Placenta encapsulation: What you need to know
From potential benefits to how to do it, here’s your guide to benefiting from your baby’s placenta
Placenta encapsulation, or more simply, having your baby’s placenta turned into pills, is not a new phenomenon but it’s becoming more popular today.
This latest trend has come from several celeb mums who have shared their plans for consuming their baby’s placenta, often in pill form on social media.
Coleen Rooney has recently gave birth to her third son, Kit, and shared on her Twitter page that she couldn’t wait to start taking her placenta pills.
So what is it all about and what are the benefits?
Why is placenta so good?
An organ that surrounds your unborn baby in the womb, the placenta is nature’s way of the mother sharing blood and nutrients with her baby. Once your baby is born, so is your placenta and most of the time, it is discarded as it has done its job of protecting and nurturing the baby for nine months in the womb.
However, placenta encapsulation is not a new thing, in fact, it has been around for centuries and is fairly common in Chinese medicine.
What are the benefits of consuming the placenta?
The truth is, there isn’t much scientific research out there to categorically state the benefits of placenta encapsulation so why do people do it?
Holistic and traditional medical customs swear by many benefits including:
• It is said to increase the hormone oxytocin which encourages bonding between mum and new baby and the hormone can also aid the uterus to return to its original size.
• It is also said to potentially decrease the levels of post-partum depression.
• Consuming the placenta may also aid a mother’s milk production.
• Other benefits include restoring iron levels in the blood and increasing the stress-reducing hormone CRH.
How do I go about consuming the placenta if I choose to?
Some mothers choose to consume the placenta in food form and can use the placenta as part of a dish such as lasagne or pizza or even create a pate out of it. It is important to treat the placenta as you would any meat product and be sure it is stored as you would store meat and is cooked thoroughly.
What about placenta pills and how much do they cost?
The best way to start is to discuss placenta collection with your hospital and ensure you understand what is involved. Your hospital may also be able to offer you a starting point of where to start looking for companies. Research placenta encapsulation companies thoroughly before you make your choice. When looking at encapsulation companies, be sure to check they are reputable and have evidence of passing tests.
A healthy placenta can create roughly 120 capsules and a jar of these pills can cost around £150.