There are so many fun things you can do with your placenta!
Ingesting your own placenta (placentophagy) has many benefits which can vary from person to person. Your placenta can be made into capsules, a tincture or a broth. If you don't want to ingest your placenta but you are still wanting to have a sentimental experience honoring your body creating this amazing organ, there are options! Your placenta specialist can make a placenta print with colors of your choosing that you can frame and an umbilical cord keepsake that can go in a scrapbook documenting your babe’s birth! You can also plant your placenta in a special place with some of your favorite flowers or next to a tree you love to sit by in your backyard. If none of this is your cup of tea, no worries, you still did something incredible!
Some benefits of ingesting your placenta can be:
Increased stem cell production
Faster tissue repair
Increased milk production
Lowering chances of postpartum mood disorder
Increased energy
Reduced bleeding
Reduced risk of anemia
If you do choose to save your placenta, make sure to let your provider know. Your placenta specialist will pick up your placenta from your birth place and handle the rest!
If for any reason your placenta needs to be sent back to pathology, your doctor can cut off a square inch chunk off of it to send back so that your whole placenta doesn't risk catching any bacteria from pathology. Your doula can help advocate for that!
Placenta encapsulation cost: $300
Photo Credit For Placenta: Elisha Hanshue