The Amazing Benefits of Placenta Encapsulation

Every new mom waits for that moment when she gets to meet her brand new baby. When she envisions those first few weeks, she sees love, nurturing and complete adoration. What most moms don’t foresee is the possibility of low milk supply, exhaustion and depression. The good news is there is help! There is power in your placenta and many women around the world have already realized the power in their own placenta.

For centuries, the placenta has been revered for it’s symbolism of life. In some cultures such as Vietnam and China, the placenta is viewed as a life-giving force and is dried and added to certain placenta recipes in order to increase a person’s energy and vitality. In Indonesia, the placenta is seen as the baby’s twin or elder sibling and is perceived as the baby’s guardian throughout life. It is the father’s responsibility to clean, wrap, and bury the placenta on the day of the birth. Filipino mothers are known to bury the placenta with books, in hopes of a smart child. In western medicine however, the placenta is regarded as mere human waste. In fact, humans are the only mammals that do not routinely consume their placenta.

 

• Offer natural pain relief from the labor and birth of the baby – Research has shown that ingesting placenta increases the effectiveness of opioids. The mother would need to take much less pain medication to reach the same desired pain management. The women would experience less pharm logical side effects and better maternal responsiveness.
• Help establish early and healthy milk supply – In a study where women were given placenta to consume, 86% reported increased milk production within 4 days. Research is still being done to completely narrow down exactly which hormones react with human milk supply to give it a boost. Mothers who have experienced Toxemia or preeclampsia during pregnancy may find that their milk is slow to come in. Consuming placenta directly after birth has shown in many cases to help this.
• To stabilize your ever changing hormones post birth –
• To replenish your B vitamins and energy that were used during the labor and birthing process
• Protection from infection and bleeding due to retained placenta tissue or membrane-
• Helps Resolves postpartum issues like high blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine – Women that have suffered from high blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine find that consuming their placenta postpartum soothes her kidneys and helps to resolves these symptoms more quickly than if it was left untreated.

During and after a normal vaginal delivery (including post-natal bleeding) a new mother will lose between 1/8 to 1/10 of her body’s blood supply, with cesarean section births blood loss can be significantly more.  Losing a large amount iron so quickly can cause anemia, leaving a new mum feeling tired, faint and exhausted.  The blood needs high supplies of iron to carry oxygen to the cells – low supplies of oxygen leave your cells starving and less able to heal after trauma.  The placenta benefits the new mother by supplying incredibly rich meaty iron, amino acids and essential fats which we believe is the perfect replenishment following the ordeal of birth.

Stem cells and growth factors in the placenta play a key role in healing the wound left inside the uterus after birth by the separation of the placenta from the uterine wall.  A mother will typically bleed for 3-6 weeks after birth, blood loss stemmed from this wound.  We have found however that mothers who consume their placenta after birth, particularly after consuming raw placenta in a smoothie or other bleed significantly less, usually much lighter bleeding for just 5-10 days after birth.

The most important nutrients found in rich supply in the placenta include:

• 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.

The placenta benefits a healing mother after birth in many forms.  Placenta smoothies, capsules, creams, tincuters, essences and homeopathic remedies can all be made using the placenta; each having their own benefit to the body and encouraging a quicker more natural recovery after birth.

info from www.placentanetwork.com and Full Circle Placenta Encapsulation.