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Here in the uk I was actually asked last birth ( 3 years ago ) if i wanted to keep it - i said no of course just because i had no idea why she was asking me - maybe its cos it was a home birth and she thought i was some sort of hippy who wanted to keep it a d plant it !??
I reckon so ... capsules & dehydrated - for sure. Raw - unlikely. But it's been a long and gentle experiment into many natural health remedies and understand it sounds confronting. The placenta is an amazing organ - much respect for it's potential.
I've heard many good reports on energy / mood and milk supply. It is also purported to be awesome around menopause, if you don't use up your supply.
First heard of it here:
What
Evidence:Placenta Benefits.info - Placentophagy Research and Placenta Encapsulation: The Story of the Missing Evidence
Reckon that could be one of my "gifts" from a friend next time around - come and prepare my placenta - what a litmus test for a friend!!
I remember the first time I heard about this I went into shock. DH hand invited a couple over for din, the conversation led to something gross, can't quite remember, and the woman (whom I really like) said "I'd rather eat my placenta"...and I was like WTF??? did you just say? My jaw was on the floor. And her hubby laughed and said they'd seen something on the news about it. Really I was mortified, and I just couldn't shake the image. So while I'm reading all these posts I'm imagining you all with these horrified expressions on your faces. And I am LOL, I mean really, laughing right at my monitor and DH thinks I've gone mad.
Noooooooo way
Wow, I'm really surprised at how many women on here are seemingly so vehemently against this. It's not just a "no, thanks" I'm seeing, but a "Are you crazy?" and "EWW". Open your minds up a little bit and consider that it truly does have real and true benefits for mother and baby. If it's not for you just based on the thought of it, that's fine. But for many women, it can be and is a lifesaver. (And I will not even entertain the suggestion of it merely having a "placebo effect".)
Am I, personally, one for sitting down and eating my placenta raw (or even cooked)? No, I'm not. It's not exactly appetizing. But am I open to other ways of consuming it in the instance that it has countless benefits for the baby and myself post birth? You bet I am.
I suffered some terrible, indescribable PPD after my first two births. If any of you have been through an experience like I have- some real, true PPD- then you know what I mean when I say I'd do just about anything to keep from going through it again. So when I was informed about placenta encapsulation during my third pregnancy, I looked into it. And ended up doing a LOT of research on it. In the end I decided that if it'd even possibly help keep me from having to once again experience the dark, hopeless place that PPD is, I was willing to give it a go. And so I did. And you know what? It REALLY helped me. Significantly. It didn't keep me from being a bit weepy, sometimes a little panicky, or overwhelmed here and there, but there was a very large and genuine difference after I birthed my third baby and I attribute it to diligently taking those pills (which, btw, was no different than popping a vitamin- you cannot smell it or taste it at all). And it was so, so worth it. I chose to do it again after my fourth birth (I had the same, successful results) and I am planning it again after my fifth child is born. I now look at the placenta in a totally different light; not only as a life-giving source for my child, but also for me.
Placenta benefits range from assisting in warding off PPD, to restoring energy after birth, lactation promotion, helping to protect against infections, and much more. To learn more about it, do some research. It's real and I will wholeheartedly vouch for it. Here's a link to a good article about it.
I would not eat it but would take it pill style no problem. I totally believe in the benefits but then again I am hippy when it comes to drugs. I just couldn't stomach eating it raw or even cooked and served on a plate. I have a weak tummy for that sort of thing regardless.
Ok some of these comments are hilarious.
However I 100% do believe it is beneficial and have seen it first hand with people I know who have suffered with ppd.
And also it's not gross to me because there is a woman here where I live that encapsulates them and is well known so it's just a pill.
What I don't understand is how just eating over time can be beneficial.
I know someone mentioned when I lost dd to help with the depression but my Mw and that woman said (bc my baby had passed for a bit) that once the placenta is no longer functioning she needs to get the process encapsulating done within 24 hours or there isn't the same benefit.
If someone wants to do all the hard work for me and turn it into pills then i will happily take them but I cant even handle raw meat like chicken breasts etc so not sure id ever be able to prepare my own placenta.
around the world - did you do all the work yourself turning it into pills?
I personally recommend hiring a certified specialist to do it for you. Encapsulation costs anywhere between $150-250 dollars. In my case, I didn’t even have to see or touch the placenta at all. My midwife took it immediately after the birth and returned it the next day in capsule form. What could be easier? Since I was in recovery, the last thing I wanted to think about was encapsulating it myself.
Does anyone know if the UK offer such a service ?
ignore that i just found a great website
UK Placenta Specialists - Independent Placenta Encapsulation Network
No, I didn't. After just having a baby, I didn't need to be on my feet within the first 24-48 hours (when the placenta needs to be dehydrated). I had a close friend who encapsulated the placentas from my last two births for me. After the birth of my 5th child, my husband plans to do the work for me. He's not super crazy about doing it himself, but he's willing because he knows how important those pills are to me (and, frankly, to my family as a whole).Quote:
Originally Posted by Mum23boys
I second this. I was open to it and my wonderful husband did it for me and it did help with my energy and emotions after. I too did a great deal of research. What I find funny is gelatin doesn't receive the sort of disgusted reaction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aroundtheworld
I'm going the encapsulation route and paying someone to do it for me. I really want to avoid PPD with 6 children and returning to work full-time, and I'm willing to try anything that may work!
But OMG the title of this thread sounds disgusting lol :giggle:
ive actually looked into it and there are people near me who do it for about £150. If i can afford it i may do the capsules - definately not smoothie but if its going to help and i can save the money i think it would be a good thing - especially if im going to have 4-5 kids to deal with and work to return to after just 3- weeks !!!
The midwife offered me my placenta after I had DS2, this was just a standard hospital delivery in Ireland. I didn't take it.
I remember when my cat had kittens (they say cats like to go off on their on to give birth but mine decided she wanted to give birth on my lap), she gobbled up the placentas straight away after the first three kittens. By the last two kittens she was completely exhausted and was ignoring everything, I had to break the sacs to let the kittens out and I passed the placentas over to her and she ate them.
I wouldn't be against it but I don't think I could justify forking out more than 100 quid to get it encapsulated. If I wanted to eat it I'd probably just eat it, it's not that disgusting, I don't mind raw meat, I like my steak as rare and bloody as possible! I'm not going to eat it though!