like to take mine home. Does anyone know if Robert Wood Johnson in NJ allows you to keep your placenta? I have a meeting with my midwife (there are several in the practice that I'm trying to see them all) on the 18th and I plan on asking her, and I was also advised to call LD but I'm kind of scared they are going to think I'm crazy and question me! Its kind of weird meeting someone the first time and being like "oh hey about that placenta can i keep that because i think I'm going to eat it?" If they do great but what if they don't? I'm supposed to just put up with that? What religious reasons could someone have for wanting to keep their placenta if i have to use that route to fight to keep it. If you were in this position what would you do to make it so you could keep your placenta? I'm going to be terribly disappointed if they want to fight me on this. I know I can provide my own release but what if they flat out refuse?

[Italiamom]

I don't have any great advice for you, but I'd say to maybe try cross posting this in the NJ tribal forum.  You're more likely to run into other mamas there who have dealt with the same providers/facilities.  Good luck!

[HappyMonkey]

Maybe you might want to tell them you want to plant a tree over it instead. That's a cultural practice in many countries (ie Jamaica) and might be more accepted. I kept mine and planted a tree over it at my parents house, since that's likely to stay in the family longer.

[Mushy1127]

We made a joke about eating it "haha Did you hear about those people who EAT their placentas?  Some people are so crazy!" And the nurse took us very seriously and quickly wrapped it up and froze it for us.  We tried to leave it behind but another nurse chased us down the hall "You forgot your placenta!'  When we discharged without it, the midwife put it in a "belongings you forgot bag" and gave it to me at my 2 week appointment.  It's like the placenta that wouldn't leave.

I still don't know what to do with it.  :)

I should also say I fully intend to encapsulate my third baby's.  Oh how the times have changed.  :)

Just ask them for it.  Unless it needs to go to pathology for some reason it does technically belong to you.