Three Things to Do With Your Placenta
Placenta Encapsulation and Storage Services
There are a lot of interesting and sometimes bizarre things to do with a placenta and because many of my clients choose to do something with their placentas, I offer to facilitate where I can. I completely understand that some women simply appreciate what their placenta did for the baby and release it to their fate in a hospital incinerator, but also invite those who are interested to consider some of the ways to get a little more from your placenta.
The placenta is an unsung hero in the growth and birth of a child. Some of the more tempting ways of using and/or honoring the placenta in are listed below in order to provide you with an opportunity to learn a little about some of the things you can do with this magical organ that assisted you in the stunning task of reproduction.
Burial under a Special Tree or Plant
This is such a beautiful ceremony that can have a lasting meaning in your life.
Placenta Prints
Placenta Prints can be nice, but it requires more planning than burying your placenta as someone will need to get pretty quickly.
Placenta Encapsulation
Far less gross than it sounds, consuming encapsulated placenta has significant health benefits. The postpartum period is a time when many women experience iron deficiency. As crazy as it sounds.your placenta is an excellent source of bioavailable iron that your body made itself! In addition, it has abundant nutritional value beyond iron, which is useful at a time when your body is both recovering from childbirth and often simultaneously transitioning into sustaining a newborn through breast milk production.
If you would like more information on the research, I recommend this article from Placenta Wise.
If you plan to do anything other than let the hospital dispose of your placenta, you need to make it clear to your medical team that you plan to keep it. I even suggest making note of it on your birth plan.
Generally, you are not allowed to bring a placenta with you to the postpartum wing. Most hospitals will store it for you until you are able to pick it up, but I recommend that you find this out before you give birth.
If you plan to encapsulate your placenta, it is nice to get it into process as soon as possible so that you can begin to get the benefits sooner. For this reason if I am your doula I am happy to take your placenta with me when I leave the birth and get it into the hands of your chosen encapsulator or one of my fabulous referrals right away.
There are a lot of interesting and sometimes bizarre things to do with a placenta and because many of my clients choose to do something with their placentas, I offer to facilitate where I can. I completely understand that some women simply appreciate what their placenta did for the baby and release it to their fate in a hospital incinerator, but also invite those who are interested to consider some of the ways to get a little more from your placenta.
The placenta is an unsung hero in the growth and birth of a child. Some of the more tempting ways of using and/or honoring the placenta in are listed below in order to provide you with an opportunity to learn a little about some of the things you can do with this magical organ that assisted you in the stunning task of reproduction.
Burial under a Special Tree or Plant
This is such a beautiful ceremony that can have a lasting meaning in your life.
- Inform the hospital that you would like to keep your placenta.
- Choose your location.
- Bury the placenta several feet down.
- Mark the spot!
- Wait a few months and then plant your special tree or plant. The plant will be fed by the nutrients from your placenta. Doing this may sound gross, but if you think about it, it’s a powerful manifestation for the circle of life, which we can feel so removed from in today’s digital world.
Placenta Prints
Placenta Prints can be nice, but it requires more planning than burying your placenta as someone will need to get pretty quickly.
- Identify someone who has experience or is interested in handling the placenta.
- Confirm that they are available during your birth window.
- Decide on your medium. I've heard of people using ink to add a different color and contrast with a nice effect.
Placenta Encapsulation
Far less gross than it sounds, consuming encapsulated placenta has significant health benefits. The postpartum period is a time when many women experience iron deficiency. As crazy as it sounds.your placenta is an excellent source of bioavailable iron that your body made itself! In addition, it has abundant nutritional value beyond iron, which is useful at a time when your body is both recovering from childbirth and often simultaneously transitioning into sustaining a newborn through breast milk production.
If you would like more information on the research, I recommend this article from Placenta Wise.
If you plan to do anything other than let the hospital dispose of your placenta, you need to make it clear to your medical team that you plan to keep it. I even suggest making note of it on your birth plan.
Generally, you are not allowed to bring a placenta with you to the postpartum wing. Most hospitals will store it for you until you are able to pick it up, but I recommend that you find this out before you give birth.
If you plan to encapsulate your placenta, it is nice to get it into process as soon as possible so that you can begin to get the benefits sooner. For this reason if I am your doula I am happy to take your placenta with me when I leave the birth and get it into the hands of your chosen encapsulator or one of my fabulous referrals right away.