“Baby blues” is a common occurrence – 80% of mothers experience it in the first days and weeks after giving birth.  Because it is so common, nothing is typically done about it until it worsens into a diagnosis of postpartum depression, at which time anti-depressants may be prescribed.  Anti-depressants, like almost all drugs, are passed to the baby through breastmilk, and mothers who don’t want to expose their babies to these medications are often faced with the decision to either stop breastfeeding or struggle with depression.  Women suffer through the baby blues almost as a rite of passage to motherhood – but it doesn’t have to be this way. 

Placentophagy, or consumption of the placenta, has been reported for decades to help stop the baby blues and diminish postpartum fatigue.  Some women have cooked the placenta in a stew, mixed it into a smoothie, or even taken it raw to tap into its powerful effects.  For many who feel squeamish about this or want to reap the benefits of placenta for more than just a day or two, there is another option: encapsulation.  Powdered placenta has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries.  In the postpartum period, placenta capsules can be used to

• balance your hormones
• enhance your milk supply
• increase your energy

Although current research on human placentophagy does not exist, what we do know is that women who take placenta capsules report fewer emotional issues, have more energy and tend to enjoy a faster, more pleasant postpartum recovery.  The first few days and weeks with your new baby are precious.  Give yourself the best chance to fully enjoy your “babymoon” with placenta capsules.

As a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, Wendy Gordon has been trained in preparation of the placenta using methods that adhere to Traditional Chinese Medicine.  The placenta is dried, ground and encapsulated, and when properly stored, the capsules can be used for weeks.  When you have recovered from childbirth, you can even freeze the capsules and save them for menopause.

Wendy follows strict OSHA guidelines during the preparation of your placenta and carries a current Oregon Food Handler Card.  She brings all of the necessary equipment and encapsulation materials to your home to complete the process, so you don’t have to worry about your favorite salad bowl.  Aside from the medicinal aspects, Wendy treats the placenta as sacred, and she focuses on honoring the work it has done to nourish your baby, while preparing it to continue its work nourishing you.

Check out PlacentaBenefits.info for more information on placenta encapsulation.

Ideally, the placenta is encapsulated within 48 hours after the birth.  While you bond with your new baby, Wendy will come to you and take care of your placenta in your own home.  She is basically “on call” for you and will make every effort to come to your home within the 48-hour time frame to encapsulate your placenta.  (However, she is a homebirth midwife and is on call for births as well!)  During the first visit, she spends about 2 hours preparing the placenta for the drying phase, then leaves the placenta to finish drying overnight.  The next day, she returns to complete the encapsulation step, which takes about one hour.  You can begin taking the capsules right away for maximum postpartum benefits.

Click here for tips on getting your placenta home from the hospital as soon as possible after the birth.  Even if mama and baby are recovering in the hospital, Wendy can encapsulate your placenta at home with your partner or other relatives present and get the capsules to you right away. 

Placentas that have been properly frozen (double-bagged and protected from freezer-burn) can also be encapsulated up to 6 months after the birth.

Contact Wendy to discuss placenta encapsulation.  Ideally you will have at least one meeting with her in the last month of pregnancy to answer any questions you might have about the encapsulation process, taking the capsules, how to care for the placenta immediately after the birth, and how to reach her.

Click here for a do-it-yourself kit if you'd rather encapsulate your placenta yourself.