best way to eat placenta?

[nycmom18]

im due in 2 weeks with my 2nd and we're having a homebirth this time!  im definitely going to consume my placenta this time, but im a little lost as to how i should do this?

i know i prefer to do it raw in smoothies but i have a couple of questions about that process:

-will it make my blender smell afterwards forever?  we hhave a vitamix, and i just couldnt ruin that expensive piece of machinery for future uses:)

-also, ive read a lot of mother will consume a little chunk right after its delivered, how do you cut it off or do you just rip it off? im just wondering who is able to do this since i will have just delivered baby and resting and midwives will be helping me etc.  does dh just bring it to the kitchen?

-and then how long does raw placenta last for?  like how many days can i safely eat raw placenta in smoothies before it goes bad?  how many days/weeks did you ladies eat the placenta for?

[travelmumma]

Originally Posted by nycmom18 

im due in 2 weeks with my 2nd and we're having a homebirth this time!  im definitely going to consume my placenta this time, but im a little lost as to how i should do this?

i know i prefer to do it raw in smoothies but i have a couple of questions about that process:

-will it make my blender smell afterwards forever?  we hhave a vitamix, and i just couldnt ruin that expensive piece of machinery for future uses:) It shouldn't make it smell. My MIL blends meat for various reasons daily and it has never smelled at all. We still use the same blender for "normal" smoothies too. Just fill it with water after making the smoothie and give it a bit of a buzz and a wipe out :)

-also, ive read a lot of mother will consume a little chunk right after its delivered, how do you cut it off or do you just rip it off? im just wondering who is able to do this since i will have just delivered baby and resting and midwives will be helping me etc.  does dh just bring it to the kitchen? Not sure about this one, I am curious too!! And planning to do the same thing :) perhaps some scissors and give it a bit of a wash??

-and then how long does raw placenta last for?  like how many days can i safely eat raw placenta in smoothies before it goes bad?  how many days/weeks did you ladies eat the placenta for?

My plan is to birth it, wash it, cut it up into pill sized pieces, then freeze it in a clearly marked container!! That way it lasts for a long time (as long as most meats I am sure) and I can take out a chunk or two daily to just swallow or smoothie! I plan on consuming mine for about 3 months after the birth :) and I know it will still be good then :)

[Caracol8]

Hey, I've been there done that 

My rockstar midwife did the prep for us.  We kept it in the fridge only until my midwife could prep it later that morning.  She washed the placenta, cut it up into little cubes, put a palmful of those cubes into individual baggies and then put those in the freezer.  Freezer, freezer, freezer.

- The placenta will not stink up your blender.  The only smell it would potentially leave behind is an irony flavor, but I'm sure that would be easy to wash out. In any case, my blender doesn't smell bad   I imagine if it was left in the fridge for a long period of time it would get staanky...  

-  I don't have any experience with ingesting a piece right away because I had a c-section   Hopefully someone can help you with that question.  I imagine your midwife would have a plan on how to get you a piece right away if she felt you needed it. 

- You can consume raw placenta for months as long as it's properly frozen.  Again, freezer, freezer, freezer.     As I've been taught with other frozen raw meats, once it's thawed it should not be refrozen.  And the best part about frozen placenta is it makes for cold smoothies 

- I was able to make a smoothie everyday or every other day for the first couple weeks.  After that I was drinking a smoothie maybe once a week when I needed the emotional boost.  I don't think there's a perfect portion you should be putting in each smoothie, but just keep an eye on your stash and think ahead.  My midwife advised me to save a portion for the second month when I would begin to do normal activities (like grocery shopping) again, which typically cause spotting.

HTH and congrats!