Placenta Encapsulation - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[Trisha Kalous]

kinda gives a new meaning to "bloody mary" lol

[Loogiejane]

Originally Posted by Trisha Kalous 

kinda gives a new meaning to "bloody mary" lol

Ewwwwww haha

Ok so since a couple years ago when I discovered the encapsulating I always thought I'd want to try it. I *do* have a dehydrator that i've never used, was thinking of returning it to bb&b because I dont REALLY need it but I guess I would for this purpose. I always kinda thought I'd just hire someone to do it though as the idea of handling a big bloody goopy mass like that (even if it is my own) really irks me out. Blech.

Here's my main concern though! Uhhh......what do I do about the visiting family who might be in my small apartment while whoever is doing the encapsulation is doing their work? I mean, I am usually one to speak my mind and usually don't give two sh*ts what people think of my choices but I kind of feel like this one might be too big a pill to swallow (pun intended) for most people. I have already started telling DH how I want to be super on top of making sure we do not have too many visitors in the first 2 weeks after birth and he respects that and said he will advocate for me (the first two weeks we'll prob just keep to immediate family and only 3 ppl at a time since our place is small and no more than 1.5-2 hours a visit) but I can't imagine I'd be able to perfectly time the encapsulating process with the visits so they don't coincide.

Thoughts?

[scary biscuits]

Hee! My little (19yrs) sister was reading over my shoulder and saw this thread and was kind of freaked out. Oh my goodness placenta! And I remember the first time I heard about it, I was not sure how to take it. But now a few years later with a toddler and another on the way I am curious about it and had kind of forgot that it is still considered pretty unusual by lots of folks:)

[Trisha Kalous]

Originally Posted by Loogiejane 

Here's my main concern though! Uhhh......what do I do about the visiting family who might be in my small apartment while whoever is doing the encapsulation is doing their work? I mean, I am usually one to speak my mind and usually don't give two sh*ts what people think of my choices but I kind of feel like this one might be too big a pill to swallow (pun intended) for most people. I have already started telling DH how I want to be super on top of making sure we do not have too many visitors in the first 2 weeks after birth and he respects that and said he will advocate for me (the first two weeks we'll prob just keep to immediate family and only 3 ppl at a time since our place is small and no more than 1.5-2 hours a visit) but I can't imagine I'd be able to perfectly time the encapsulating process with the visits so they don't coincide.

Thoughts?

When I encapsulate placentas, I pick up the placenta, take it home and bring the finished product to the Mom after it's all done, so she doesn't have to worry about anything. Maybe there's someone in your area that will do that? I have always offered to do it at their place, just in case someone wants to learn or watch or whatever, but only have done it at their place for the first 2 placentas I've done- before I had all my supplies for it (was for friends). If you need to do it at your place, it's usually started on the day your baby is born, so if you just say no visitors for the first 2 days so your family can have your babymoon, that doesn't seem so unreasonable to me. If someone's over during dehydration and is curious about the smell, just tell them you're making jerkey ;) they don't have to open the dehydrator!

[Virginia884]

I had mine done with DD, but now I am thinking I could do it myself. How long does it dry in the oven??

DH will never eat from our oven again!!

[Loogiejane]

Ok so I brought this topic up again with DH and he is very much not into it. He won't prevent me from doing it because that's not his style but when I told him it could mean someone would be in our (very small) apartment the day after the birth he responded with a sort of laugh, "um- they're not invited!"

He also thinks is the most disgusting thing he's ever heard of and he can barely talk about it.

So, I guess I could do it myself but I don't want to use my dehydrator for it I don't think. I mean....I could NEVER tell people who I'd feed dried fruit from my dehydrator that I had my placenta in there. Blech, yeah, I also don't know if I could handle doing that myself, nor have the motivation with a newborn in my arms.

I think I'd only want to consume it knowing it didn't go out of my sight. I'm sure people who would take it with them are trustworthy I just don't feel 100% comfortable with it.

[jacquelinej]

I did some research...as I am want to do...and I learned that humans are the only mammal that do NOT eat the placenta after birth. I find that really interesting. Does anyone have good website to read from? I don't think I will be up for dehydrating my own (always wiped for a long while after birth, mostly due to the return of RA symptoms) so any hints on finding someone to do it? I haven't had much luck with a web search for those in my area!

[Trisha Kalous]

Check with local doulas/midwives to see if they know of anyone who encapsulates. Maybe you can find a friend who is willing to encapsulate your placenta for you? It's a pretty simple and straight forward process. Also there are a few other mammals who don't eat their placentas- I remmber camels being one of them. But the vast majority do eat their placentas.

[Loogiejane]

Ok so I checked in with this one girl who provides the service. She comes to your home with all the equipment and is here over the course of two days. First day about 2 hours, overnight dehydration, then back the next day for about 1 hour. She charges $300 which seems sort of pricy but also sort of not surprising. 1. I live in NYC and 2. It IS a pretty personal type of service. But still, less than $300 would be nice. I should ask around different service providers but I expect they'll all be within that range.

I'm going to have to schedule someone so that they are gone before we have visitors that day. Have encapsulating done in the morning, have family come in the afternoon. I can't wrap my head around having to explain my desire to consume my placenta to anyone in my family other than my sister who I think would consider it herself. 

[Trisha Kalous]

I would ask around and see it what kind of prices you can find. I charge 200 for it here in WI, But I know there's other ladies in my area which charge as little as 100, though they don't include the huge bouquet of flowers that I do when I deliver. Maybe you can find someone that's willing to barter services for something you can make or do. It never hurts to ask!

[Loogiejane]

That is so nice you bring flowers! Well actually, I design and make my own jewelry. I could offer to barter that, not sure someone would want to go for it though. The one girl I contacted is getting married right around my EDD so I shamelessly told her about my jewelry if she needed bridal gifts hehe. We'll see how she takes it. I didn't ask for a trade though, just showed her my Etsy site. 

Ok so maybe $300 isn't that outrageous?

[Ghislaine]

Originally Posted by Loogiejane 

That is so nice you bring flowers! Well actually, I design and make my own jewelry. I could offer to barter that, not sure someone would want to go for it though. The one girl I contacted is getting married right around my EDD so I shamelessly told her about my jewelry if she needed bridal gifts hehe. We'll see how she takes it. I didn't ask for a trade though, just showed her my Etsy site. 

Ok so maybe $300 isn't that outrageous?

I'm in northern Vermont and I think mine was about that much.  Ahh, the joys of living in the northeast!  

[Loogiejane]

Originally Posted by Ghislaine 

I'm in northern Vermont and I think mine was about that much.  Ahh, the joys of living in the northeast!  

Northern VT? Jealoussssss. I went to UVM. Miss it so much it makes me sick. What I wouldn't give for a chai from Muddy Waters right now. 

[jash]

I know this is an old thread, however, I had placenta encapsulation done with my first baby & although I don't feel like I had any PPD issues, I can definitely vouch that it most definitely helped with my milk supply... & I honestly didn't really need help with that either. It also helped with my energy levels, which was awesome. I still have a few left & take them on days I feel I need a little pick me up. & this time around, I have a bilobate placenta, so, as I understand it, it's like I have 2 placentas that are attached, so I will probably get more pills this time around.

[FarmerMomma]

I got my placenta encapsulated. I wasn't expecting to birth in the hospital so when they asked if I wanted to keep my placenta I was so relieved. It was the farthest thing from my mind. Yay didn't have to fight on that one. My milk supply really jumped when I started taking the pills. I know because I'm only pumping. Hope to get him off the vapotherm and onto the breast soon.

[Trisha Kalous]

Yay! I'm glad they're working so well for you!! I'm excited to see what my placenta looks like! Lol

[PhilsBabyMama]

Finished taking my placenta pills the other day. Wish I had more! (Still have my tincture, though, it's not ready yet.) They really helped, I think. I was feeling really weepy about Malcolm's birth at first. He came unexpectedly early at 36 weeks and 3 days and I felt very guilty about not being able to keep him inside longer. I noticed an immediate difference from one day to the next once I started taking the pills. Stopped feeling so sad about things I had no control over and knew weren't really my fault.

Would anyone be totally weirded out if I posted a pic of my placenta? It was actually heart shaped, which I thought was pretty neat.

[FarmerMomma]

PBM I'd be cool with that. Never actually looked at mine. Bummer. What's a tincture? I totally had one really weepy day before the pills and none since. All in all I've felt pretty good. Impressive considering this farm girl has been in the institution of the hospital for over a week. Been a bumpy road but we'll be home soon.

[PhilsBabyMama]

So glad you'll be taking Quest home soon! I can totally understand why you'd be weepy and glad the capsules helped! I was skeptical of the benefits of encapsulation, but I'm a believer now. Don't care if it was the placebo effect! Either way, it worked.

Here's the tincture recipe and info. Don't plan on giving it to the munchkin, though.

" PLACENTA TINCTURE RECIPE
Placenta tincture is a constitutional remedy that can be used for the baby throughout her/his life. The placenta contains vitamins, minerals, hormones and stem cells so its a very good immune remedy. A few uses include cough, stuffy nose, indigestion, teething, high stress events (1st day of school, daycare etc). It’s also beneficial for mom during transition and stressful times.

Placenta tincture is created with a small piece of lightly steamed placenta. Why steamed as opposed to raw? When placenta is ingested raw it has a cooling effect and will not be tonifying on the system.
According to TCM the way the placenta is transformed into placenta medicine is meant to bring heat back to mom. Steaming and warming herbs are necessary steps for that to happen. Without steaming the placenta has a cooling effect. When baby and placenta are born, the sudden “space” created in her body throws her into a state of yin/yang imbalance, with an excess of yin (cold). The way I recommend preparing the placenta (steaming, warming Chinese herbs) before transforming into a tincture or smoothie is all meant to restore this balance.
Placenta tincture made from lightly steamed placenta is tonifying, will not have a cooling affect (creating a yin/yang imbalance), like raw preparation, and will be beneficial anytime after birth.
Placenta Tincture Recipe
Supplies:
steamed placenta (walnut size piece)
80 proof high grade Vodka
cheese cloth
jar with a lid
Step 1: Add a walnut size piece of your placenta to the jar.
Step 2: Pour Vodka into the mason jar containing your placenta chunk until it covers by at least 1 inch.
Step 3: Swirl around the jar contents once daily for 6 weeks. You *may need to add a little Vodka every week or so during this process as some may evaporate and absorb into the placenta. *Always keep the placenta covered by at least one inch of vodka.
Step 4: After 6 weeks, filter the liquid through cheese cloth into another jar or tincture bottles.
*do not continue to add more alcohol to the jar after the tincturing process is complete as that will dilute the tincture and render it ineffective.
For children, people with alcohol sensitivities, or for those who just prefer a non-alcohol product, I suggest putting a squeeze (dropperful) of tincture into a cup of *hot water. The hot water will evaporate the alcohol away and leave the “good stuff”, the nutrients.
Dosage: 7-10 drops directly under the tongue or between the cheek and gum is recommended, or if preferred, in liquid (water, juice, etc) taken during times of stress or transition.
Enjoy!" -
http://carolinaplacentalady.com/2013/01/placenta-tincture-recipe/

[PhilsBabyMama]

Malcolm's heart shaped placenta
Edited by PhilsBabyMama - 5/14/13 at 7:29pm