What is Placenta Encapsulation and how can I Benefit?
Placenta encapsulation, though gaining popularity in modern times, has historical roots in various cultures around the world. Many societies have practiced the consumption or use of the placenta for its believed health benefits for centuries.
Although most of the supporting evidence is anecdotal, people continue to report a variety of positive effects from placenta supplementation, such as:
1. Increase in Hemoglobin Levels: A small, randomized study suggests that taking placenta capsules may help replenish hemoglobin levels, especially after childbirth. This is important for preventing or managing iron deficiency anemia, which can cause symptoms like fatigue and low energy.
2. Reduction in Postpartum Depression and Anxiety: Many individuals report a reduction in postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms after taking their encapsulated placenta supplement. It's believed that the hormones housed in the placenta may play a role in stabilizing mood and emotions in the postpartum period.
3. Improved Milk Production: Some individuals claim that placenta supplementation boosts milk supply, although this is not yet conclusively proven in scientific studies. The hormones and nutrients in the placenta might help support breastfeeding.
4. Hormonal Regulation: After childbirth, the body undergoes significant hormonal changes. Placenta encapsulation is thought to help regulate hormones that might fluctuate during the postpartum period by offering a more gradual reduction in the loss of pregnancy hormones, aiding in a smoother postpartum recovery period.
5. Increased Energy: Replenishing depleted vitamins, minerals, and nutrients after childbirth can contribute to better energy levels. Many people report feeling more energetic and balanced after using their placenta supplements.
6. Improved Postpartum Recovery: The nutrients in the placenta are believed to help with overall recovery by replenishing essential vitamins and minerals lost during birth, improving healing, and supporting the body’s natural recovery processes.
Extended Benefits
A special highly concentrated tincture can also be made from the placenta that is consumed once the original capsules are gone. This allows for a much longer period of supplementation to extend all the same positive benefits of safe placenta consumption well into the postpartum period.
Safety First
The Bun’s Done Doula Services adheres to strict safety guidelines to ensure that your placenta is safely prepared and encapsulated to avoid contamination or any potential health risks. The placenta is prepared using the Traditional Chinese Method (TCM) only at the home of the owner where it is cleaned, steamed, and dehydrated for 18-24 hours at 160 degrees. As a Postpartum Placenta Specialist, my training included Food Safety and Biologix blood borne pathogens courses specifically designed for placenta encapsulators. Your placenta never leaves your control.
One Step Further
As a labor and postpartum doula and childbirth educator, I strongly value continuing education in order to be the person my clients can count on for the latest evidenced-based information for all things prenatal, labor, birth, and postpartum. As a Postpartum Placenta Specialist, I am not only here to safely prepare your placenta and educate you about its benefits but also to care for you during your immediate postpartum period. If you have questions about what is currently happening in your body since giving birth or if you need some reassurance or validation for what you are thinking or feeling, I am here to offer that as well. The first six weeks after leaving the hospital can feel lonely and the support you received up to this point has dwindled significantly. If there is anything we can do to make you feel more supported while we are with you for a few hours post birth, that is our goal.