Many women eat their placenta, in one form or another, after the birth of their child. Some will immediately eat a very small piece (finger tip size) to stop hemorrhage. Some will make a smoothie with it. Others (like myself) encapsulate it, and take it over time. Then, you can also make a tincture from it. This is what I do for other women.
Why?
Why would anyone want to do something as "gross" as this?
I admit that when I first heard about it, I was disgusted. What kind of person would do such a thing. However, as I began planning my first unassisted birth, I began reading into this more. I try to avoid chemical medicines as much as possible. I don't like them. I don't trust them. I hate the side effects of them. I would rather use something natural. What could be more natural than what was provided for my child? Then, I learned about the benefits of it all...
(http://mobirthjourneys.blogspot.com/p/placenta-services.html)
Benefits Include:
• Increase general
energy
• Allow a quicker return to health after birth
• Increase production of breast milk
• Decrease likelihood of baby blues and post natal depression
• Decrease likelihood of iron deficiency
• Decrease likelihood of insomnia or sleep disorders
There are a variety
of potential benefits to placentophagy. For one, the placenta contains
vitamins and minerals that may help fight depression symptoms, such as
vitamin B6. For another, the placenta is considered rich in iron and protein,
which would be useful to women recovering from childbirth, and a particular
benefit to vegetarian women.
Research on placentophagy
is still in its infancy, although there is a large body of research beginning
to develop on postpartum hormone fluctuations and health. Researchers
from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a study that focused
on CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone). CRH is a stress reducer, and
is generally produced by the hypothalamus.
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.(1)
They concluded that the placenta secreted so much CRH that the hypothalamus
stopped producing it. Once the placenta was born, it took some time for
the hypothalamus to get the signal that the CRH levels were low, and to
begin producing it again. This is just another sign that there is likely
a biological cause for the baby blues, directly related to hormone levels.
Interestingly
enough, in 1954, researchers conducted a study on 210 women who were expected
to have insufficient milk supply. They gave dried placenta to the women,
and discovered that 86% of them had a positive increase in their milk
production within a matter of days.
http://www.ocdoulas.com/placenta_encapsulation_services.htm
http://placentamom.weebly.com/
Our Birth Journeys Doula and Placenta Services - Kansas City
Natural Pregnancy and Birth - Follow My Blog "Our Birth Journeys"
The Life Of A Fundamentalist Mormon - Follow My Blog "Of Immortality and Heaven"
I had a huge piece. to stop hemorrhage.
Yeah, I heard of all the potential benefits....and never would do it.
I am considering having it encapsulated with my next one.
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What is your greatest accomplishment? UPDATE
- kcangel63
on Feb. 15, 2012 at 8:34 PM