During and after a normal vaginal delivery  a new mother will lose between 1/8 to 1/10 of her body’s blood supply. With caesarean births, blood loss can be significantly more.  Losing a large amount of iron so quickly can cause anemia, leaving a new mother feeling tired, faint and exhausted.

A mother will typically bleed for 3 – 6 weeks after birth.  This blood loss stems from where the placenta separated from the uterine wall.  By consuming ones placenta, it is possible that a mother will usually have a much lighter bleeding for between just 5 – 10 days after giving birth.

Other important nutrients found in rich supply in the placenta include: oxytocin, the hormone entwined with breastfeeding; vitamin B6, and CRH – the body’s stress-reducing hormone. Studies have shown that there is link between post natal depression and a severe lack of both B6 and CRH. So it stands to reason that consuming the placenta after birth replaces these lost nutrients and hormones, and protects against post natal depression.

Consuming your placenta can help to:

• Balance your hormones
• Increase milk supply
• Combat Fatigue
• Increase your energy
• Prevent signs of aging
• Recover more quickly from childbirth
• Replenish what was lost during childbirth
• Bring the body back into balance
• Prevent and treat the “baby blues”
• Shorten postnatal bleeding time
• Increase postnatal iron levels

Consumption methods:

• TCM ( Traditional Chinese Method) It is the oldest-known and most commonly used recipe for placenta preparation. This method involves steaming the placenta (sometimes with ginger, lemon, and pepper corns) for 30-45 minutes before dehydration.
• Raw Method. This method is often used for clients who adhere to a Raw diet, which is based around the idea that heat destroys vital enzymes in food. Therefore, the placenta will skip the steaming process, and go strait to dehydration.
• Placenta Tincture. Placenta Tincture is made from a piece of the mother’s own raw placenta after birth, steeping in high grade alcohol making a strong remedy over 6 weeks.  It is said that placenta tincture is used for emotional, mental and psychological instability and may also be very beneficial for treating PMS and menopause.
• Placenta Salves or Balms. Your placenta powder can be mixed into many different types of creams and emulsions to make an excellent skin healer. Placenta creams have been used by the rich and famous for many years to combat signs of aging.
  • reduce the appearance of c-section scarring
  • reduce the appearance of stretch marks
  • heal sore or cracked nipples from breast feeding
  • reduce skin inflammation from eczema, psiorisis and dermatitis
  • reduce the appearance of aging skin eg. lines, veins, sun-spots, wrinkles
  • reduce inflammation for babies with diaper rash or eczema

To honor and treasure the umbilical cord, you will often time receive a cord keepsake. A cord keepsake is a wonderful gift to the new mother, an everlasting symbol of the physical connection a mother had with her child.

In addition, another way one can honor and treasure the placenta is by making beautiful prints with it.  They are printed with the natural placenta blood on acid-free artists paper. They are unique imprints that display the size, shape and general appearance of the placenta and also remind us why the placenta is often referred to as “The Tree of Life.” 

The bottom line is the placenta contains everything needed to replenish the mother after the ordeal of birth. It is easy to forget that birth can be extremely traumatic, both emotionally and physically. After the joy and excitement of bringing new life into the world, comes the exhaustion, the after pains, and sometimes even the baby blues. We are constantly told that it is ‘normal’ to feel worn out, weepy and sore. That everyone goes through it, that we will feel better in time. But what is the point in suffering, when nature provides the perfect way of restoring our birth battered bodies? If only women were made aware of the healing power of the placenta, our post natal experiences could be so much happier and easier.

I hope you have found this information inspiring and consider consuming your placenta!!! Never thought I would be saying that:)

Bon Appétit!

For more information on my placenta encapsulation services click here