Hormones are one of the factors that help to facilitate labor, assist the body in producing and maintaining a generous milk supply, and provide the emotional support to lovingly connect mother and baby. However, after the placenta, which contains high concentrations of these hormones, has been expelled, the hormone levels inside of a women's body drastically drop. This can cause a very intense emotional and physical change in the new mother. This rapid alteration is most noticeable about three days after birth. Some women bounce right back without missing a step, but for many women this change in hormone levels can cause emotional instability.

Statistics say that as many as 80% of women exhibit symptoms of the "Baby Blues" including sadness, mood swings, anxiety, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and irritability. These symptoms can worsen and 15-20% of women may develop "Postpartum Depression", otherwise known as PPD. PPD usually occurs at some point in the first few months following childbirth. It can also manifest itself after a miscarriage or the birth of a stillborn baby. Both the "Blues" and PPD can cause problems bonding and caring for a new baby and symptoms of PPD can sometimes persist for months. Some women may not grasp what is happening in their bodies and when not treated PPD has lead mothers to do incomprehensible things that seem to be beyond their control.

The whole life-force that sustains your growing baby for 38-42 weeks, the placenta, can also sustain you after your baby's birth. The vast majority of mammals instinctively eat their placentas after birth, giving them mass amounts of purely natural hormones and nutrients. These nutrients provide an energy boost that will uphold a mother that cannot hunt and forage for food while she cares for her new ones and recoups from her birth.

Interesting Facts About the Placenta

Some known properties of the placenta include

• Gonadotrophin- The precursor to estrogen, progesterone and testosterone
• Prolactin- Main hormone to produce milk
• Oxytocin- Helps with pain and bonding; produced during breastfeeding to facilitate bonding of mother and infant
• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone- Boosts energy and helps recovery from stressful events
• Cortisone- Combats stress and unlocks stored energy
• Interferon- Stimulates the immune system to protect against infections
• Prostaglandins- Anti-inflammatory
• Hemoglobin- Replenishes iron deficiency and anemia
• Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII- Stops bleeding and enhances wound healing
• Gammaglobulin- Immune booster that helps protect against postpartum infections

Some benefits of Placentophagy include:

• Decrease in baby blues and postpartum depression, resulting in better bonding.
• Increase in and enriched breast milk, offering the very best nutrition.
• Increase in energy, which is always welcomed with a newborn.
• Decrease in lochia, post partum bleeding.
• Increase in iron and other essential vitamins and minerals.
• Decrease in insomnia or sleep disorders.

Placentophagy and Processing Methods

At first the thought of consuming placenta can seem strange, but take into consideration that your placenta is really just a piece of meat. Although it is just now beginning to gain popularity in the United States, placental consumption is common and has been around for many years in countries all over the world.

Eating your placenta in its rawest form will provide your body with the highest concentration of hormones and nutrients. This can be done immediately following its delivery and can be most beneficial in stopping a postpartum hemorrhage. Choosing to encapsulate it or distill tinctures are the other most common methods of human consumption.

Raw Processing

To maintain the raw form of the placenta and continue to get the most out of it you can cut your washed placenta into dime sized pieces and place on wax paper, seal in a freezer bag and place in freezer. Take out one or two pieces everyday, and enjoy the hormonal balance provided for as long as you have pieces available. You can take a piece or two and blend them in a smoothie everyday and you will notice no taste at all yet still reap all the benefits.

Encapsulation

An alternative to raw placenta or smoothies is that of encapsulation. Encapsulation consists of drying out and grinding your placenta and then placing it into soluble, empty vitamin capsules so that you can simply swallow just as you do with any other vitamin or pill. Although some nutrients will be lost in the process, encapsulation is a wonderful way to utilize your placenta and can easily provide you with weeks and even months of natural hormones in an easy to digest state. Encapsulation is currently the most recognized and common method of placental consumption in the United States.

Placental Tinctures

Tinctures can be made from your placenta and provide a safe and effective means by which to keep your placenta available for years. Tinctures will not go bad when stored out of direct sunlight and excessive heat. And they are a great way to extract an abundance of nutrients. Tinctures can be sipped with your favorite tea or dropped directly under your tongue. They are wonderful for a pick-me-up when you feel sluggish or under the weather. They can even be saved and used to help the transition during menopause. Since the process of producing a tincture requires only a small amount of the placenta it is common to have both capsules and tinctures made. This allows you to really benefit the most from this amazing organ.

We offer a full range of placental services and would be more than happy to assist you with processing your placenta. Contact us for more details.