FAQs
What is the placenta?
The placenta is an organ that develops in your uterus during pregnancy. It provides oxygen and nutrients to your baby and removes waste products. The placenta also produces hormones that support your pregnancy, labor, and birth. Historically the placenta has been regarded as sacred. It is seen as a symbol of life and love. Most mammals consume their placenta after birth.
What type of cooler do I bring to the hospital?
A cooler that could hold 12 cans works well. Bring a reusable or disposable cooler with you to your place of birth. Your provider will contain your placenta for you and provide ice for the cooler. Your placenta is about the size of a dinner plate so the cooler should be able to hold it with room for ice.
Is there any reason I wouldn’t be able to consume my placenta?
The only reason I won’t encapsulate a placenta is if there is an infection during labor that causes fever. This is known as Chorioamnionitis.
How many capsules do I get?
Every placenta is different and produce different amounts of capsules. The average is 120 capsules per placenta. I sometimes get as little as 70 or as many as 200+.
What is the tincture?
The tincture is a piece of raw placenta in 190 proof alcohol. It will be ready to consume at 6 weeks postpartum. The tincture provides all the same benefits as the capsules. It can be used for any hormonal issues that pop up during the postpartum period.
What method of encapsulation do you use?
Traditional- the placenta is steamed for an hour at 160 degrees Farhenheit then dehydrated for 12 hours and finally put into 00 gel capsules for consumption. OSHA standards are followed during encapsulation.
How do I keep my placenta at the hospital?
Let your provider know at your prenatal visit that you plan to keep your placenta. When you go into labor mention you want to keep your placenta to the admitting nurse or have it written in your birth plan. The hospital will provide the container to store your placenta after it is born.
How long until I have my capsules?
The encapsulation process takes around 2-3 days. I try to get your capsules back to you as promptly as possible!
When can I start taking my capsules?
Immediately once you receive them!
How do I take my capsules?
Take 1-3 capsules 3 times per day with food. Instructions are provided on the label.
How do I take the tincture?
7-10 drops in a drink as needed. The instructions are provided on the label.
What training do you have for placenta encapsulation?
I completed my Association of Placenta Preparation Arts training in 2016. I complete an annual Bloodborne Pathogens and Infection Prevention certification through Vanderbilt University Medical Center each year (updated for 2024). I also have over 8 years of experience encapsulating around 1-4 placentas per month.
The Encapsulation Process
I use the traditional method to process placentas. OSHA standards are followed and all of my tools are used only for placenta encapsulation and are thoroughly sanitized each use. I process all placentas in my home and deliver the capsules to you when they are ready.
Once I receive your placenta from you, I take it immediately to a temperature controlled refrigerator. The placenta is rinsed and any torn membranes removed. I then remove the umbilical cord and drain the blood from the placenta. The placenta is placed in a steam pot to cook on each side for 30 minutes at 160 degrees F. The placenta is then taken to a cutting board and cut into pieces and placed in a dehydrator. It dehydrates for 12 hours. It is then powdered in a blender and placed in 00 gel capsules. Last they are hand delivered to you!
Possible Benefits
Your placenta capsules are not FDA approved and benefits are not guaranteed. However, for centuries women have been consuming their placentas to aid in the postpartum process.
In a 2013 study by the University of Nevada Las Vegas the top three positive effects of placentophagy were improved mood, increased energy and improved lactation.
According to a 1993 article by Peter Homes, “By nourishing the blood and fluids, endocrine glands and organs, Placenta will ...reduce or stop postpartum bleeding, speed up recovery, boost energy and relieve postpartum blues.”
In a 1997 study by Bensky and Gamble “Powdered Placenta Hominis was used for 57 cases of insufficient lactation. Within 4 days, 48 women had markedly increased milk production, with the remainder following suit over the next three days.”
According to an article in 2012 by the University of Buffalo, “[Placenta] provokes an increase in mother-infant interaction, for instance, and increases the effects of pregnancy-mediated analgesia in the delivering mother. It also potentiates opiod circuits in the maternal brain that facilitate the onset of care-taking behavior...”
During the last trimester of pregnancy, the placenta secretes so much CRH that the levels in the bloodstream increase threefold. However, it was also discovered that postpartum women have lower than average levels of CRH, triggering depressive symptoms. They concluded that the placenta secreted so much CRH that the hypothalamus stopped producing it... After childbirth, the hypothalamus doesn't immediately receive the signal to begin producing CRH again, which can lead to postpartum depression. Eating the placenta will raise a mother's CRH levels therefore, reducing postpartum depression."
Many mothers have reported an increase in energy after consuming the iron rich placenta through encapsulation. A 1961 study on the Iron Content of Placentas and Cords by Bonnie McCoy, M.S., stated: “Data obtained on the fifty placentas and cords... The total iron content of the samples averaged 75.5mg and ranged from 34.5 to 170mg, excluding one value, 396.7mg...”
It has been reported that the “Placenta Opiod-Enhancing Factor” may possibly reduce pain in the birthing mother after delivery.
Many mothers have suggested an increase in milk supply through anecdotal evidence on consuming placenta capsules. Placentas contain hormones and Lactogens that possibly enhance mammary gland growth and milk production.