Placenta Encapsulation: 10 Things To Know

WARNING THERE IS A PICTURE OF A CUT UP PLACENTA AND UMBILICAL CORD BELOW!!

If there is one thing about me I must tell you it is that I will eat anything. If there is a zombie apocalypse or any apocalypse to be honest you don’t want to be around me because I am a big girl and I get hungry.

That being said I never thought I would eat a part of myself, let alone my placenta. Even 6 months ago I would have said no. But during this pregnancy I got anemia, which is low iron, and I was so tired. With the anemia, the hypothyroid, making a baby and breastfeeding all at the same time this pregnancy was horrific and I would just fall asleep sitting up sometimes.

So after doing some research on my own about placenta encapsulation I decided I would try it and I would get better. There really was no option for failure because I was going to extremes to make myself healthy again. Not only did I want off of the iron and B12 pills I also wanted to stop taking my thyroid medication which I was supposed to take for the rest of my life. I’ve heard of some women who have iron injected directly into their blood stream (as a matter of urgency), however, doing that does sometimes have consequences. You can read all about the problems of this on a website like this one https://www.nationalconsumerlawyers.com/injectafer/. Surely there is a better solution regarding medication?

So I ordered all of my needed stuff to encapsulate such as a dehydrator, capsules and containers and waited for baby to arrive. The day after he was born I set to work cleaning, cutting and dehydrating. This process is not really that bad if you have a strong stomach. My husband was not impressed with what I was doing and all the tools I used had to be thrown out after so that he did not freak out.

What I Can Honestly Tell You About Placenta Encapsulation

1. When you are dehydrating your placenta it stinks. It stinks like beef jerky and I am glad I had my Lampe Berger to not only clean the air but also purify it. When you are grinding up the placenta into a powder it stinks even more. Enough to deter me from taking it? No, but as I said, I have a strong stomach
2. Eating your placenta is gross, it is an organ that you produced, but it is also chalk full of iron, protein, oxytocin (love hormone) and prolactin (stimulates milk production). Some people eat the placenta to aid in breast milk production, some to help combat postpartum depression, but I NEEDED all of my iron back.
3. My husband may have been grossed out by the whole thing but he understood why I was doing it. He did give me LOTS of dirty looks when I was doing it and stayed out of the kitchen because: GROSS! Your spouse will most likely do the same
4. I took my pills for about two weeks, not on a schedule or even daily but as needed (or when I remembered to be truly honest). Once encapsulated they no longer smelled and I always ate them with chocolate to make myself feel better 🙂 Chocolate always makes things better 🙂
5. I could tell the difference in my moods if I didn’t take it. Not that I noticed I was happier but I did notice I had more patience with the other kids.
6. I could NOT tell any difference with my breast milk because I was taking a lactation tea as well and breast feeding 2 kids now and supply was not an issue.
7. Postpartum healing was the same as with my last 2 kids. Maybe because I was not consistent with taking the pills but I saw no difference.
8. I told both my midwife and family doctor that I was stopping my thyroid pills, iron pills and B-12. They had their doubts but I was not about to listen as I knew I had to do this. It had to work…right? From what I read I shouldn’t have been taking iron supplements with the placenta anyways because it would be too much.
9. You can pay someone to do it for you or do it yourself. I bought an inexpensive dehydrator and got the knives, cutting board, capsules and gloves on line for next to nothing
10. It took less than 12 hours do dehydrate to the point when it was bone dry. I did it at night and it was ready in the morning which was great because I didn’t have to deal with my hubbies dirty looks all day.

This is how I had it set up and I have the umbilical cord as a momento

So I am now almost 6 weeks postpartum and I went to my family doctor to have my blood work done. I have been feeling great, not falling asleep sitting up and not even needing naps during the day to be honest. I was antsy waiting for the results because I knew my family doctor would give me the “I told you so” look if the numbers were bad.

But they weren’t, at all. Both my thyroid (which I have been struggling with for 15 months diagnosed) and my iron were at great levels. With no supplements or medication.

I don’t know for sure if it is because I took my placenta, dried it up and ate it like a cannibal. I have no proof. It could have been my body just realigning itself or me mentally making myself healthy with the power of my subconscious mind. All I know is that I no longer have to take pills anymore and that is enough for me. If asked if I would do it again I would definitely say yes.

So I wonder how many of you would eat your placenta. How many of you would just be like “gross”? Or like me who thinks its gross but did it anyways…

Aneta Alaei

Aneta is a Toronto-based mom of four that loves a good meal, great company, and learning something new. In her free time, you can find her trying to keep yet another plant alive.

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