Would You save Your Placenta? 7 Things You Need to Read First ...

By Eliza

Saving your placenta after having a baby is a trendy thing to do right now. They say that it’s a prime source of nutrients, which has spurred a movement that involves taking it home and eating it. Thinking you want to give it a try? Not so fast! There are some things you should know about this practice before jumping on the bandwagon. Before you grab that placenta and run, here’s what you need to know about saving it.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Please subscribe for your personalized newsletter:

1

Discuss Your Wants

I’ve given birth three times and never even saw the placenta. That’s because standard practice is to toss it in the biohazard bin. After all, your baby doesn’t need it anymore. So, if you plan to save yours, make sure you tell the nurses and your doctor so that they are aware that it should be saved. If you have a written birth plan, make sure you include this as part of it.

2

Hospitals May Be Reluctant

It’s your placenta and if you want it, you should have it, right? That may not be the case. Some hospitals are leery of allowing you to remove your placenta from the building because of its biohazard risk. Because it’s filled with blood, it could be a sanitation or health related risk that many hospitals would rather not deal with. Find out before you’re in labor if you can keep it or not so that you can seek alternate options if you need to.

3

Bring Your Own Containers

The labor and delivery room is not a full service restaurant and your nurses aren’t going to lovingly bag up your placenta for you. In fact, if you want it, you may have to take that job into your own hands. At the least, you’ll have to bring your own zip top bags and a large airtight container to carry it home in. Don’t have those things? You might not get to keep the placenta after all.

4

Postpartum Depression Protection

Here’s one of the top reasons that women choose to eat their placenta after birth. Some research says that it helps protect against developing postpartum depression. This is because the placenta is a storehouse for the hormones that take a nosedive after delivery. I never would have thought to eat my placenta, but after suffering postpartum anxiety and depression after each of my babies, I might have given it a try, had I known.

5

Encapsulation

Eating anything that comes out of your body isn’t exactly appetizing, right? That’s why most women who eat their placenta have it encapsulated into gel caps that they can simply swallow. To have this done, you’ll need to find a reputable place so that you can be sure you’re getting your own placenta and that it is processed safely.

Famous Quotes

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

George Santayana
6

Only Eat Your Own

While eating your own placenta may have some benefits, it’s never a good idea to eat anyone else’s. This puts you at risk of disease. That’s why if you decide to take yours home and have it processed for eating, it pays to make sure you find someone certified to do it. Never, ever eat placenta from someone else. Yuck!

7

Besides Eating

Eating placenta is gaining in popularity, but there are other things you can do with it to. Placenta can also be transformed into skincare products that promise to moisturize your skin and infuse it with nutrients. It’s also touted as a way to fight aging. Placenta teddy bears and placenta wall art are other options.

Would you save your placenta? Why or why not?

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

How do they actually eat that?

Adaku- after all, humans are mammals just like any other animal who eats its placenta. Don't be so judgemental and share POSITIVE energy:) we all like playful animals after all.:))

I used my daughters to plant a tree.... My sons I made my own soup

I probably wouldn't when that day comes. I'd personally feel weird doing it... But I can see the benefits/appeal xD

And people used to love smoking... Could this be another moment when science has yet to catch up?

Well, animals eat theirs! There has to be a reason!

I think it'll be good for women. Making us stronger and healthier as well. I wouldn't mind eating mine.

I know that in some third world places the after birth is saved and the new mother will eat it for her first meal to regain her strength & to nourish her milk for her baby. At least that is something that I heard/read about somewhere far enough in time that I can't remember just where I got that information. Whether it is still practiced, I haven't a clue, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is still done. Why would people stop doing something that is working for the family as well as it being done for longer than anyone can remember? If something that other people think is disgusting/horrifying but helps the mother & baby as well as help the mother to regain her strength faster, would you stop doing something that has been proven to be true, would you stop doing it just because you had been raised to do this, would you stop?

Personally, I think that it is growing quite popular to save the umbilicord over the placenta for cord blood to help the child or close family members but couldn't at least a part of the placenta be used in the same way? As I have very little to no knowledge in the scientific field, I can't say it would or wouldn't work. Going to look into that but maybe someone else might have more knowledge now.

No thanks!!!

Related Topics

How to Love Your PostBaby Bod for Mommies Struggling with Their New Look ... How Stayathome Moms Can Have a Full Life ... 7 Ways Your Beauty Routine Changes when You Have a Baby ... Extremely Helpful Ways to Speed Things up for when You Are in Labor ... 7 Ways New Moms Can Get Their Looks Back ... What Should Mothers Know about Breastfeeding Amazing Fail Proof Tipsfor Baby Soft Feet ... Every Mother Should Put These Things on Her todo List ... 7 Essential Skills to Master for Moms Who Want an Amazing Career ... HeartWarming Tips to Help MamastoBe Beat the Pregnancy Blues ...

Popular Now