Saving Your Placenta After Birth – 10 Things To Do with Your Placenta
Placenta Papercutting Artwork by Light Paper / Placenta Tree Birth Poster Art Print by Ton Arbre de vie
The placenta, often referred to as the “tree of life,” plays a vital role during pregnancy by nourishing and protecting your baby. But what happens to this incredible organ after birth? For many, the placenta is discarded, but increasingly, parents are choosing to honor it in unique and meaningful ways. Here’s a guide to saving your placenta and the top things you can do with it after birth.
Why Save Your Placenta?
The placenta is rich in nutrients and hormones, and many cultures view it as a sacred and powerful organ. Saving your placenta allows you to honor its role in your pregnancy, potentially reap health benefits, and even create lasting mementos. Before deciding, it’s essential to discuss your plans with your healthcare provider and ensure safe handling of the placenta after delivery.
Placenta Encapsulation
Placenta encapsulation is one of the most popular ways to repurpose the placenta. This process involves steaming, dehydrating, and grinding the placenta into powder, which is then placed into capsules. Many believe these capsules can help:
- Boost postpartum recovery
- Balance hormones
- Increase energy levels
- Reduce postpartum depression
Make sure to hire a certified professional to handle the encapsulation process safely and hygienically.
Placenta Smoothies
Some new moms opt to consume their placenta in smoothies. A small piece of raw placenta is blended with fruits, greens, and other ingredients to create a nutrient-packed drink. This method is less common but offers an immediate way to absorb the placenta’s nutrients postpartum.
Make Placenta Tinctures
A placenta tincture involves soaking a piece of placenta in alcohol to extract its essence. This tincture can be used long after the postpartum period to support hormonal balance during menstruation or menopause. Consult a specialist to ensure proper preparation.
Placenta Gummies
Placenta gummies are a modern and convenient way for mothers to consume their placenta postpartum, combining the perceived health benefits with an easy-to-use format. These gummies are typically made by dehydrating the placenta, grinding it into a fine powder, and mixing it with gelatin or plant-based alternatives along with natural flavors like fruit juices or honey. They are believed to help replenish iron levels, balance hormones, and boost energy during the postpartum recovery period.
Placenta gummies offer a more palatable alternative to capsules or tinctures, appealing to mothers who want a discreet and pleasant way to incorporate placenta consumption into their routine. As with all placenta consumption methods, it’s essential to work with a professional encapsulation service to ensure the process is safe and hygienic.
Placenta Prints
A placenta print captures the unique shape and structure of the placenta, resembling a tree. To create one, the placenta is cleaned, and its surface is pressed onto paper using natural pigments or its own blood. Placenta prints serve as a beautiful keepsake to commemorate your pregnancy.
Plant It in a Ceremony
In many cultures, the placenta is buried in a special ceremony to honor its role. Some families plant a tree or shrub over the burial site, symbolizing the ongoing cycle of life. This is a meaningful way to connect with nature and create a living legacy.
How to Plant a Placenta Tree for Your Baby
Planting a placenta tree for your baby is a meaningful way to celebrate new life and connect with nature. To begin, choose a tree species that is native to your area or holds special significance for your family. Select a suitable planting spot with adequate sunlight and space for the tree to grow.
Before planting, bury the placenta in the ground at the chosen site, as it is rich in nutrients that will nourish the tree. Place the tree’s roots over the buried placenta and fill the hole with soil, gently pressing it down to eliminate air pockets. Water the tree thoroughly and continue to care for it by watering, mulching, and protecting it from pests.
Over time, the tree will grow as a living symbol of your baby’s life, creating a lasting bond with nature and providing a beautiful reminder of this special milestone.
Turn Your Placenta Into Keepsakes
Some artists and jewelers specialize in creating keepsakes from the placenta. Examples include:
Placenta Jewelry
Placenta jewelry is a unique and sentimental way to commemorate childbirth, transforming the placenta into a tangible keepsake. This type of jewelry is typically crafted by encapsulating a small portion of dried placenta within resin, often combined with other meaningful materials like breast milk, umbilical cord, or baby’s first curl.
The preserved placenta can be incorporated into rings, necklaces, bracelets, or earrings, creating a one-of-a-kind piece that symbolizes the bond between mother and child. Many parents choose placenta jewelry to celebrate the transformative journey of parenthood and carry a piece of this life-giving organ with them as a cherished memento.
Crafted by specialized artisans, placenta jewelry blends emotional significance with artistry, making it a treasured keepsake for years to come.
Placenta Soap
Placenta soap is a unique skincare product made using extracts from the placenta, often touted for its nourishing and rejuvenating properties. Rich in proteins, amino acids, and other nutrients, the placenta is believed to promote skin hydration, elasticity, and healing. Some mothers use a portion of their placenta to create custom soaps as a way to celebrate childbirth while enjoying potential skincare benefits.
Commercially, placenta soap is typically made with animal-derived placental extracts, particularly from sheep, due to ethical and safety concerns. The soap is often marketed for its anti-aging qualities, helping to reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture. Whether crafted personally or purchased, placenta soap represents an innovative approach to utilizing the placenta’s nutrients in skincare.
These keepsakes offer a tangible reminder of the life-giving bond between you and your baby.
Can You Donate Your Placenta?
Donating your placenta may be something you’re considering, but you may not know where to start.
In some areas, placentas can be donated for medical research or to help others. For example, placental tissue is used in regenerative medicine and burn treatments. Check with local hospitals or research institutions to see if donation is an option.
Placenta Uses After Birth
The uses of placenta after birth can include many different things, from encapsulation to planting it with a tree. Many choose to encapsulate the placenta into pills or prepare it in other forms, such as tinctures or powders, believing it supports postpartum recovery by boosting energy, balancing hormones, and replenishing iron levels. Some families incorporate the placenta into rituals, such as burying it under a tree as a symbol of life and growth.
In scientific fields, placentas are used in research to study stem cells and their potential in regenerative medicine. Additionally, the cosmetic industry utilizes placental extracts in skincare products due to their nutrient-rich properties. Whether for personal, cultural, or scientific purposes, the placenta’s versatility makes it a unique aspect of postpartum care and celebration.
What is Placenta Preservation?
Placenta preservation is the process of preparing and storing the placenta after childbirth to retain its nutrients and potential health benefits. This practice often involves professional services that specialize in methods such as dehydration and encapsulation, creating capsules or powders that the mother can consume postpartum to aid recovery, boost energy, and balance hormones.
Some families choose to freeze the placenta for future use, whether for ceremonial purposes, traditional remedies, or potential medical applications such as stem cell harvesting.
Other preservation methods include making placenta tinctures, salves, or even keepsake items like prints or jewelry. Placenta preservation is a deeply personal choice and should be approached with proper research and guidance from medical professionals to ensure safety and suitability for individual needs.
How to Sell Your Placenta
Selling your placenta is a niche practice that may be permitted in certain areas for specific purposes, such as use in traditional medicine, research, or cosmetic industries. Before considering this option, it’s crucial to research and adhere to local laws and regulations, as the sale of human tissue is restricted or prohibited in many regions.
If legal, you would need to find reputable buyers, such as laboratories, licensed researchers, or businesses specializing in placental extracts. Ensure the placenta is handled and stored correctly, following strict hygiene and preservation guidelines to meet any required standards. Be prepared to provide documentation, including medical and health records, to certify its safety for use. Transparency, ethical considerations, and a clear understanding of the legal framework are essential when exploring this option. Always consult with medical professionals and legal experts before proceeding.
How Much is a Placenta Worth?
The value of a placenta varies greatly depending on its intended use and the region. For example, in traditional medicine or holistic health industries, placentas may be processed into capsules, tinctures, or skincare products, potentially fetching a few hundred dollars for their purported health benefits. In research or biotechnology, a placenta might be valued for its stem cells and unique biological properties, but this often involves regulated agreements rather than direct sales.
Placenta Rituals Across the World
Placenta rituals vary widely across the world, reflecting diverse cultural beliefs about its significance. In Chinese culture, the placenta is often dried and used in traditional medicine, believed to promote healing, vitality, and postpartum recovery for the mother.
Placenta Burials
In many Indigenous cultures, the placenta is viewed as sacred, often buried in a special ceremony to honor the connection between the baby and the earth. For instance, in Māori tradition in New Zealand, the placenta is buried in ancestral land to symbolize the baby’s ties to their heritage. In Bali, the placenta is considered the baby’s spiritual sibling, and a ceremony is held to return it to the earth. Among the Navajo people in the United States, the placenta is buried to ensure the child stays connected to their homeland. In some African cultures, rituals involve burying the placenta near the family home to protect the child and ensure good fortune. These practices highlight the universal recognition of the placenta as a symbol of life, nourishment, and the bond between humans and nature.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Storage and Handling: If you plan to save your placenta, inform your healthcare team ahead of time. Ensure the placenta is stored properly to avoid contamination.
- Local Regulations: Some hospitals have specific policies regarding placenta release. Make sure to check the guidelines in your area.
- Health Considerations: If there were complications during birth or infections, the placenta might not be safe to use.
- Cord Blood: Cord blood, collected immediately after birth, is a rich source of stem cells that can be used for medical treatments and stored for potential future use.
In Conclusion
Your placenta is more than just a temporary organ; it’s a symbol of the connection between you and your baby. Whether you choose to encapsulate it, plant it, or create keepsakes, there are many meaningful ways to honor its role in your pregnancy journey. Take the time to explore your options and choose what feels right for you and your family.
What To Do With Your Placenta
Deciding what to do with your placenta can be a deeply personal and meaningful choice, as it symbolizes the connection between you and your baby during pregnancy. Many people choose to honor it in creative and ceremonial ways. You could plant it beneath a tree or garden as a symbol of new life and growth.
Some opt for placenta encapsulation, where it is processed into capsules believed to offer postpartum health benefits, such as increased energy and hormonal balance. Others use the placenta in art, creating keepsake prints or jewelry as lasting mementos. Some cultures hold sacred ceremonies, burying the placenta in a special place or offering it to nature.
If these options don’t resonate, you can consult with medical facilities about safe disposal. Whatever you decide, the choice should reflect your personal values, beliefs, and connection to this unique aspect of your birthing journey.
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