Can my placenta be encapsulated?
Written by one of our specialists – Victoria Webb.
When your health or birth doesn’t go to plan…..
Consuming your placenta is thought by us here at PRN to be one of the best ways to replenish your stores of some of the nutrients lost through childbirth and also to support your body to heal. But what about if your birth doesn’t go to plan? Or you have some pregnancy complications? Can your placenta still provide you with remedies to boost your health postnatally? We take a look here at some of the most common pregnancy and birth complications and situations.
Pregnancy complications
Conditions such as Group B Strep (GBS), gestational diabetes, pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or cholestasis do not prevent your placenta being encapsulated. Some women with PGP or cholestasis report a return in their condition postnatally during the early stages of taking their capsules but this usually resolves. Balancing the possible side effects with the benefits of placenta remedies usually means women continue to plan for placenta encapsulation.
Birth interventions or induced labour and placenta encapsulation
An induced labour or intervention during labour can often mean artificial hormones are intravenously given to promote the uterus to contract and hopefully deliver the baby. Although the hormones do cross into the placenta during labour they are not retained in significant enough amounts to cause concern.
Long-term health conditions or Infection at time of birth
There are a very small number of instances where consumption of your placenta, either in a smoothie or encapsulation would not be possible. Infections such as chorioamnionitis, a bacterial infection of the membranes, or Prevopella Melaninogenica would render it unsuitable for consumption.
Water Birth
The use of water during birth is becoming more and more common as women realise the wonderful pain relieving and relaxing benefits they can feel while in the water during labour. Although birthing your baby in water is fine, when it comes to the third stage of labour and delivering the placenta, it is important that this is delivered out of the pool.
There is a concern that the birth pool water may be contaminated with things that would make consumption unsafe, and therefore stepping out of the pool for this stage is necessary to ensure placenta encapsulation can be undertaken. Most hospitals will request women to deliver their placenta out of the pool anyway, in order that they can monitor any blood loss more closely and so choosing placenta encapsulation should not interfere with the precious first moments with your baby.
Placenta remedies aren’t just capsules
Although in some rare cases placenta encapsulation is not possible, it is most likely that other remedies can still be prepared. Homeopathy, a brilliant remedy that is not only for mum but also for baby, is a lifetime remedy that helps to boost the immune system and can be used for a variety of reasons – see our homeopathy guide here.
The health and beauty industry promote and sell to us anti-wrinkle and collagen boosting creams every day. Some of these creams contain animal placenta extracts! Make use of your own placenta and have creams or balms made for skin conditions, to keep baby’s skin soft and strong, for use in your daily routine, or just for a special boost!
If in doubt, keep!
Our advice to women who have had complications during birth is to follow the instructions provided by your placenta remedies specialist and continue to store your placenta safely. Once you contact your specialist, within 12 hours of birth, discuss what has happened and specific advice can be given. If in doubt, keep!
*not all pregnancy and birth situations are discussed in this post and therefore women are recommended to contact their placenta remedies specialist for specific advice and discuss their specific conditions with their pregnancy health professional.
