Do WHAT With My Placenta??

So you're expecting a baby, and everyone is giving you advice. 
"You need this stroller; it's a lifesaver!" 
"Make sure baby eats every 2 hours!"
"Don't use that brand of diaper! You'll have poop explosions; they leak!"
"You have to encapsulate your placenta! I did, and it was wonderful!"

Wait, what was that about a placenta? 

Placenta Encapsulation is a way of ingesting the placenta, and it's a decision that's gaining popularity. It may sound bizarre, but the placenta is filled with hormones that many people believe may benefit new mothers. 

Generally, Placenta Encapsulation involves processing the placenta into a dry, fine powder. The powder is then put into empty capsules so that the client can take the capsules just like a vitamin. There are also other ingestion options which may include taking the placenta as a tincture or in raw smoothies. 

Why would someone eat their placenta? 
Many new moms report benefits from ingesting their placentas. Benefits can vary person to person, but some of the most common reported include an increase in energy levels, balanced mood, increased milk supply, and lower incidents of postpartum depression. It is important to note that there have been little to no scientific studies into these benefits; most of the information available is anecdotal. One of the main theories is that since the placenta is partially the mother's hormones, these can help balance her hormone levels after the sudden drop that occurs after the birth. Again, results may vary, and the FDA has not researched or approved placenta encapsulation as a way to treat or prevent anything. 

Are there any negatives or side effects?
The majority of our clients never have any issues. In the general population of people who try placenta encapsulation, a small percentage do report that they have a decrease in milk supply. It is also possible that one may experience a burst of shaky energy (similar to caffeine jitters) if they are taking too much placenta at once. Again, this is not common and can normally be eliminated by taking fewer capsules at once. 

Raw Prep, Heated Capsules, Traditional Chinese Method...What's the difference?
There are multiple ways to prepare the placenta prior to making it into capsules. Each has their own pros and cons, and preparation methods may vary encapsulator to encapsulator. 
Raw preparation means dehydrating the placenta at temperatures between 115-118F. Heating at these lower temps is thought to preserve more of the nutrients since heat can denature some of the beneficial nutrients, but these temperatures are not high enough to kill off potentially harmful bacteria. Because of the bacteria risk, Little Orchids does not offer raw preparation. 
The Traditional Chinese Method (TCM) involves steaming the placenta prior to dehydration. Adding more heat by steaming is thought to add hot "yang energy" to help balance the cold "Yin energy" thought to be prevalent postpartum. Depending on the practitioner, some will add herbs to the steaming placenta thought to help promote postpartum healing. The placenta is then dehydrated at temperatures that vary by practitioner. Steaming can help kill more of the surface bacteria on the placenta. Steaming the placenta may produce fewer capsules since the processing loses additional mass. At Little Orchids, we do not add anything to your placenta, and we dehydrate at 160F to maintain food safety guidelines. 
Heated preparation means that the placenta is dehydrated at temperatures high enough to kill off any bacteria. This is normally done for a longer period of time than other preparations - usually 12-24hours. This can produce a safer product, but the additional heat can very slightly lower the nutritional benefits. This is the default preparation method at Little Orchids unless TCM is requested. 

How do I plan to encapsulate my placenta? 
The first step would be to locate a local placenta encapsulator. It is beneficial to do your research; placenta encapsulation is completely unregulated, so training and processing standards vary wildly. At Little Orchids, our encapsulator is a Certified Postpartum Placenta Encapsulation Specialist who maintains ServSafe Foodhandler certifications as well as Bloodbourne Pathogens certification. Safety is our number one consideration, and we want to ensure a safe product for our clients. 
Once you've chosen your encapsulator and confirmed they're available for your due date, you can start their booking process. At Little Orchids we offer the options of meeting for a consultation or just directly booking online through our website. 
After you've booked, your encapsulator will follow their specific procedures for pick up and processing of your placenta. At Little Orchids, we give clients a handout of instructions for safely storing the placenta until pickup as well as how and when to contact us for pickup. Placenta products are completed promptly and are returned directly to you.

Placenta Encapsulation can be beneficial for many mothers, and it can be a great thing to consider. If you do choose to ingest your placenta, it is important to find an encapsulator you're comfortable with who provides the processing options you want, so begin your search in advance whenever possible. Have any questions for our encapsulator? Contact us today! 

Placenta Encapsulation: What Makes Us Different

Little Orchids Childbirth Services, LLC is proud to offer placenta encapsulation to our wonderful clients. Consuming one's placenta is becoming a popular choice in this area, and there are numerous reported benefits. Choosing a qualified person to prepare your placenta for you to ingest is an important decision. It is important for the person you choose to follow proper safety protocols that keep the placenta safe to consume.

The fact is that placenta encapsulation is a completely unregulated industry. Anyone can decide to offer placenta encapsulation; there are no legal requirements to certify or even have any training to handle and process placentas. 

So what makes us different? 

We offer to process placentas in our clients' homes. This could allow you to transport your own placenta placenta, so your placenta stays in your control and possession at all times. 

Wait, What?? Yes, we understand that this is completely different than what many other encapsulators do. However, there are a few very important reasons why we do it this way. 

1. Peace of Mind

Again, placenta encapsulation is not regulated. By having your placenta processed in the comfort of your own home, you have complete freedom to oversee how your placenta is being handled. There is no doubt remaining that your placenta is handled properly, safely, and according to strict sanitation procedures. 

We do not transport placentas; the placenta stays in your custody and control at all times. We provide our clients with a safe transport kit so that they can confidently bring their own placenta home. With this policy, our clients know exactly where the placenta has been and how it has been handled. There is no risk or possibility that the placenta was forgotten in someone's purse or left in a hot car while the handler runs to the store for groceries because unfortunately, both of these examples can and have happened.  Plus, if an encapsulator is working on multiple placentas, how can you trust that you received the right placenta pills? You deserve to have peace of mind during your postpartum period. There should not be any room left to question the handling of your placenta or if the presented placenta pills are actually yours. 

2. Safe and Sanitary Processing Procedures 

Processing the placenta in our clients' homes also demonstrates the strict sanitation procedures that we follow. Although legally no training is required, you can trust that by choosing Little Orchids for your encapsulation, you have a competent and trained encapsulator working with your placenta. Little Orchids encapsulators have been trained by IPPA, the International Placenta and Postpartum Association. This training has instilled proper, safe handling and processing methods to ensure that our clients receive the highest level of service. 

In addition to the IPPA training, our encapsulators are certified for both blood-borne pathogens (BBP) and safe-food prep handling guidelines. Our equipment is properly sanitized according to blood-borne pathogen procedures after each and every client. Any items that cannot be properly or completely sanitized are safely disposed of and are not reused. 

Also, processing in your home helps ensure the safety of the finished product. Since your placenta stays in your possession, there is no worry that our dogs or kids are playing with the dehydrator or placenta. That would be gross, and that is not something you need to have to worry about! 

3. In-home Postpartum Support 

Each of our placenta encapsulators are also trained and certified as postpartum doulas. This means that you have a postpartum expert in-home with you while your placenta is being processed. During this time, we are also available to answer questions, help with infant care, or even just keep you company while you relax and recover. 

With all of these benefits, there really are no down sides. Your placenta can be frozen if needed, so we are able to come at your convenience and work with your needs and schedule. We do not leave a mess, and we bring our own supplies and equipment. We want you to have the best postpartum time possible, and this includes providing the safest placenta products.