One of the many German words for placenta is Mutterkuchen — “mother cake.” I assume it’s named as such because of its round, spongy, cake-like appearance, but I’m going to read into it further! Everybody loves cake- a treat that lifts the spirits. And that’s exactly what placenta encapsulation is- without the sugar and the guilt!
The placenta is composed of hormones and chemicals that YOU created to help give your baby life. When ingesting your placenta, you receive some of those hormones and iron that were abruptly lost during the birth process. This abrupt dip in hormones is what is implicated in the “baby blues” that can affect every mother to some degree.
The composition of a human placenta includes:
- Cortisone: combats stress and unlocks energy stores
- Gammaglobulin: helps protect against postpartum infections
- Growth factors: regulate tissue growth, blood glucose levels
- Gonadotrophin: the precursor to estrogen, progesterone and testosterone
- Hemoglobin: replenishes iron and treats anemia, a common postpartum condition
- Interferon: stimulates the immune system to protect against infections
- Lactogen: supports lactation, maternal metabolism by increasing nutrient level in maternal blood
- Oxytocin: for pain and bonding; produced during breastfeeding to facilitate bonding of mother and infant, helps uterus return to its non-pregnant state, a very important stage in postpartum healing. This hormone is integral to the human social experience and a feeling of connectedness with others.
- Prolactin: promotes lactation
- Prostaglandins: anti-inflammatory
- Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH): boosts energy and helps recovery from stressful events
- Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII: stops bleeding and enhances wound healing
Together, these hormones when restored after birth are believed to:
- balance your hormones, minimizing “baby blues” or other postpartum mood issues
- enhance your milk supply
- increase your energy
- speed up physical recovery from birth: assist uterus in returning to its pre-pregnant size, shorten lochia (bleeding) period, increase postpartum iron levels.
What is the science behind it?
While there are no high-quality studies that show the exact content or actual human benefit or risk to ingesting placenta, thousands of women self-report a positive overall experience, and studies are currently being done to help clarify the active ingredients and their effects on the body. No adverse effects from ingesting placenta have been reported to the FDA.
Formal studies were recently done on women who have ingested their placentas; the study results were based on a survey of 189 mothers, with the majority self-reporting receiving some or all of the expected benefits and an overall positive experience.
A preliminary report on the content of 28 dried human placentas revealed a 24% US daily RDA of iron and a minimal content of heavy or toxic metals.
My anecdotal experience with clients who had their placentas encapsulated has been that they all experienced positive effects on milk and mood as compared with the births of their prior children where they did not ingest their placentas. Placebo effect or not, any possibility of lessening healing, mood or milk problems postpartum is worth it.
I offer both the Traditional and Raw methods of encapsulation.
This method is derived from the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory. Placenta is steamed with ginger, lemon, and a jalapeno added only to the steaming water, then dehydrated, ground, and encapsulated in 00-size vegetarian capsules. This method is thought to produce a steady, long-term balancing effect in the body, and cooking is believed to make the beneficial aspects more easily available to the body. The steaming and specific herbs are considered “warming,” which is considered necessary in TCM for a postpartum mother, to counteract the “cold,” open space of the empty uterus and to replenish the “life force” that the mother has poured into her baby. Steaming also kills potentially harmful bacteria present on the placenta.
Typical dosage is 1-2 capsules (depending on mood), three times daily for two weeks, then tapered to 1-2 pills a day, as needed, until capsules are gone.
Placenta is not steamed before dehydration, then placenta is ground and added to 00-size vegetarian capsules. The raw method preserves more of the placental mass to create more capsules that are taken at a lower dosage, extending their availability for many months. It is believed to produce pills that are of a more acute, higher energy quality than Traditional; if taken in the afternoon or evening, they may affect sleep. Raw method is great for those who are anemic, have experienced a large blood loss or do not expect long-term milk production issues. (The trade-off is that any potential bacteria on the placenta may not be killed by dehydration alone.)
Typical dosage is only one capsule in the morning as needed for low mood or lethargy, and another capsule a few hours later if desired.