I object!
I’m sure you heard some objections to placenta encapsulation. Well, I object those objections. 🙂
I’m going to rebut some of the most common objections.
- You or your baby can get sick and die from placenta encapsulation.
This objection comes from a case that was written about in the CDC journal. You can read about that case here. It is very very unlikely that you or your baby would die from encapsulation, even if your encapsulation was not processed properly. As long as your placenta is prepped according to food safety standards using proper sanitation protocols, then you have nothing to worry about.
2. Ingesting your placenta can decrease your milk supply.
There has been a blog post going around from an IBCLC that claims placenta encapsulation decreases supply, I have also heard some other IBCLCs make the claim as well. They liken it to retained placenta. When you have retained placenta,yes, it does effect milk supply, but encapsulation and retained placenta is very different. Introducing your placenta through your digestive system is not the same as it still being attached to your uterus. When your placenta releases from the uterus it triggers the onset of copious lactation. I do recommend mother’s start their pills after their milk comes in because even though progesterone is the feel-good hormone you need during postpartum it may also delay milk coming in. However, the placenta also contains Placental Lactogens that help milk supply.
3. Ew, that is so gross.
Placenta encapsulation is different than “eating the placenta”. After the placenta is prepared correctly it is put into capsules for the mom to take. It’s not much different than pharmaceuticals made from different animal parts that you typically wouldn’t think of ingesting horse urine for example. My son’s thyroid medicine is made from porcine and bovine thyroid.
4. It’s cannibalism.
This one is simple. I don’t think it is technically Cannibalism but if someone held that belief, I’m not going to hold it against them or convince them it’s not.
5. The placenta is a filter. It is filled with toxins.
The placenta does filter but it doesn’t hold toxins. It is commonly referred to as a “facilitator organ”. It provides oxygen and nutrients to baby, while removing carbon dioxide and other waste products. However it doesn’t stop there, it metabolizes the carbon dioxide and other waste and releases it back to mom for Mom’s system to filter out. How amazing is that!
Do you have an objection? Leave it below and I will see if I can “object your objection!”
Resources:
https://placentaassociation.com/group-b-strep-placenta-encapsulation-safety-gbs/ , Melody Wunderlin, June 30, 2017
Willis C, Livingstone V. Infant insufficient milk syndrome associated with maternal postpartum hemorrhage. J of Hum Lact 1995; 11(2):123-6
http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/reprod/placenta/endocrine.html/ R. Bowen August 6, 2000
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19591041
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/cannibalism
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15507270