Frequently Asked Question - Placenta Solutions Encapsulation

£80 Deposit is Non-Refundable 

**Please be aware, if your Placenta cannot be used for any reason your £80.00 deposit is non refundable, this will cover all our costs and time **

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PLACENTA COOL PACK - SENT OUT ONCE BALANCE OR DEPOSIT PAID

Don't throw anything away you will need everything to return back to us including the Cardboard box. Remember to pop your ice packs into the freezer straight away ready for the big day.

Hand over your placenta cool box to your midwife there are guidelines in the box in the poly pocket - Ensure your midwife / yourself signs and completes the Placenta Release Form.

It is important the placenta is cooled within 30 minutes. 

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IS IT SAFE TO CONSUME MY PLACENTA? WILL IT NOT BE FULL OF WASTE AND TOXINS FROM MY BODY ?

Providing you are a non- smoker and your placenta has been birthed onto a clean surface, then your placenta is safe to consume following our strict guidelines.

We do not offer placenta encapsulation for smokers due to it retaining toxins which are associated with smoking.

ARE MIDWIVES AND CONSULTANTS SUPPORTIVE OF ME CONSUMING MY PLACENTA?

Placentaophagy is consistently growing at a steady pace within the United Kingdom and even more so in The United States of America, perhaps due to many celebrities choosing to consume their placenta and new mothers following the current trend, with a marked increase within the last decade! Midwives and other health professionals have regular exposure to a growing number of new mothers who choose Placentaophagy with many reporting how fantastic the health benefits are following delivery and commencement of their capsules. Thankfully, support and acceptance continues amongst midwives. In fact, many Placenta Remedies Network specialists are midwives themselves!

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DO YOU SUPPLY THE PLACENTA COOLING KIT & RETURN CAPSULES 

As part of the service we provide your placenta cooling kit, the collection of your placenta by our dedicated couriers and return of your capsules. 

Your Placenta Cooling kit will only be sent once the full balance (if baby due in less than two weeks when ordering) or a £50 deposit paid.

Remember to put your ice packs straight into the freezer ready for the big day!

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WHEN WILL YOU COLLECT MY PLACENTA?

Our dedicated and specially licenced couriers will collect your placenta from your home or any other residential address of your choice, usually next day depending on which day of the week the baby is born. Collection day covers an all day time window, so if you are going to be out then please select an alternative address where someone will be at home, your courier will bring your return label. Be sure to complete and pop in your Placenta Release Form (supplied in your Placenta cooling kit) We will keep in good contact with you throughout, providing you with a no hassle, seamless service !

CAN VEGANS OR VEGATARIANS CONSUME THEIR PLACENTA

Placenta is technically meat, it is your own, however, no farming has taken place, their has been no mistreatment.

Our capsules are suitable for vegans/vegatarians there is no gelatine in our capsules, therefore it is safe to eat. Many vegetarian / vegan mothers have craved meat during their pregnancies and opted for placenta encapsulation with good effects reported.

IS CONSUMING YOUR PLACENTA CANNIBALISM?

No, it’s not cannibalism for a mother to eat her own placenta, as it is her organ (shared with her baby) nobody has suffered as a result of her obtaining.

WHY DON’T HUMANS INSTINCTIVELY AND ROUTINELY CONSUME THEIR PLACENTA WHEN MOST OTHER LAND MAMMALS DO?

Women have moved away from consuming their placenta due to evolution.

It is thought following the discovery of fire, a heavy metal known as Cadmium can build up in the placenta which may have caused sickness , this is why cigarette smokers cannot have their placenta encapsulated. It is believed many thousands of years ago women developed a natural instinct of avoiding their placenta as women were primarily responsible for keeping the fire going and with that responsibility came the risk of cadmium poisoning ?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STEAMED AND SIMPLE CAPSULE PREPARATION? WHICH SHOULD I CHOOSE?

The placenta is either steamed before dehydrating (Steamed preparation) or it is dehydrated from raw (Simple preparation). The Steamed option is loosely based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles, with lemon (grounding), ginger (circulation) and chilli (warming) in steaming water.

Feedback from mothers is directly comparable for both preparations, so whichever you choose, you end up with very potent capsules.

Simple preparation tends to yield 10-15% more capsules than the Steamed option, the majority of new mothers select the Simple option.

WHAT IS THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE PLACENTA ESSENCE & TINCTURE?

Placenta Essence has been described as an effective daily remedy for perking up or calming down and to be reached for when feeling under the weather emotionally or physically.

Placenta Tincture is much more potent and has been reported in re-balancing hormones which can become distressed during Pre-menstrual Syndrome or Menopause. The Tincture may also be used as a base for homeopathic remedies. 

WILL PLACENTA CAPSULES BOOST MY MILK SUPPLY AND WARD OFF “BABY BLUES” AND POSTNATAL DEPRESSION?

What we do know is the hormonal composition of the placenta and the effect these hormones can have on a new mother. Those in highest concentrations are:-

  • Corticotropin (CRH) the body’s natural stress relieving hormone found at its most concentrated in the placenta. When your placenta goes, so does this concentrated stash of this precious hormone.

  • Oxytocin not only for bonding, but also for pain relief, contracting the uterus and facilitating the release of breastmilk.

  • Human Placental Lactogen (HPL) for stimulating mammary gland function

  • Prolactin for stimulating milk production

What we don’t have is any scientific research or evidence-based studies on the effects of new mothers consuming their placenta. Research requires substantial funding and as none of the large corporates with available budget stand to profit from new mothers’ consuming their own placenta, this field of research remains untapped.

What we do have is anecdotal evidence from many new mothers who have reported benefits from consuming their own placenta.

 

HOW DO I KEEP MY PLACENTA SAFE AFTER GIVING BIRTH? WHAT DO I NEED TO PREPARE?

Your placenta will need to start chilling within 30 minutes of its arrival, so it reaches less than 8°c within 4 hours, so make sure your birth partner, attending midwife and consultant are fully aware of your wishes. Your PRN member will provide you with detailed guidelines to share with them on how to safely handle your placenta and most provide safe storage packs as part of their service.

Safe storage packs include a clean, labelled container with a new leak-proof food storage bag inside, a good quality cool bag and enough ice blocks to make up at least 10% of the volume of the cool bag.

Homebirths: transfer the container to the fridge within 30 minutes of placenta’s arrival.

Hospital Births: transfer the container to the cool bag and surround with frozen ice blocks within 30 minutes of placenta’s arrival, then transfer to a fridge within 12 hours.

WILL MY BIRTH PARTNER OR I HAVE TO HANDLE THE PLACENTA?

Not unless you want to! Your birth partner may be asked to place the container in the cool bag/fridge, but usually the midwives will make sure your placenta is safely inside the leak-proof food bag and container before handing it over. In any event, if you’re squeamish don’t worry, your midwife won’t be and will be happy to help if you ask.

HOW DO I GET MY PLACENTA TO MY SPECIALIST AFTER GIVING BIRTH?

Your specialist or the specialist courier will come to collect your placenta as soon as possible after being notified. If you give birth in hospital, collection is usually from there. You should notify your specialist as soon as your placenta is ready for collection, but certainly within 12 hours of giving birth. Basically, the sooner your specialist can get started, the sooner you can start taking your capsules.

CAN MY PLACENTA BE PREPARED IN MY OWN HOME?

No, Unfortunately not as there is too much equipment.

HOW DO I KNOW THE CAPSULES CONTAIN MY PLACENTA?

Our staff are all highly trained and adhere to a detailed Code of Conduct in providing their services. They never work on more than one placenta at a time and follow very strict protocols to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination. 

HOW LONG DOES THE ENCAPSULATION PROCESS TAKE?

Your specialist should get your capsules back to you within 72 hours of collection, depending on which day of the week your baby is born it can be delayed if bank holidays and weekends. If there is an unavoidable delay, your specialist should keep you informed.

HOW MANY CAPSULES WILL I GET AND HOW DO I TAKE THEM?

Placentas can vary enormously in size and weight, just like babies! On average, a full-term placenta will yield around 130 steamed preparation capsules and 150 simple (from raw) preparation capsules.

Taking capsules with food or a drink rich in Vitamin C (eg. orange juice) is recommended to aid absorption.

We usually recommend taking 1-2 capsules 3 times a day initially to see how you get on, taking more or less as you see fit. Each new mother and their placenta is unique, so it’s finding a balance that works for you.

HOW DO I STORE MY CAPSULES SAFELY?

Store in a cool, dry, dark place, but not the fridge due to risk of moisture from condensation.

It is recommended to consume your capsules within 6 months of the date of preparation.

WATER BIRTH?

Yes! Many women find water can relieve the intensity of labour and that it can ease the transition of birth for the baby. However, if your placenta is birthed into the pool after the birth of your baby, unfortunately it’s not considered safe to consume. Please deliver the placenta onto a dry surface - Usually the midwives like to get you out of the pool as otherwise they are unable to estimate an accurate blood loss in the pool.

I FROZE MY PLACENTA - CAN IT STILL BE USED?

As long as your placenta has been frozen for less than 6 months, was handled and stored safely, including starting to chill or freeze within 30 minutes of giving birth, then all should be well.

CAN I HAVE A LOTUS BIRTH AND ENCAPSULATE MY PLACENTA?

Lotus birth is when the baby is left connected to the placenta until the cord naturally dries and detaches – usually after 3-4 days – during which time the placenta can be routinely rubbed with salt and herbs. Although a true lotus birth and placenta encapsulation are mutually exclusive, there are still ways to benefit from other placenta remedies and have a lotus birth. Your Placenta Specialist should be able to help you.

CAN I DONATE CORD BLOOD OR HAVE CORD BLOOD BANKING?

Yes. Just make certain your cord blood care providers are totally clear on your wishes to consume your placenta, so no swabs are used during the process and most importantly, your placenta is not left out at room temperature for longer than necessary.

I’M RUNNING LOW ON CAPSULES - IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO?

If you’re running low or have some capsules left over and wish to have longer-term remedies made, contact your specialist. You can have a tincture or homeopathic remedies prepared from dried placenta powder, or the best plan would be to order the tincture at the same time as you order the capsules, this is a potent, lifelong remedy which can be used once the capsules are finished.

If your specialist is registered and certified in the preparation of cosmetics, creams and balms, they will also be able to prepare personalised skincare products for you like facial oil, stretch mark oil, whipped body cream, moisturising balm using oil infused with your very own placenta oil.  For more details please ask your specialist.

I HAVE CAPSULES LEFT OVER. CAN I SAVE THEM FOR FUTURE PREGNANCIES, FUTURE POSTNATAL RECOVERY OR TO HELP EASE MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS?

The capsules have a 6 month shelf life.  Due to hormones that can cause the uterus to contract, your placenta remedies should NOT be consumed when pregnant.

Each placenta is unique and will contain the right balance of hormones and nutrients required by you and your baby at that point in time. We advise a fresh set of remedies for each postnatal recovery, as they will be finely tuned to your body’s requirements.

For a longer-term remedy, potentially to ease menopausal symptoms, the most stable recommendation is to make a tincture. This can be prepared with fresh placenta immediately after giving birth, or later with dried placenta powder. Your specialist will be able to support you with this.

CAN I SHARE MY PLACENTA REMEDIES WITH OTHERS?

No, with the exception of the homeopathic remedies prepared for you and your baby, all remedies are recommended for the mother’s use only, do not share with others.

WHAT IF I AM INDUCED, HAVE MEDICATED LABOUR AND BIRTH OR A C-SECTION?

Medication, analgesia or local anaesthetic that can commonly present themselves during labour and birth are not contraindicated for consuming your placenta. Any traces found in the placenta are not in significant enough quantities to be a problem.

If you birth your baby by c-section, just make sure the midwife looking after you on the day is aware of your wishes and they will usually take your container into theatre with them.

WHAT IF I GO OVERDUE?

Your Estimated Due Date (EDD) is exactly that – estimated. If you hang on beyond your Estimated Delivery Date, your placenta will keep functioning and if everything else is going well, it will be fine for consumption providing you are a non smoker .

Your specialist will carry out procedure as normal and is used to this in this line of work.

WHAT IF MY BABY IS BORN EARLY/PREMATURE?

Babies are considered full term from 37 weeks onwards. If your baby is born before 37 weeks, it may be necessary or you may be asked if your placenta can be examined further. Often, you have a choice and often, the only consideration is that you may have a slightly smaller placenta.

If your placenta is sent to Pathology/Histology then it’s no longer safe to consume, even if it’s returned to you, as you cannot be certain if the placenta has been contaminated with chemicals or instruments.

Your specialist will by default expect the unexpected, so if your baby arrives early they will be ready to support you, or definitely help find someone at short notice who can.

MANAGED 3RD STAGE (INJECTION ADMINISTERED TO SPEED UP DELIVERY OF PLACENTA)

It is safe to have your placenta encapsulated if opting for managed third stage (Oxytocin injection) this will help to speed up the delivery of the placenta the traces will be minimal.

 

WHAT IF MY PLACENTA IS RETAINED/REMOVED IN THEATRE?

In terms of preparing your placenta for consumption, it makes no difference if it’s removed in theatre or in sections. What’s important here is that your midwife is aware of your wishes and keeps your placenta safe. If a a manual removal has taken place in theatre it is still ok to encapsulate it will just make our job easier!

MECONIUM (BABY POO) DURING THE BIRTH?

Raw placenta smoothies are not recommended from placentas exposed to meconium. If you have opted for the Simple (from raw) preparation capsules, then your Specialist will switch to the Steamed preparation instead. All other remedies are unaffected.

ARE THERE ANY UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN MY PLACENTA CANNOT BE USED?

It’s quite rare for a placenta to be rendered unsuitable for consumption, especially if the team supporting you at your birth are fully aware of your wishes. But it can happen, mostly due to one of the following:-

  • The placenta has not been stored or chilled correctly

  • Placental/Uterine infection confirmed – your placenta can be swabbed then frozen pending results.

  • Placenta is sent to Pathology/Histology for testing then returned – your placenta may have become contaminated with chemicals.

If your placenta does end up being unsuitable for consumption, you ALWAYS have the option for homeopathic remedies to be made, as no physical part of the placenta is consumed. Your Specialist will be able to help you with this.

I SMOKE A FEW CIGARETTES A DAY - IS IT OK TO CONSUME MY PLACENTA?

Unfortunately not, as cigarette smoke contains high levels of cadmium, a heavy metal that builds up in the placental tissue over time. Consuming your placenta would put you at increased risk of cadmium poisoning.

GROUP B STREP (GBS) INFECTION - CAN I STILL CONSUME MY PLACENTA?

Yes! However raw placenta smoothies and simple preparation capsules are not recommended. Steamed preparation capsules which will ensure any GBS bacteria is removed before dehydration is recommended. All other remedies are unaffected.

HIV, AIDS, HEPB, HEPC OR CJD. CAN I STILL HAVE MY PLACENTA ENCAPSULATED?

You can, but unfortunately not by Placenta Solutions member as despite the strict infection control/sanitation protocols which are in place, we have opted not to place ourselves at increased risk. Many specialists offer help, support and even equipment to guide you through preparing your placenta yourself. Please ask for further information.

MEDICATION - CAN I STILL HAVE PLACENTA REMEDIES MADE?

Yes, depending on medication. Booking can be confirmed once you have approval from your GP or Consultant .

REPORTED SIDE EFFECTS

Mothers who engage with Placenta Remedies Specialists & Placenta Solutions to benefit postnatally from their placenta are asked to complete a short questionnaire 6 weeks following birth, which includes a section on reporting any side effects they feel may have been caused by their capsules. It’s not often we receive anything less than super positive feedback, but it’s important to tell you if we do.

This list is in order of frequency reported, starting with the most frequently reported side-effect down to the least. The number of times reported is noted in brackets.

  • Mild headache which eased when dosage of placenta capsules reduced (8)

  • Oversupply of milk which eased when dosage of placenta capsules reduced (4)

  • Reduction in their milk supply (3)

  • Baby acne/spots on baby’s face (2)

  • Energy rush following administration of placenta capsules (2)

  • Feeling queasy (1)

  • Feeling spaced out (1)

  • Hot flushes (1)

  • Joint pain when breastfeeding at night (1)

Placenta Remedies Network (PRN ‘18) Total 264 respondents from Jan 2017 to October 2018.