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Eating placenta...

Oct 12, 2011 - 44 comments
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I was very fortunate that the hospital nurses allowed us to do this but they actually gave us our placenta. They had asked me what I was going to do with it and I honestly just wanted to have a couple of bites of it to help me with bleeding/hormones etc. I know everyone there was pretty grossed out including my husband who had to cut the chunks out, but I ate it and felt very energized afterwards. My recovery has been great so far after a week and postpartum bleeding is less than both prior pregnancies. Just wanted to share this, I know some women encapsulate their placenta and some cook it in different dishes.

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Sounds okay to me ...its been part of you and baby ..why not ..hope you and baby are doing well ...

I totally get why you would do it, and I've known a few women who did this (froze it and ate it later) but...not something I could/would ever do. More power to you though!

eek sorry I forgot to mention..I didn't eat my placenta (obviously re: my previous response) but I only bled for a few days total and it was only heavy for about 6 hours post-partum...so maybe the placenta wasn't the reason that your bleeding was shorter (I bled for 6 weeks straight heavily after my first)...but either way, from what I understand...can't hurt and it's definitely got good nutrients!

I didn't know women did this. I guess you can do that, but it's not something I could ever do.

o_0

I use to practice mid-wifeing and that is a common practice when a woman is bledding excessively during and right after labor. Plus it has nutrients in it you cant get anywhere else. I kept mine for several years to use in a demonstration for a moderate smoker. versus my mid wife was a non smoker. Also its usually mixed with orange juice or in a drink.........

My mother kept hers in the downstairs freezer. I'm not sure what she wanted to do with them. She did mention that they fertilize trees really well.

For real?

I know a few women who have planted them at the base of trees and I know in third world countries a few people eat them. I personally have never read about anyone doing it in the states, but if it works for ya.

For real?

'Placentophagia' as it is known, does occur and had and has been practised in certain communities.

Many stories about it...I think it sounds reasonable compared to some other stuff humans do ..that today we have to accept as 'normal' .I also have heard about it being used as a fertiliser..

The nurses allowed me to do it only if they could watch me actually eat it because they have never seen anyone do it before. What I have always found fascinating though is that we are one of the only mammals that does not commonly eat the placenta after birth, whereas other mammals so by nature.

It disturbed me to think that hospitals consider the placenta bio-hazard material and do not allow you to take it with you. What those nurses allowed me to do was not hospital policy by any means, but I was so grateful that they allowed me to do it.

My friend had hers turned into capsules and took them like vitamins after she had her baby. She offered me the number to do it but I couldn't wrap my mind around it. All the power to you, I can understand the reasoning but I have a weak gag reflex and can't even eat certain foods like sushi cause the thought if raw fish turns my stomach, hahaha! I had a really good recovery without it, heavy bleeding stopped by the morning (he was born at 11:35pm) and my recovery was remarkable. I was in hospital for a week cause my little guy had jaundice so I had lots of relaxing :)

Even placenta recipies are available on the net!

I've heard of it before. My midwife wanted to know if I wanted to take mine home. I didn't want to but I definitely wanted to see it. It's facinating how much power it actually has. I'm not sure if I'd want to eat mine either but I think making it into capsules like krichar said would be something I would consider!

Soooo, what did it taste like? What recipe did you use?

Oh my god!!!!!!! this is the first time i have ever read about it. This is really disgusting it's not something for me as i believe. Wishing u the best!

I do know animals do it but the purpose in that is to clean up after the birth. Not something I would do but I understand some women doing it.

It is a common practice in some cultures. Not exactly culturally or socially acceptable in the Western world. Lack of energy after childbirth is related to blood loss, sleep deprivation and hormonal changes. There are a ton of different ways to rebuild iron stores. Iron supplements and many foods will help also. Lean red meats accompanied with orange juice help the body to absorb iron best. Other sources are cream of wheat, dark leafy green vegies, whole grains, almonds, raisins. New Mom's also need to resist the urge to be supermom, being mindful to sleep when baby does.

so Tom Cruise....... i wouldnt dream of it ive known a few people who did the whole tree thing... i know the placenta is full of great vitamins but no not for me

That's really neat. I had no idea that one could do that. I'm going to look it up! The Internet is a great place...lol :)

I'm a vegetarian primarily (did crave some meat though during pregnancy) so as you can only imagine meat isn't very appealing to me. I ate my placenta raw and uncooked and literally within the hour of it coming out. My husband put it on a napkin and I chewed it up and ate it. I know this sounds entirely gross for some. It tasted slightly salty and was very chewy. It was actually still kind of warm so it wasn't that bad at all. I think it may have been harder to eat if it was actually cold.

I did this because I did not have a cooler or a way to get this out of the hospital to take it home and cook it. Plus I wanted to help my uterus clamp down. There are some great recipes though online where women stir-fry their placenta and eat it that way. I have always wanted to do this so was really grateful that I had the opportunity with our 3rd child.

That is interesting.. I am having a hard time post partum. My friend got me progesterone cream to help because she said when the placenta leaves it takes all the stuff that keeps us balanced at the end of our pregnancy. I had heard of that but not really thought of it myself. The capsules if I had thought of or given the option I may have done though as to help with my emotions. It sounds like you were eating raw meat. I have tasted raw steak before and that is how I would have described it.

Doesn't sound gross.. sounds pretty reasonable for someone to do ..all the nutrients from your body that helped your child into the world ..just a mom doing what she needs to do ...good luck hope baby is doing well ....

Thank you we are doing good, lol I breastfeed so he is literally attached to me for most of the day and night.

Sounds good to me ... my Daughter literally walked around with hers attached to her all day ... she has six at home and they are so bonded and well grounded ...so something worked well .

8-x

hahah I just read my post I mean 6 at home not being walked around all together LOL

Couldn't you just drink a V8 juice and pop a multi-vitamin? There are many other ways to get your nutrients. My gasterologist is certain I will need a liver transplant but i've decided not to eat it. Is it really much different? We dont eat other organs or body parts so I dont understand the exception?

Randy

Too bad you can't get some fresh placenta at your local grocery store. I need a pick me up.

hmmmm: I dont know if I could eat mine either my daughter was 9lbs 7ozs and the placenta was very big and very bloody it almost looks like its full of blood, so how did it taste? I think the hosiptal runs it to make sure its all out of the uteras then tosses it but im not 100% sure, I could see the capsules but not eating it

rpoo: You are one funny guy!!!

I bet your answer will be: " You're a guy and that's why you don't understand"...

Let's just chalk this up to : "To each his own". LOL

Animal mamas eat their placenta to clean the nest quickly and keep her babies from accidentally ingesting rotting, bacteria-ridden tissue by the next day or two---but primarily so that the nest has as little odor as possible to keep marauding outsiders from smelling the nest and eating the young. They also clean their young and ingest all urine and fecal matter for several days. When the nest smells, they move the family to new "digs" (some literally, LOL!) We don't eat our babies' feces or urine--why just the placenta, if we really want to learn from our animal friends? I know, I'm being perverse. I respect each and every mama here, and if y'all want a placenta sammitch, go for it! If you've had the kid you're more than entitled.
Okay, so if it's okay to eat placenta, why did our mamas slap us when we thought about eating boogers and scabs and fingernails? They come from us. Who knows, in a few years they'll be telling us to eat them, too.....

There is some information here worth mentioning, There has been some experimental work suggesting that placentophagia does reduce the pain after childbirth.May be some mothers unknowigly did find the results. Women are instinctive by nature!

Placenta ingestion enhances opiate analgesia in ratsMark B. Kristal, Alexis C. Thompson, Holly L. Grishkat

Physiology & Behavior
Volume 35, Issue 4, October 1985, Pages 481-486

'Unknowingly'- typhographic error regretted.

But the experimental model is yet to be reduplicated in humans but yet gives an insight.

I have honestly never heard of this being done by humans. Learn something new everyday. I just had my 7th baby, 8 weeks ago, and you do tend to bleed more, the more children you have. But I'll just stick with the pitocin :)

I have mine in the deep freeze. I plan on burying it and planting a shrub or tree over it. I didn't get around to it this year so I'll have to wait until the spring. I thought about eating it myself but opted against it. It's a good thing to do but I'm a bit squimish.

I thought I would be too, squeamish but it really wasn't that bad at all.

There was a report on this on our local news. Just thought i would share what i learned, because i found it very interesting. In over 178 cultures researched it is not done by humans. Some cultures have rituals where they plant them or burn them as they look at it as a source of life but do not eat it. They also interviewed an OBGYN who stated that there is no other nutritional value other then protien in the palcenta. He said that it is not a vital storage of hormones or vitimans, it is just the organ that feeds it from our body to the babys. Just stating what i heard...

I have heard the same research, Krichar. Although generally not thought to be harmful, like any organ once removed from the body it can quickly become hazardous if not handled/prepared properly.

Studies have shown no PROVEN benefit....but if it has a placebo affect, then maybe for the women who do it, it's worth it. I know that I had a super quick recovery and very little bleeding (2 days of light bleeding) after my 2nd child was born, and no placenta-eating here...so I'm not convinced it's really the difference.

BUT with that said...there are professional placenta chefs (yes, I feel odd just typing that) who can SAFELY prepare it for consumption or help you store it in your house if you wish. Remember, it's not just callousness that makes doctors consider it "hazardous waste"...it's an expelled human organ, replete with all the dangers that come with any organ removed from the body.

But as I've said before...if you truly want to do it (safely) and feel like it's making a difference in your recovery, science can't prove that it's NOT beneficial..it just can't prove that it IS.

Oh I agree!! I just thought it was interesting this thread was on here and then on my news a few short weeks later. To each their own and i would never judge someones personal opions or choices :)

I know, I was agreeing with you...I was just...elaborating, as well. Which I always tend to do, lol.

I really can't judge anyone's habits but I could never eat a waste product either!

Eating placenta...

placenta

eating placenta

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