Placenta encapsulation is the process of preparing the birthing parent’s placenta in the immediate postpartum period for consumption. This is done by separating the membranes and umbilical cord from the placenta and rinsing and draining maternal and fetal blood and dehydrating it to then be ground and placed into capsules for ingestion. The ingestion of the placenta is known as “placentophagy.”
The purpose of placentophagy is to reintroduce the beneficial vitamins, minerals, hormones, proteins, and other nutrients to the body following labor and birth to help restore a more balanced body function, mitigate “baby blues” and post partum mood disorders, increase breast-milk production, shorten healing time, increase energy levels, and provide an over-all feeling of wellness to aid in the transition between pregnancy and the early postpartum period in the person who has just given birth.
I use the Traditional Chinese Method of encapsulation, in which the placenta is steamed with lemon, ginger, and jalapenos before dehydration. In addition to encapsulation I also offer keepsake placenta prints or dehydrated cord keepsakes.
Prices
Encapsulation for existing clients – $100 (with cord keepsake at no extra charge)
A la carte encapsulation – $200
Placenta prints – $25
Placenta tincture – $25