Tips for Taking Home the Placenta: Placentophagy

For expecting mothers who want to practice the art of placentophagy, transporting the placenta from the hospital or birthing center to home before it spoils is a critical task. The placenta, like any other fresh organ, is full of blood that will coagulate and spoil at room temperature. Before preservation can take place, women must first ensure they have access to the placenta.

Before going into active labor or checking in for a scheduled C-section, women need to check with the hospital authorities to ensure they have access to the placenta. There have been legal cases pertaining to the ownership of the placenta, so few hospitals are going to tell women they cannot have the placenta after birth. If baby will be born in birthing center or at home, placenta preservation is a simpler task.

After approval has been gained, pregnant women need to write the intentions for the placenta in a birth plan that will be given to all attending nurses and the obstetrician attending the birth. The husband, partner or friend attending the birth must also have a copy of the birth plan. It is a good idea to designate someone as the placenta guide. This person will need to be fully trained in placenta preservation before the birth.

How to Preserve the Placenta for Placentophagy

Pack a large plastic container with a tight fitting lid in the hospital bag. This container is where the placenta will be placed after birth. In addition to the plastic container, a small cooler with ice will also be needed. Immediately after the placenta has been delivered and cut, it needs to be placed in the plastic container and sealed. The container then needs to be moved to the cooler with ice. The placenta guide can then take the placenta home where it should be placed in the freezer. Freezing the placenta does not hinder the nutritional benefits.

Tips for Eating the Placenta

After returning home from the birth, mom can decide how she wants to consume the placenta. Capsules are the simplest form of consumption, but the placenta will need to be dried properly and encapsulated in edible vitamin capsules. There are also recipes including placenta smoothies and placenta main dishes for mom's who wish to consume the placenta in a more natural form. It is best to add a bit of placenta to each meal instead of eating the entire placenta in one sitting as the vitamin and nutrients can help mom over the course of a couple months in this manner.

More Pregnancy Health Articles by Summer Cavalier-Banks

Controlling Weight Gain During First Trimester Important

Testing for HIV During Labor Good Choice

Pregnancy? How to Deal With Unexcited Parents