PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION
“I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION TO ANY NEW MUM, IT NOT ONLY SPED UP MY RECOVERY FROM THE CAESAREAN, IM ABSOLUTELY SURE IT HELPED WITH MY HORMONES AND GOOD SPIRIT.”
~ KIM
Placenta Encapsulation
365
Placentas encapsulated
“2LifeDoula was awesome with organising and providing my placenta encapsulation.
We were extremely pleased with the amount of information Moran provided – before, during and after.
I wish my placenta was twice the size so I could have had more!
Thanks Moran for being wonderful. Highly recommended!”
“Placenta encapsulation with 2Life Doula was massively beneficial for me in the first weeks after having my baby. Very professional, always contactable and a ‘lifesaver’ in terms of helping to balance out my emotions. I can’t imagine those first few days without having had it done. I’m so grateful to Moran for her service, care and kindness and for all that she did when I had Claudia. I can’t imagine having done it all without her.”
Mothers have reported…
Increased milk production
Increased energy
Decreased ‘Baby Blues’
In China, it is common for a postpartum mother to only eat and drink warm foods and beverages. It is thought that a new mother is cold for the first 40 days postpartum. According to TCM, a postpartum woman is cool because she has lost Qi (the life force) due to loss of blood. In order to return her body to homeostasis, we must warm the mother by only giving her stews, broths, tea, etc. By steaming the placenta, a tonifying or warming food, it helps the mother return to baseline.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the placenta has been used for thousands of years to correct hormonal imbalances, boost milk production in lactating women, heal infertility and various other health issues. The placenta has amazing abilities during the postpartum period; it can heal, sustain, and strengthen. The placenta is an organ made by you to nourish your baby.
Mums have reported…
– Increased overall energy
– Enhanced milk supply
– Eases “baby blues”
– Increased iron levels
– Back to pre-pregnancy state much quicker
Hormones known to be in the placenta:
- Oxytocin – The ‘feel good’ hormone, creates feelings of bonding, happiness, and pain relief
- Cortisone – Eases stress and unlocks the body’s energy stores
- Interferon –Stimulates the immune system to help fight off infection
- Prostaglandins –acts as an anti-inflammatory
- Hemoglobin –Replenishes iron, stimulates iron production in the blood
- Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII –Lessens bleeding and promotes faster healing
- Prolactin –Stimulates and promotes healthy lactation.
When do I need to call you to get my placenta and when do I make a booking for Placenta Encapsulation?
It is best to book in your placenta encapsulation during your pregnancy so that we are available around your estimated due date to provide this service for you as we only take limited number of bookings a month.
I encapsulate the placenta for Queensland bookings and Perth bookings are serviced by Anjuli Samuriwo who is also accredited and specialised as a Placenta encapsulation specialist with vast experience.
All bookings are made through 2Life Doula and are then forwarded to myself for Queensland or to Anjuli for WA bookings. You can trust that when you are placing a booking through 2Life Doula that you are getting professional service as we both adhere to strict guidelines in completing your encapsulation.
Once you’ve made a booking I then ask that you please call me as soon after the birth as possible. Ideally, the placenta should be encapsulated within 48 hours after birth, as your body will be at its lowest point hormonally around five days postpartum.
What is the cost of placenta encapsulation?
How should I handle/store my placenta prior to encapsulation?
The placenta should be placed in a clean container and should then be sealed tightly and refrigerated or placed on ice.
It is imperative that your placenta is kept fresh. Ideally, the placenta should be placed in a sealed container, in a bag, and refrigerated as soon as possible after birth. Most hospitals will provide you with a container for your placenta similiar to a tupperware container.
Please ensure the placenta is not left at room temperature for more than three hours. If a refrigerator is not available, or the birth facility does not allow storage in their refrigerator, an esky containing ice/ice packs is sufficient as long as the ice remains frozen or is replaced at regular intervals if thawing begins.
Please discuss storage of your placenta with your caregiver prior to labour and birth.
Is it safe to have my placenta encapsulated if I tested positive for Group B Strep (GBS)?
Yes. Group B strep is a common bacterium that does not normally pose health risks to the mother. All bacteria in the placenta is killed during the heating and dehydration process. Rarely, Group B strep can lead to uterine infection. If you developed a uterine infection or fever during your labor, your placenta would not be considered useful in healing, and would likely be taken to the pathology lab for testing, but otherwise, Group B strep is not contraindicated in placenta remedy preparation.
What if I am induced/have a medicated birth/have a cesarean section? Can I still encapsulate my placenta?
Absolutely! Encapsulation is still possible if you birth with an epidural, narcotics, or syntocinon or if you have a cesarean section.
Can I encapsulate my placenta if my baby passed meconium before birth?
Yes. Meconium is sterile, it does not contain fecal bacteria that normal stool does. Meconium is dangerous for the infant to inhale, but is otherwise harmless. Additionally, your placenta is thoroughly washed before encapsulation preparation.
Can I still have my placenta encapsulated if I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia?
Placenta encapsulation is not contraindicated for moms with Pre-eclampsia. Many women who’ve had pre-eclampsia have very successfully used Placenta Pills. After the birth, your placenta will be examined for irregularities and problems. Most of the time, the placenta is completely fine and you should have no problem having it released for encapsulation. If your care provider diagnoses a problem or infection in the placenta, it will be sent to pathology and you won’t be able to take it home.
When should I give you my placenta and when will I receive my placenta capsules?
Ideally, the placenta preparation should take place as soon as possible after the birth, within the first 48 – 72 hours. Directly after the birth, the placenta should be placed in an enclosed container (the hospital will put it in a plastic container or a your Ziploc bags), and then in the refrigerator until you can get it to me. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. If you know ahead of time that it will not be prepared within that time frame, it is best to place it straight into the freezer.
From the time I pickup the placenta you will than receive the capsules back within 24-72 hours.
How should I store my capsules?
I deliver the capsules to you in a sealed jar. I recommended that placenta capsules be kept in a cool dry area like a pantry or if kept beyond 3 months then frozen for maximum freshness. For long term storage they should be kept in the freezer.
What is the process you use?
I follow the Traditional Chinese Method and Raw Method of encapsulation which is a process of:
- The placenta is thoroughly cleaned with water
- The placenta is steamed according to TCM (Raw capsules skip this process)
- The placenta is dehydrated using a food dehydrator 6-20 hours until completely dry (depending if using TCM or raw method)
- The dried placenta is ground into a powder and put into empty vegetarian capsules
What is the difference between the TCM to the Raw method of encapsulation?
Unlike the Traditional Chinese Medicine preparation of the placenta, when processing a placenta raw we do not steam the placenta during the process. We simply forgo the steaming process. This is not to say one method is better than the other, just that you have several options for encapsulation and should choose the method that best suits your needs and preferences.
How many placenta capsules will I get?
Your placenta will usually make between 80-150 pills (each placenta varies in size).
Placenta encapsulation common objections
I’ve heard there are no proven benefits
Although not as much research as we would’ve liked has been done on placentophagy we still have a number of animal studies which are good preliminary research and may provide indication for further study in humans.
There are documented benefits of placentophagia in animals that show great results from pain relief, bonding and maternal behaviour to aiding in milk production.
At the University of Buffalo and Buffalo State College, Mark Kristal, who has been studying placentophagia for more than 40 years, explains “if such studies are undertaken, the results, if positive, will be medically relevant. There is however profound anecdotal evidence from mothers whom have ingested their placenta to its array of beneficial qualities.
A study looked at the self-reported experiences of women who’d eaten their placentas. 40 percent of women reported that their mood improved, 26 percent said they had more energy, and 15 percent reported “improved lactation.” 98 percent said they would eat their placentas again.
Human Maternal Placentophagy: A Survey of Self-Reported Motivations and Experiences Associated with Placenta Consumption Jodi Selander , Allison Cantor , Sharon M. Young & Daniel C. Benyshek
Kristal, M. B., DiPirro, J. M., & Thompson, A. C. (2012). Placentophagia in humans and nonhuman mammals: Causes and consequences. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 51(3), 177-197.
Placenta encapsulation is just a hippie trend at the moment
We have seen a lot about placenta encapsulation in the media at the moment from celebrities like Kim Kardashian endorsing this very ancient practice. However Placentophagy has been around for quite some time as it has been known to be a tradition that aids mums after childbirth with better healing and over all nourishment.
The use of the placenta as a medicinal healing organ has been well known for centuries in the Traditional Chinese Medicine and since the early 1980’s it was slowly getting introduced in our western culture through midwives and birth workers promoting this ancient practice. We now have the every day mum requesting her placenta encapsulated as the many benefits are becoming more talked about and less taboo in the eyes of mainstream society. So the stigma of ‘just a hippie trend’ definitely has no merit when it comes to something that can be nourishing, healing and balancing for the new post partum mother that every new mum is seeing the benefit in this vital organ.
The placenta is full of waste and toxins
The placenta acts as an organ that nourishes your baby in the womb so waste and toxins are filtered back out through the mother’s liver and kidneys therefore it acts as a gatekeeper between mother and child. If the placenta was full of waste it would be a very dangerous place for your baby to develop in. There are small amounts of heavy metals in the placenta however it is scientifically proven that these levels are no greater than normal levels of heavy metals found in the body and in mothers colostrum and breast milk.
Human placenta as a ‘dual’ biomarker for monitoring fetal and maternal environment with special reference to potentially toxic trace elements. Part 3: Toxic trace elements in placenta and placenta as a biomarker for these elements G.V. Iyengara, 1, A. Rappb
Selenium, cadmium, lead, and mercury concentrations in human breast milk, in placenta, maternal blood, and the blood of the newborn P. Schramel, S. Hasse, J. Ovcar-Pavlu
The only reason animals eat their placenta is to avoid predators
This theory that the only reason animals eat their placenta is to avoid predators has no merit to it. Some mammals will stay and eat the entire placenta even when they are able for mother and baby to walk away from birth site. Certain animals that deliver their babies high in a tree will not let the placenta drop to the ground, but will instead consume it, even taking an hour or two to do so.
Mark B. Kristal’s research paper, Placentophagia: A Biobehavioral Enigma: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Vol. 4, pp. 141–150
I don’t believe I will get any benefit from my placenta if its cooked
Dehydration has been known to preserve and maintain nutrient levels in many types of foods for hundreds of years. It has been said by some that nutrients are lost but most of the benefits remain. According to one study, “the amount of nutrients particularly protein and minerals in heat-dried human placenta were enriched”.
(Phuapradit, et al., 2000) (Beacock 2012) (Phuapradit, et al., 2000)
Placenta encapsulation FAQ
What are the reported benefits?
Mothers that have done placenta encapsulation have reported…
Balanced hormones
Decreased baby blues and postpartum depression
Increased and abundant supply of milk
Increased energy
Reduced Lochia (postpartum bleeding)
Replenished depleted iron deficiency
Better sleep
** It has been found through research studies that women that experienced fatigue even in the absence of anaemia have felt better with iron supplements and we are fortunate to have lots of iron content in the placenta to aid us with this.
Verdon, F. “Iron Supplementation for Unexplained Fatigue in Non-anaemic Women: Double Blind Randomised Placebo Controlled Trial.” BMJ
** Placenta also contains many pain relieving properties also known as Placental Opioid Enhancing Factor (POEF) to aid the post partum mum with pain relief from the uterine cramping mums experience after childbirth due to the uterus contracting back to its pre pregnancy state.
Kristal, Mark B. “Enhancement of Opioid-mediated Analgesia: A Solution to the Enigma of Placentophagia.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews: 425-35
How does it work?
Step 1: Your placenta is cleaned thoroughly with water only (no herbs or spices are added to your placenta)
Step 2: Your placenta is then steamed according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
** Raw encapsulation skips this process
Step 3: Your placenta is then dehydrated using a food dehydrator for approx 8-20 hours until it is completely dry (timing depends if it is steamed/raw)
Step 4: Your dried placenta is then ground into a fine powder and put into empty vegetarian capsules for you to take.
What does the placenta contain?
The known ingredients that give the placenta its healing properties are…
Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone: These group of hormones have major contributing factors in aiding the postpartum mum to stabilise her mood, develop the mammary gland in the breast tissue to get the mum ready for lactation as well as regulating the uterine cramping as the uterus shrinks back down to pre pregnancy state.
Prolactin: Prolactin is a hormone nicknamed ‘the mothering hormone’ as it is an important hormone that is creates the mother’s maternal instinct to kick in and aids in promoting her lactation and milk production.
Oxytocin: Oxytocin is a hormone nicknamed ‘the love’ hormone as it plays a huge role in the bonding that mum and baby get to experience in the post partum period and for life. It aids the mum to handle stress better, reduces the post partum bleeding and works alongside Prolactin to enhance the milk let down reflex.
Placental Opioid-Enhancing Factor (POEF): POEF aids the mum’s body to enhance her own natural pain relief opioids and also releases her endorphin effect therefore assisting mum in the reduction of pain and overall well being.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): TSH aids in regulating the thyroid gland as well as aiding the body in healing and recovery.
Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH): CRH is a vital hormone that has many benefits in regulating our stress response and mood and therefore it has been shown in studies that low levels in mums can contribute to postnatal mood disorders.
Cortisone: The hormone Cortisone aids the body in reducing inflammation and promotes healing.
Interferon: Interferon aids the body’s immune response to be heightened and protective to fight infection.
Prostaglandins: This hormone aids the uterus to contract back to pre-pregnancy states and creates an anti-inflammatory effect within the mum’s system.
Iron: This important and vital mineral aids the mum to feel increased energy and lessen the chances of post natal depression.
Hemoglobin: Carries oxygen within the body and aids with energy levels.
Urokinase Inhibiting Factor and Factor XIII: Aids the body’s healing mechanism and stops bleeding.
Immunoglobulin G (IgG): Antibodies which support our immune response
Human Placental Lactogen (hPL): HPL is a hormone that aids the mum’s preparation for lactation with mammary growth and also regulates the mum’s glucose, protein and fat levels.
The placenta has considerable amounts of minerals and hormones to aid the mums in her post partum recovery and healing.
http://wwnrjournal.com/article/S0271-5317(16)30022-7/abstract
http://www.placentajournal.org/article/S0143-4004(16)30095-9/abstract
What is the difference between TCM and raw?
The most common and well known practice of human placentopahy is the Traditional Chinese Method (TCM) The theory behind TCM roots back to centuries old natural medicine healing and the way the human anatomy functions to aid with healing. According to TCM when a women gives birth she becomes depleted in the body’s protective immune response (wei chi) which creates what they believe is areas of coldness within the body that need heat to restore vital components that nourish and tone all the body’s tissues for proper healing. So in TCM the placenta is heated twice through steam and then dehydration to aid this process to occur and introduce yang energy/heat to support wellness in the postpartum period.
The raw method of encapsulation omits the steaming process and the placenta is put straight onto a dehydrator after it is thoroughly cleansed with water. The raw method is preferred by those that adhere to a raw diet and are advocates of a raw way of living.
Should I take an iron supplement if I’m low in iron or only placenta?
During pregnancy a woman’s iron needs change dramatically to accommodate her growing baby and her own increasing blood volume. Pregnant women’s iron requirements is 27 milligrams per day and in the post partum period it drops back to about 9 milligrams per day while breastfeeding.
Because placenta is an iron-rich organ it has a considerable amount of iron content and therefore it yields a good concentration of iron in each placenta capsule (.664 milligrams) If the mother was to take 6 capsules per day it would equate to 3300 milligrams of encapsulated placenta and it would then provide her with a daily intake of 2.2 milligrams of iron which would then amount to 24% of the recommended daily intake of iron for lactating women.
(Kirrah Holborn B.ClinSci, APPAC, Good News for Mothers- Placenta Capsules Contain More Iron Than Beef)
It is recommended that in order to sustain adequate iron stores that the mother consumes a diet rich in iron and possibly takes an extra iron supplement that is suggested by her care provider.
Gryder, L et al (2016), “Effects of Human Maternal Placentophagy on Maternal Postpartum Iron Status: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health.
Corwin, E and Arbour, M (2007), “Postpartum fatigue and evidence-based interventions”, The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing Volume 32 Number 4
Why does the placenta help for postpartum depression and baby blues?
One of the main reasons mums research and decide to try placenta encapsulation comes from the decision that they would like to give themselves the best chances to ward off maternal mood disorders such as post natal depression. So what is in this AMAZING organ that can aid mums to possibly give themselves the best chances to feel mentally well in this crucial time in their lives…
One of the hormones that has drawn great attention when it comes to post natal depression is a hormone called CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone) this hormone is secreted from the part of the brain called the hypothalamus in response to stress in the body. When this hormone gets triggered it increases another hormone to get released called Cortisol which aids the body to normalise blood pressure and raise sugar levels which in turn assists the body to cope well under a stressful situation.
During pregnancy the Hypothalamus secretes an abundant amount of CRH which gets absorbed by the placenta. As the placenta is born after baby it takes a good amount of time until the hypothalamus gets triggered to produce this crucial hormone once more. In clinical studies they have found that post natal mums have definite lower levels of CRH which can trigger depression as the body’s stress response isn’t working as effectively as it would without this vital hormone at adequate levels. Therefore the placenta can aid at this important time to assist in stabilising balanced CRH levels until the body goes back to pre pregnancy state and starts producing CRH once more.
Another reason the placenta can aid you with feeling mentally well in postpartum is because it has an abundant amount of iron which can affect mood, energy and depressive symptoms.
http://www.placentamom.com/uploads/2/4/8/3/2483180/crh_study.pdf
Maternal Iron Deficiency Anemia Affects Postpartum Emotions and Cognition1
Please click here for more information regarding placenta encapsulation.
Human placenta processed for encapsulation contains modest concentrations of 14 trace minerals and elements
Presence and concentration of 17 hormones in human placenta processed for encapsulation and consumption
“The first time I heard about placenta encapsulation I was admittedly a bit turned off, but I am so glad I found out more about it and realised how beneficial it is because I have never felt better. Even after a fairly difficult birth, my body and mind recovered so quickly. My hormones feel balanced and my mood has been amazing, I have been absolutely high on life. I believe the placenta pills have worked wonders and I would recommend them to every mother.”
“If you are thinking of having your placenta encapsulated I recommend Moran highly. She was so easy to deal with, very calming and a great finished product. I had my tablets within 24 hours of birth so was able to get straight into recovery mode.”
“I just wanted to say a big thank you for being so quick and helpful in returning the capsules, we really appreciate it :-) It made such a huge difference to us at a time when everything was super busy! :-) I feel like the capsules have definitely given me more energy and have helped with baby blues. Thank you again xxx “
“Moran was amazing to deal with. At very short notice she came to collect my placenta and the turn around of actually having the capsules in our hand was fantastically quick. She communicated directly with my husband to make all the arrangements and answer all of our questions. I would highly recommend placenta encapsulation to any new mum, it not only sped up my recovery from the caesarean Im absolutely sure it helped with my hormones and good spirit despite not having the birth of worked so hard for. ”
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