Placenta Encapsulation Important Information & FAQ
Hospital Birth:
If you are having a hospital birth, please let your doctor or midwife and your nurses know that you want to keep your placenta- this is an important item to add to your birth preferences, so that your entire birth team can support you. The hospital will have a separate release form they would like you to sign.
Contraindications:
The placenta should not be used in encapsulation is if the care provider feels that there are signs of infection of the placenta or uterus, or any other signs that it would need to be looked at by pathology. In these cases, the placenta is promptly sent to the lab after birth and is not be able to be used for consumption. If baby shows signs of infection, it may not be safe to consume the pills.
Packaging the Placenta for Transport:
Your doula or nurse can help with the following: please store your placenta in a sealed container (one provided by the hospital, or in a Zip-loc type bag). Place this container over ice (from the ice machine) in a cooler or cooler bag. The placenta can be at room temperature for 4-6 hours after birth, but we want to get it on ice as soon as possible. The hospital does not always have a container for you to store your placenta, so please pack (2) gallon-size zip top bags in your hospital bag, so that you have something to put it in if necessary. Please also bring a small cooler (a foldable small cooler or hot/cold bag from the grocery store will work well). This way, you can put the placenta on ice right away at the hospital.
Transporting the placenta:
Depending upon time and location of birth, we can arrange for me or your doula to transport your placenta to my home. The hospital typically wants the placenta removed within a few hours, and does not allow for storage in a hospital refrigerator. This means that your partner or doula needs to contact me when you are in labor, and when the baby is born.
Sequoia Hospital
If you are birthing at Sequoia Hospital, the packaging and transport will be a bit different, as the hospital has a policy about holding placentas in the lab after birth. I'm happy to talk to you about how it is different, what your options are, and how we'll make it work!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where do you process the placenta?
I process your placenta in my home.
Q: How do you ensure I am receiving my placenta when I receive my pills?
I have a low-volume business, and placentas are labeled appropriately. Each placenta is processed individually, from start to finish.
Q: How do you ensure the safety of the pills/reduce the risk of spread of bacteria/keep me safe from blood-borne pathogens?
I have training in, and follow guidelines for, food safety procedures and procedures for safety with blood-borne pathogens. All equipment is either one-time-use or cleaned and sanitized between each client/processing. All surfaces are cleaned and sanitized before and after each process.
Q: How many pills will I get?
The number of pills is completely dependent on the size of the placenta, which is the ideal size for you and baby. The number can vary quite a bit. Using size 00 capsules, I most frequently see numbers between 75-150.
Q: What is the dosage?
I provide you with instructions upon delivering the capsules. There is a recommended dosage to start with, but I encourage you to follow your body and adjust accordingly.
Q: How do I move forward and secure your services?
Please contact me to ensure my availability. If you're ready to sign on, I'll send you a contract to sign digitally (via HelloSign), and an invoice so that you can pay online (via Square).