Is “cake” the first thing you think of when you hear the word placenta? Me neither. Cake is the Latin word for placenta, but envisioning a forkful of placenta cake after the birth of my little girl was the last thing on my mind. When our midwife asked me what I wanted to do with my placenta and suggested having it encapsulated, I shrugged and agreed. At the time, I had no idea what encapsulation was, or even what to do with it. A couple days later she showed up with a bottle of capsules, just like any other supplement, and gave me dosing instructions for an optimal transition and balanced postpartum period. I looked at her, looked at my partner, opened the bottle, and popped two pills like Flinstone vitamins as a child. I shrugged again and thought, “What could it hurt?”

At the time, I didn’t realize how much I benefited from the goodness of my placenta pills. Now as a professional of the birthing community, I can easily reflect on my speedy recovery. I only had to wear those goofy mesh panties for a few days, and my bleeding had completely stopped in less than two weeks; I had cantaloupe sized breasts with enough milk to feed a small village; The word “migraine” seemed to have gotten lost in translation; I became a master of the Scrabble board and didn’t need to sleep until I defeated those who were up for the challenge; And most importantly, with a history of depression and anxiety, I cherished ever moment of my new family without any trace of the “Baby Blues” or panic attacks. I was inspired to learn and share this profound discovery in hopes that all families would be blessed with a similar transition to what I experienced.

Just like every person, every birth is different, as well as every placenta. Even though there aren’t specific clinical statistics around the benefits of human Placentophagy (consuming placentas), clinical research teamed with theoretical studies offer much reassuring evidence. The placenta’s hormones have been known to release higher levels of bonding chemicals, increase milk supply and quality, boost the Mother’s immune system (and if she’s breastfeeding, immune boosters are also passed to the baby), help the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy state, and minimize pain from the labors of giving birth. Many of these hormones that are present in the placenta, when ingested, are naturally reintroduced without side effects for the Mother or risks to the tiny, vulnerable baby.

The process that I use to encapsulate placentas is based on practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). According to the Chinese, much of the body’s heat or “Chi” (our life force) is stripped during pregnancy and labors of birthing, and needs to be replenished in the postpartum period. To restore the “Chi” I use practices of TCM to gently clean, steam, dehydrate, and powder the placenta in preparation for consumption. In addition to these beliefs of restoring the “Chi”, the purpose of the mother ingesting supplement-like placenta is to reintroduce the beneficial vitamins, minerals, hormones, proteins, and other nutrients to her body following labor and birth. Each placenta produces approximately 70-150 capsules, which are taken 3 times a day for the first two weeks or until a feeling of balance is attained. Because it is dehydrated for preservation, it can be stored for many years and taken in times of transition, loss, imbalance, or even menopause. This medicine is created specifically for that mama only, and individual results may vary.

In addition to making medicine, time is taken to honor the allure of this organ by creating one-of-a-kind keepsakes that go along with it. Placenta prints are a way for families to see the size and shape of the placenta, and why it is often referred to as the “Tree of Life”, and the umbilical cord keepsake is another unique complement. They are all presented as a gift of health, courage, and beauty.

There varying thoughts and opinions around the purpose of the placenta after a birth – whether it be considered infectious waste by medical practitioners, or the Tree of Life by earth loving hippies, it is still capable of providing many benefits to Mothers and babies after the birth. This all leads me to ask one question – Who wouldn’t want a “piece of cake” transition into parenthood?

For more information visit: www.yourearthbirth.com or contact Nichole Johnson at info@yourearthbirth.com.