Cincinnati & Dayton Placenta Encapsulation

Energy to do what you need to do.

The placenta is packed full of iron, which is the most important element in building and maintaining the body's blood supply. Replenishing this much blood, rich in iron, after birth is a major task to take on. Having low iron may result in fatigue, lack of concentration, depression, and other symptoms.

It is estimated that up to 50% of US citizens have some form of low iron or anemia. Having low iron often results in lower hormone levels, fatigue, lack of concentration and depressive symptoms. In studies, women with postpartum depression given iron supplements improved greatly.

Got Milk?

The reason placenta pills are thought to help with production of breast milk is because the placenta is packed with valuable nutrients and hormones that have been linked to increasing milk supply, including:

• Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, all hormones that aid in the development of the mammary glands and help to prepare the breasts for lactation.
• Prolactin, which is the key hormone that is responsible for the production of breast milk.

The placenta holds many nutrients that can still be used to benefit you after birth as your body heals.

• Stem Cells and Growth Factors
• Iron – essential for oxygen absorption in the cells
• vitamins B6 – aids in the making of antibodies
• Vitamin E – for healing damaged skin cells
• Oxytocin hormone – essential for facilitating birth and breastfeeding
• Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) – responsible for reducing stress levels
• Cytokins – Fibroblasts that trigger cell metabolism healing and replacing damaged cells and tissue
• Oxytocin- The feel good or love hormone. Creates feelings of bonding, pain relief, happiness and elation.
• Cortisone- This hormone unlocks energy stored in the body and combats stress. (cortisol)
• Interferon- This hormones stimulates the immune system to fight off infections while the mother is healing from birth.
• Prostaglandins- Acts as an anti-inflammatory.
• Hemoglobin- Replenishes iron, stimulates iron production in blood.
• Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII- Lessens bleeding and promotes faster healing.
• Prolactin- Stimulates healthy mammary function and milk production.

80% of mothers experience it in the first days and weeks after giving birth.  Because it is so common, nothing is typically done about it until it worsens into a diagnosis of postpartum depression, at which time anti-depressants may be prescribed. 

However, anti-depressants are passed to the baby through breastmilk, and mothers who do not want to expose their babies to these medications are often faced with the decision to either stop breastfeeding or struggle with depression. 

Placenta Encapsulation may assist you with the "baby blues" without having to pass anti-depressants to your baby.

Safety is important!

You can trust that your placenta is in good hands. You'll know there is zero risk of cross-contamination. Tamara is certified in safe food handling protocols and in bloodborne pathogen prevention protocols. You can rest easy, knowing that your capsules contain only your pure placenta.

See how Tamara preps her kitchen and prepares a placenta

Research Your Options

As with anything, you should do your own research to determine if placenta encapsulation is right for you.

Research suggests there is limited risk of ingestion by the postpartum person. Occasionally people have experienced jitteriness or dizziness after taking the pills and proper care needs to be taken prior to encapsulation to store the placenta properly to ensure safety. If you observe any negative effects, you should discontinue and consult your provider about whether continuing is the right choice for you.

Regardless of whether you are having a home birth or a hospital birth, you should let them know ahead of time of your intentions.

If you are having a hospital birth, you will want to bring this up at the hospital again with your birth team, potentially a couple of times.  Each hospital has different policies and you will most likely have to sign paperwork to take your placenta.   Some hospitals will allow you doula to take the placenta with them immediately after the birth, others will only allow you to take it after you have been discharged and we will need to set up another time in the coming days.

We will not encapsulate your placenta if you have smoked during pregnancy, have any sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis or HIV/Aids.   If you have Strep B during pregnancy, we can talk about methods to disinefct the placenta, with the choice ultimately being yours.

If you developer a fever during childbirth, I may be unable to encapsulate your placenta due to riskk of infection.  We can work with your doctor or midwife to rule infection out to determine if safety.

Each placenta and every women is different.   While the average placenta will allow for about 160 capsules, we have seen placentas provide as little as 100 and some over 200.  

We will provide instructions with your pills, but on average, you will see a suggested dosage of approximately:

• 2-3 capsules up to 3 times per day for the first 1-2 weeks
• 1-2 capsules up to 2 times per day for the next couple of weeks
• 1 pill up to 1 time a day until completed.

You need to store your capsules in a cool, dry, dark place like a cabinet or pantry.   All pills are placed into amber colored jars to prevent as much light from coming through as possible.