I started my placenta research in August 2008 when I found I was pregnant with my second child. I was mostly interested in finding new ways to increase my breastmilk supply because I struggled the first time around. Unusual holistic healing traditions interest me greatly so I began to study the uses for placenta around the world. I was most interested in the dehydration and encapsulation method called placenta encapsulation which seemed the most modern and un-invasive way to benefit from the placenta.
Two women, who I met through a natural mothers' group offered me the chance to experiment with their placentas in attempt to make my first capsules. One of the mothers had suffered severely from post-natal depression after the birth of her first child and felt she would try anything to avoid those symptoms from returning. The encapsulations were a total success, and, both women couldn't recommend it enough. They said they felt happier, more in control, had a plentiful milk supply, bled less and never felt overwhelmed or anxious.
I gave birth to my son on 21st March 2009, at home in water and used my placenta in many ways. Within minutes if its' birth, I placed a small piece of the raw placenta inside my lip (on my gums) and allowed the hormones and nutrients to be absorbed into my body immediately. This was done to stop post-natal bleeding. When the placenta detaches from the uterine wall it leaves a large bleeding wound that takes time and much nutrients and hormones to heal. The placenta is packed with rich growth factors called cytokines that stimulate cell mitosis or cell division, the making of new cells, essential when healing the body and for repair and regeneration of damaged tissue. However after birth new mothers are depleted of the normal levels of growth factors in their body and need extra help to heal their torn body.
One hour after birth my mother blended a raw placenta smoothie made with organic berry fruits and about a palm sized piece of raw placenta. Within 10 hours my milk had 'come-in' and my bleeding had nearly stopped. My midwife was amazed at these results and astounded with the amount of energy I had after birth. I encapsulated the remains of my placenta which I took 1-3 times a day for about 4 months. I called them my "happy pills".
I became inspired by this lost tradition. I began to research the uses for the placenta in history and found that many midwives all around the world used the placenta for different healing purposes during pregnancy, birth and post-natal. According to a book called Jacques Gelis in History of Childbirth: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth in Early Modern Europe, by Jacques Gelis, there were 'placenta apothecaries' in the 1700's who used human placenta powder to assist midwives with difficult births; it seemed to help repel the baby or placenta if labour had slowed or halted. In some cultures the placenta was placed directly onto the newborn to allow the healing heat energy to be absorbed into the newborn. The placenta can also be used this way to cure very bad skin conditions such as dermatitis, writes Cornelia Enning in Placenta: The Gift of Life.
The Western world began to lose recognition of the placenta in the mid 1800's when male doctors took over and interrupted natural birthing traditions. Once Gynaecology and Obstetrics were invented, birthing women were strapped to tables, put to sleep with ether cones and babies ripped from their wombs. Any ancient placenta healing methods were lost. Midwives were burned at the stake for being 'witches', changing birth forever. Male doctors found the placenta repulsive and thought if the mother ate her placenta she was likely to eat her own baby. Even farmers began to remove the placenta from their animals before the new mother had a chance to ingest it. The placenta became non-existent and is still today regularly wasted, sent for incineration by the hospitals.
I like to encourage women to use the placenta the way nature intends it - after birth to heal the body and bring fresh nutrients to the mother and her baby through breast milk.
What bewilders me the most is that most UK ante-natal classes and birth preparation workshops focus so much attention on the baby after birth. But what about the new mother? Everything is sore and tender, including our emotions? Birth can be very traumatic, both emotionally and physically and new mothers do not expect to feel so depleted after birth. Expecting mothers are warned of slight baby blues but are not made aware of the actual physical consequence birth has on the body. I find it sad that so many negative symptoms are referred to as 'normal' for women to suffer from after birth. With low energy, no sleep, low iron levels, irregular hormones and fewer female family members nearby to assist a new, healing mother, it's no wonder 1 in 10 women in this country suffer from post-natal depression. I feel determined to promoting the use of the placenta to put an end to this unnecessary post-birth misery. I believe the placenta is what nature gave us to heal, a new mother's personal healing gift from her baby.
I am passionate about the benefits of the placenta. I truly believe the placenta holds the key to a quicker, more natural post-birth recovery. Our clients are regular mums who have said they don't think their post-birth experience would have been as positive if it wasn't for their placenta capsules. My aim is simply to inform women that placenta encapsulation is a possibility, as most people aren't even aware it exists.
The Gift of Life, Cornelia Enning Birth: The surprising History of how we are born, Tina Cassidy History of Childbirth: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth in Early Modern Europe, Jacques Gelis (this book has an entire chapter dedicated to the Placenta)
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