Placenta encapsulation, prints, keepsakes, and tinctures
The placenta is an amazing organ! It is the only organ that is grown once we are out of the fetal development period. It weighs 1-2 pounds and secretes many of the hormones necessary for pregnancy, as well as filtering toxins from the pregnant person's blood and delivering the cleansed blood to feed and nourish the developing baby, then removing toxins from the baby which are brought back to the pregnant person's blood supply and further filtered out by their liver. Almost all other mammals consume their placentas directly after giving birth. Additionally people who have consumed their placentas, either encapsulated or raw, have reported better mood postpartum, increased milk supply, and seemingly shorter recovery time.
With your placenta I can:
With your placenta I can:
- Make a "tree of life" print capturing the pattern of your unique and beautiful placenta
- Make a keepsake with the umbilical cord
- Encapsulate your dehydrated placenta using either:
- The Traditional Chinese Method (TCM): Gently steaming the placenta with warming herbs before dehydrating. Many practitioners steam the placenta with lemon, ginger, and hot pepper, such as jalapeno. I sometimes use this straightforward combination, but with the understanding that, while the jalapeno is warming, it is not an actual ingredient in TCM, which is fine since I am not a practitioner of TCM, but an admirer of such. I am thankful for the wisdom that has been shared with the birth world to aid in the haeling of all birth- givers. And lemon is cooling/ sour, not warming, but that might sometimes be an appropriate balance.
- or The Raw Method of preparation in which the placenta is not steamed but is still dehydrated over low heat until completely desiccated.
- Prepare your placenta with homemade compost to be used as fertilizer for a potted or earthbound perennial plant, tree, or shrub
- Make a tincture that can be kept for many years and is often saved for transitions such as weaning baby/ return to menses, or to relieve symptoms associated with menopause. A portion of your raw placenta will be steeped in high quality alcohol for 6 weeks to create an 8oz high potency placenta extract. With proper storage, tinctures have an indefinite shelf. Because only a small portion is used, tinctures can still be made even if you are choosing to encapsulate!
Don't worry if you're not sure what kind of preparation you prefer! I will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of different preparations and additives with you prenatally, and then will ask you some simple questions postpartum about how your birth went to help us decide together the best preparation for you.
Fees:
-Placenta encapsulation/ raw or steamed: $250.00, $ 200.00 for birth doula clients.
-Placenta print and umbilical keepsake: $25.00 as an add on to placenta encapsulation. If requesting only a print and
keepsake please add $50.00 for pick up from hospital and delivery to your home.
-Tinctures: $25.00
-Compost ready for planting: $100.00
-Placenta encapsulation/ raw or steamed: $250.00, $ 200.00 for birth doula clients.
-Placenta print and umbilical keepsake: $25.00 as an add on to placenta encapsulation. If requesting only a print and
keepsake please add $50.00 for pick up from hospital and delivery to your home.
-Tinctures: $25.00
-Compost ready for planting: $100.00
Research on the benefits of consuming your placenta:
Understanding Placentophagy
Effects of Human Maternal Placentophagy on Maternal Postpartum Iron Status: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study
Presence and concentration of 17 hormones in human placenta processed for encapsulation and consumption
Human placenta processed for encapsulation contains modest concentrations of 14 trace minerals and elements
