Are Placenta Pills Safe?

Have you heard of placenta pills before? We have heard that the world is raving about placenta encapsulation. You must get to know it if you are suffering from post-natal depression.

Eating a placenta can be called as placentophagy is definitely stomach churning. It is often joked about and is labeled as cannibalism in Western cultures but placenta has been used by ancient people in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) since 1500s. Its consumption has continued since it was believed that it can make a big difference to a new mother’s mental stage and overall health.

Chinese, Hungarians, Italians and Vietnamese cultures find it as a custom to eat a part of the placenta or all of it as it is rich in nutrients. They believe that it will help the mother recover from childbirth. It can slow down and stop the hemorrhage during childbirth and help in milk production.

Are Placenta Pills Safe?

Benefits of Placenta Encapsulation

  • Balance hormones
  • Replenish depleted iron levels
  • Help the uterus get back to its previous state
  • Reduce post-natal bleeding
  • Increases milk production
  • Increased energy levels
  • Happier postnatal period

These pills can elevate iron levels in the body; however, there is no evidence for that. Many women have claimed that they are don’t suffer from mood disorders postnatally that much. This is definitely a great achievement. About 80% women baby blues in their first week of birth and it was found that those who ate their placenta had fewer emotional problems and enjoyed their babymoon instead. It lowers the depression lowering the postpartum bleed. Some say that it healed them quickly and became normal like they used to be before pregnancy quite quickly than expected. Some even claimed that they did not face hemorrhage which is usually a problem that runs in family.

How Do They Turn Placenta Into Pills?

  1. Usually, the placenta is collected in 48 hours from the birth of your child. Your placenta will be refrigerated and ideally, if it is stored for too long many service providers will reject it. There is one more reason why your placenta might not be encapsulated which is when your placenta took birth in water. The reason being it may get contaminated easily. However many do not have a problem with water birthed placenta as they prefer cleaning it properly.
  2. It will take about a day to prepare and dehydrate your placenta but if it is frozen then it will take another day extra.
  3. It will be washed first and if there is any clot or blood, they will be removed. Based on the method being used, they might steam it with or without using herbs. Others might just go to the next step skipping this one which is dehydration of placenta.
  4. Then it is ground into powder form and filled in capsules. As soon as you receive these capsules, you can start taking them. These should be stored in dark at room temperature. These can also be refrigerated but it’s important to prevent them from getting wet to avoid them to dissolve.
  5. If you live in a hot climate or humid temperature then the freezer is the best place to store them.
  6. You may get around 100 to 200 capsules which can be used in future to balance hormones and so should be frozen.
  7. Midwives, natural health practitioners, doulas, etc. make placenta encapsulation. So, inquire how much time they usually take to prepare capsules.

Is Placenta Safe and Clean?

When you think about eating placenta or taking its pills, the two important questions regarding it that raise in your mind are about its cleanliness and safety, aren’t they? So, it is always recommended you discuss it with the placenta encapsulator you have chosen. Discuss the process they follow to get some relief. They remove all the maternal blood and clots from the placenta and since it is not so in demand, they work on yours all at a time instead of mixing it up with others. But even if you are not convinced you can ask them if they can prepare it at your home using your utensils. They usually use surgical grade steel, gloves and hospital grade disinfectant to prepare this. Still, you can also get it check at a local hospital pathology lab once you get them prepared.

What Does The Research Have To Say About Placentophagy?

Unfortunately, there has been very less research done on placentophagy. There is a placenta benefits website which shows some research information but there is no major study available. However, it is quite simple to understand that the time when your mood swings are outrageous and you lose so much of blood resulting in an iron deficiency, the placenta can really cover them up with loads of nutrients. If you have an iron deficiency you may feel low quite often which can be cured by taking these capsules in a very absorbable form. Even though there are insufficient studies available on placentophagy, many women have sworn by these capsules and recommended them. Women store a lot many nutrients in their placentas to grow their little ones in their wombs and so, it is unfair to discard them after giving birth their babies. In fact, it is best to utilize them to restore the lost nutrients. Not just that but the practice has been continued since ages and our ancestors know its benefits better than us.

How Much Might Placenta Encapsulation Cost You?

It varies from one service provider to another and may range somewhere between $200 to $400. The prices do vary from time to time and so consider checking it with the service provider instead of relying on what internet has to say. Some women prefer doing it themselves and it cost them a lot cheaper than this; somewhere around $30 for the encapsulating machine and capsules. Some even preferred swallowing it raw; however, this sounds little odd. Even if you plan to prepare them yourself there are chances of spoiling things being inexperienced. So, to avoid the mess, it is recommended to hire someone to take care of it while you concentrate on the little one.

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