This entry probably wasn’t on your bingo card, but what the hell, we’re (sort of) friends here right? For the past four weeks, I’ve been consuming my placenta. Hey, I won’t touch drugs, but I’ll consume my own organs. This seems much more safe anyway. After having my placenta for placed in a cooler immediately following my daughter’s birth, I had a placenta expert do all the dirty work (literally - ew). This process is called placenta encapsulation. In addition to capsules, I had an alcohol tincture and a salve made as well. The alcohol tincture is for when the pills run out, and can be used well into menopause or when my daughter begins menstruation. I’ve been using the salve on my baby’s and my skin.
While evidence on the benefits of placentophagy are sparse, I do actually think it’s doing something for me. I feel a lot more energetic (on less sleep) and less moody, and my skin, hair and nails seem to be extra healthy. In addition, my milk is flowing, and I like that taking the capsules is possibly directly
benefiting my baby.
It might not be the postpartum miracle cure, or the fountain of youth, but it’s definitely helping me along through this new phase of life.