Off Topic: encapsulating placenta?

Body: 

Has anyone here done this? Did you notice a difference in your pp recovery? My midwife has begun to do this service for clients, but only if the client is serious about it. I don't blame her, since it is time consuming and she is getting into advanced pregnancy herself. I like the meaningfulness imparted to the placenta, but have a teeny-tiny gag reflex going on in the back of my mind when I think about the actual ingestion. Anyways, love to hear your thoughts.

Hey bad_mirror,

I have encapsulated placentas or prepared them for ingestion or medicinal use in a variety of other ways for many years now for those who are drawn to consuming theirs. Yes, most have noticed, at the very least, a very balanced pp recovery or one that is much fuller of energy and well-being than they expected. Many feel like it is a huge help to blood loss issues (as in losing too much blood or recovery from it).

The placenta takes over much of the production of hormones that sustain and develop a pregnancy, so it is a perfect hormonal match to the needs of the mother and baby. The more I work with placentas, the more I am confused by pharmaceuticals made by a machine used to treat problems that the placenta is especially designed to help (pp depression, hemorrhage, etc).

Ah yes - the gag reflex - some women prefer dried and encapsulated for this very reason. Arguably, if you are gagging at the thought, perhaps your body actually doesn't want it? I gag at some types of food despite the fact I know they are good for me, so i just take it as a message.

Interestingly, I have seen women who could not even look at their placentas then ask me later to prepare it for them to consume - they say they can't explain it, but they can't resist the feeling that it needs to be done.

We are still animals (and the only mammal that i know of that does not regularly consume at least some of the placenta! And the only one with such extensive and extreme pp difficulty...food for thought, 'scuse the pun ;) )

You can google placentophagy
This is a good site, too http://placentabenefits.info/medicinal.asp

I ate mine with my last two births and I do think it makes a difference.
I did it raw and right away- which I think is really the best way to go about it.
Dh removed the membranes, then cut inch cubes and put them on a plate. I swallowed them whole over about an hour.
Prior to doing it, the idea intrigued me, but it also kinda grossed me out. But I did the research anyway and in the moment there was absolutely nothing gross about it.

Thanks aza and alemama. Good things to consider. I ceretainly don't read/hear bad things about ingesting one's placenta. Just have some lingering Western squeamishness, I guess. If a Dr. of TCM were to give me a preparation with placenta as an ingredient, I would not think twice. Interesting I feel so indecisive regarding my own! Well, I haven't much time to decide! :-) Thanks again.