On Eating My Placenta – Seriously!

It’s become a bit of a party trick – not eating my placenta – but rather showing off my prints, dehydrated artwork and capsules that were produced as a result of my placenta encapsulation.

It was during a conversation with my birth doula, Bianca Sprague, that the subject was initially raised. We were discussing the third stage of labour, delivery of the placenta, and I joked that we were going to eat it. Bianca lit up at the mention, and suggested that bebo mia encapsulate it for me.

Huh?

Encapsulate my placenta?

Ew!

My first thought was having it bronzed…. and then Bianca explained that bebo mia arranged to have it steamed with Chinese herbs, sliced, dehydrated and subsequently ground into a powder and placed in capsules.

Placenta = gross!

I struggled with the concept initially, and then I dove in and began to research!

The general consensus for those who took their placenta capsules experienced:

Considering that I was going to be a first time mom, due late January (when I would undoubtedly hide indoors for at least a couple of months to avoid the cold,) I feared post-partum depression. Combine that with a family history, and I was sold. The encapsulation fee was a small investment – and an insurance policy – on my overall physical and emotional health.

The encapsulation service took a couple days to complete, after which my placenta was returned to me. I received placenta artwork, (which included a section of umbilical cord dried into the shape of a heart,) a placenta tincture I could later use as a remedy on both myself and my child, and 2 jars of placenta pills.

It became a bit of a morning joke, my placenta pills and a glass of juice would appear bedside for me to take. I called them my crazy pills, because without them, (and I did experiment to see what might happen if I didn’t take them) I was definitely more emotional, hormonal, and weepy.

When I was upset or fatigued (or bitchy), my partner would gently ask if I had taken my placenta pills and I would emotionally reply that I hadn’t and needed a few extra. Not only were they my crazy pills, they were a relationship saver!!

And so, I ate my placenta! And I’m glad that I did.

For a  very funny male perspective, and educational video on placenta encapsulation, I suggest you read Joel Stein’s article, “Afterbirth: It’s What’s For Dinner”

For additional information on placenta services in Toronto, please contact bebo mia.

Photo credit – www.wholemama.ca