I first heard about placenta encapsulation during the second trimester of my second pregnancy. One of my close friends had just had her third baby and she decided to have her placenta encapsulated for the first time. My friend testified to the immense health and recovery benefits received. My initial reaction was part disgust and part inquisitiveness. Consuming one’s placenta seemed a bit strange but it has numerous benefits to the post-partum mother. I began my own research on the subject and soon discovered for myself the healthful benefits behind placentophagy. My research told me that the placenta provides a balancing of hormones after giving birth and also helps combat iron deficiency and post-partum depression which is fairly common after one has given birth. Placenta ingestion aids the healing process, increases milk supply, and helps combat fatigue. I talked to my midwife about placenta encapsulation and she was very positive about it. I also talked with my sister who had recently had a baby and had her placenta encapsulated for ingestion. Everything I read and heard about placenta encapsulation was extremely positive. By the time I entered my third trimester, I had secured a placenta encapsulation specialist to process my placenta once our daughter was born.
The process was easy. After birthing the placenta and the midwife looking it over to make sure it was intact etc, we called the encapsulation specialist. Within a few hours she arrived at our home. She brought all the equipment needed to steam and dehydrate my placenta. We chatted for a few brief moments and she got right to work. After about an hour my placenta was dehydrating (a process that takes twenty-four hours). The following day she returned to ground and encapsulate the processed placenta (she also made a tincture for later use). I started taking the capsules that evening and continued taking them according to her directions.
The results were amazing! Within a day I had more energy and the pain and soreness had decreased. My milk supply was (and still is) very good. My bleeding decreased to almost nothing within nine days. My uterus contracted down so quickly that I was able to fit into a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans in less than two weeks. Within a few days I felt like I had not even had a baby! I continued to have phenomenal energy levels. I am thoroughly impressed with the benefits I received from taking placenta capsules and I can say without a doubt that I will have my placenta encapsulated with my future pregnancies!