Placenta encapsulation and maternal ingestion? Midwives, please chime in....

[PentecostalMom]

This is completely new to me but is a service offered by my midwife's office.  Anyone familiar with this and what do you think of it?  I am just gathering info. Here is a short summary:

 

What is Placenta Encapsulation?

The placenta is a unique organ and unlike any other in the human body. Because it is so nutrient dense, almost every species of mammal on the planet consumes the placenta postpartum in order to restore the energy, nutrients and minerals lost during the birth process. Putting the placenta in pill form (“encapsulating†it) is a modern, holistic way to improve a new mothers health and wellbeing. Your placenta is perfectly made for you, by you. Having a healthier, happier, easier postpartum period facilitates mother-baby bonding, making encapsulation beneficial not only to the mother but to her new baby as well, especially if the child is breastfed. Maternal ingestion of the placenta has been practiced in various cultures around the world for thousands of years, and is particularly popular in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Benefits of Encapsulation

Scientific research confirms that maternal ingestion of the placenta replenishes many beneficial vitamins, nutrients, minerals, proteins and
hormones, which can:

• Help your breastmilk come in sooner
• Increase the volume of breastmilk you produce
• Enhance the quality of breastmilk
• Prevent or lessen the risk of developing Postpartum Depression or the “baby bluesâ€
• Reduce or stop postpartum bleeding
• Offer natural pain relief
• Provide energy
• Provide mood stabilization
• Hasten the return of the uterus to its pre-pregnancy state
• Be especially helpful during menstruation and menopause
• Prevent post birth anemia

The Placentas Healing Substances

Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone: Contributes to mammary gland development in preparation for lactation; stabilizes postpartum mood; regulates post-birth uterine cramping; decreases depression; normalizes and stimulates libido

• Prolactin: Promotes lactation; increases milk supply; enhances the mothering instinct
• Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH): Low levels of CRH are implicated in postpartum depression. Regulation of CRH helps prevent depression
• Oxytocin: Decreases pain and increases bonding in mother and infant; counteracts the production of stress hormones such as Cortisol; greatly reduces postpartum bleeding; enhances the breastfeeding let-down reflex
• Placental Opioid-Enhancing Factor (POEF): Stimulates the production of your body’s natural opioids, including endorphins; reduces pain, produces feelings of well-being
• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone: Regulates the thyroid gland; boosts energy and supports recovery from stressful events
• Cortisone: Reduces inflammation and swelling; promotes healing
• Interferon: Triggers the protective defenses of the immune system to fight infection
• Prostaglandins: Regulates contractions in the uterus after birth; helps uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size. Anti-inflammatory effects
• Iron: Iron combats anemia, increases energy; reduces fatigue and depression
• Hemoglobin: Oxygen-carrying molecule which provides a boost in energy
• Urokinase Inhibiting Factor and Factor XIII: stops bleeding and enhances wound healing
• Immunoglobulin G (IgG): Antibody molecules which support the immune system
• Human Placental Lactogen (hPL): This hormone has lactogenic and growth-promoting properties; promotes mammary gland growth in preparation for lactation in the mother. It also regulates maternal glucose, protein, and fat levels

[lexi]

My midwives had a lady who offered this service. They had a lot of clients do it. They told me all about the benefits. It sounded great but I couldn't get past the "gross" factor. I always did wonder if it would help me not be so crazy hormonal after delivery. I am absolutely no help but have heard about this :)

[Ravin]

If I could have afforded it (and didn't have my placentas land in the hands of hospitals) I'd totally have done this. Having it encapsulated into pills pretty well negates any gross factor, imo.

[lexi]

If I could have afforded it (and didn't have my placentas land in the hands of hospitals) I'd totally have done this. Having it encapsulated into pills pretty well negates any gross factor, imo.

Not if you're me! Lol. It doesn't take much...

[VeganCupcake]

I had my placenta encapsulated both times. The first time I think it made a difference, but postpartum was rough emotionally. Really, really rough. So I needed more than placenta. The second time, I didn't even take many of the capsules because I felt so great postpartum. I have a bottle of placenta capsules in my freezer right now. :)

[Celia]

Eww. 

[Cricket]

Honestly, I can't get over the whole cannibalism factor. Just too icky to even think about.

[NASDAQ]

It's woo. There's no science behind this practice.

 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/momma-data/201203/placenta-stew-side-pseudo-science

 

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/eating-placentas-cannibalism-recycling-or-health-food/

[Heather in OK]

I'm familiar with it and I'm fine with it.  I recommend it to my clients who have a history of PPD or who may be more prone to PPD.  I have seen it help other clients who had that history.  

 

 

[Lara in Colo]

I thought animals ate theirs to avoid predators......

[WishboneDawn]

It's nutrition but I'll just get my nutrition from steaks and salad, thank you.

 

Magical promises that probably have some placebo effect. Honestly, I would avoid hiring the services of anyone making claims like that.

[Sara in AZ]

I have one on my freezer I want to encapsulate, but I haven't yet been able to bring myself to spend $150 on it. My midwife suggested it to help with crazy PMS. Anyone know if it would even still be potent after 2 1/2 years?

[Lara in Colo]

I have one on my freezer I want to encapsulate, but I haven't yet been able to bring myself to spend $150 on it. My midwife suggested it to help with crazy PMS. Anyone know if it would even still be potent after 2 1/2 years?

 

I know this is a typo, but it really struck a terrible image in my mind.

[Dory]

Any of the time I've allowed my dogs to eat theirs, they have ended up sick and threw it back up later. They do it in the wild to keep from attracting predators. Even if they throw it up, they can get it further away from their pups then. I did not, and wouldn't waste my money on it if I was given another chance to try again. Not worth it in my mind.

Also, cows and horses don't seem to eat theirs and I've wondered if it is because they have young that are able to get up and move away from the birthing spot fairly soon after.

[Gentlemommy]

I'm not sure it was a typo...we had ours in the freezer for a while too.

I was ready to do it with both dd2 and dd3, in case I got horrid ppd like I did with dd1. But, because of having a much different birth experience, I didn't have ANY issues hormonally, and so I never needed to have it encapsulated.

[Melissa in Australia]

I know other mammals eat theirs but I feel that this is where I draw the line between other mammals and humans. Just my personal belief. This is probably clouded by my darling father, who when he assisted my mother with the birth with one of my younger siblings grabbed the nearest dish to catch the thing... he used a casserole dish.. And then in a fit of joy over the successful delivery carried the placenta in the casserole dish around the house telling all us kids that it was for dinner. :ack2:  IT not only turned me off the sight of not only   that casserole dish, but homebirths forever.

[NicAnn]

Most of my clients do it. I don't know about scientific evidence, but certainly anecdotal evidence to support it.

I say go for it, it won't hurt and can very likely help.

 

I'm going to step out of the thread now, because birth and postpartum issues are much to dear to me to engage in any negativity or ignorance. I dont trust myself to have a civil discussion.

Best of luck in whatever you choose!

[Heather in OK]

The placenta from my last pregnancy is still in my freezer.  My son will be 8 in October.   ;)

 

 

 

Anyone know if it would even still be potent after 2 1/2 years?

I would probably trust a tincture to stay more potent than capsules.  Placenta tincture is pretty easy to make.   You can find the recipe online. 

 

 

[livetoread]

My midwife asked me. I reminded her I'm vegetarian. Whew!

[lavender's green]

I'm not particularly icked out by it, but since I enjoy liver I'd rather replenish my vitamins that way.

[happypamama]

I have a friend who swears it made a huge difference; she didn't encapsulate it, but she froze it in chunks and ate it in smoothies.  She said she had no hormone crashes, and her bleeding stopped very quickly.  I have read that after delivery, your progesterone levels crash, which is why you get the blues, but that the placenta is full of progesterone, so it eases that crash a bit.  It is tempting.

[mommymilkies]

I just ate mine raw.  Seriously-dh cut it up and I put it in fruit smoothies.  It tasted absolutely the same as my regular smoothies.  Seriously-you could NOT tell at all.  I had a pph after #4 and I put a piece of raw placenta in the side of my cheek before the ambulance arrived (it wasn't terribly life threatening-it took them 2 hours to deal with it at the hospital which was 8 hours sooner than my pph from my hospital induction birth after I had a seizure!).  The doctor when I arrived told me that was the best thing I could have done.  She was serious, not joking.  It's a common midwifery tool to use when other methods are not immediately available.

 

I did it partially to prevent pph, and partially because...why not?  There's nothing wrong with it.  As for no scientific evidence, that is debatable.  I'm sorry that one person's dog barfed after eating theirs, but I've had a LOT of animals, and they've largely eaten theirs, never once with a problem.  I certainly had no problems.  In fact, it was my least problematic birth and postpartum out of 5.  That is anecdotal, surely, but it worked for me, and I'd do it again.  I did encapsulate half the placenta and ate half raw.  I never got around to taking all of the capsules because I"m horribly forgetful about taking supplements.  I think I might still have them in the freezer...but I digress.  Nobody is making you do it.  If you want to, don't worry about what others think.  

 

http://www.lucina.ca/plresearch/In%20search%20of%20human%20placentophagy%202010.pdf

http://news.unlv.edu/article/steamed-dehydrated-or-raw-placentas-may-help-moms%E2%80%99-post-partum-health

http://news.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/EFN%20Placentophagy%20Survey%20(Selander,%20Cantor,%20Young%20and%20Benyshek%202013).pdf