Placenta Encapsulation
The benefits of placenta encapsulation include:
- Decrease in baby blues and postpartum depression.
- Increase and enrich breastmilk.
- Increase in energy.
- Decrease in lochia, postpartum bleeding.
- Decrease iron deficiency.
- Decrease insomnia or sleep disorders.
- Decreases postpartum "night sweats".
Encapsulation services are provided by our wonderful apprentice Jamie Bradley. She will pick up your placenta and process it with loving care. Call Jamie at 612.703.2740 for more information.
If you would like to encapsulate yourself, here are some helpful instructions
Supplies Needed:
Gloves
Steamer for stove top
Fresh ginger and lemon
Cutting Board (I recommend disposable cutting boards from Cut N Toss)
Knife
Capsules, 150-200
Dehydrator ( I use a Nesco American Harvest )
Food Processor or Coffee Grinder
Sanitizer and bleach
1. First take placenta, place in colander in sink. Rinse under cold water removing and blood clots.
2. Place on cutting board and severe cord at base. It may bleed a little bit. If you prefer to to the raw method you would thinly slice the placenta after you have cleaned it. Laying the slices on dehydrator trays(or in the oven), keeping the temp below 118F to preserve maximum nutrients and keep enzymes intact.
If you are steaming it on the stove, wrap placenta membrane fetal side around placenta into a ball. Place lemon & ginger in water in steamer. Put placenta in steam basket and cover. Steam on medium for about 15mins on *each side*. Bleed whiling steaming. Slice up placenta into thin strips at this point. If you are using a low oven to dehydrate your placenta, set oven to lowest temp. It takes 6-8hrs to dehydrate depending on method used.Steamed sliced placenta. Try to keep all strips uniform in thickness and length so they dehydrate evenly. I would then cut these in half again. Slice as thinly as possible.
3. Preparing dehydrator, lining trays with wax paper for easier clean up. Place in dehydrator for about 6-8hrs.
4. Using a strong grinder, grind placenta strips. I hear magic bullet works well. You may need to break dehydrate strips in half prior to grinding. I broke a coffee mill this way and had to "donate" my food processor to the cause. During the grinding process add dried herbs if desired. Per mother's request I will add one of the 3 herb blends I offer; "Mood Boost", "Iron Boost" or "Milk Boost". The blends have 3-4 herbs in them. I call placenta powder that has been blended with herbs "Power Placenta Pills", they pack a punch! I add about 1/4 weight of herbs of the total placenta volume. A little goes a long way :O)
I would also encourage you if you to try the herbs prenatally individually to make sure you dont have any adverse reactions to them prior to adding them to your placenta powder. Otherwise you may end up wasting your placenta pills if you had herbs to them that cause an adverse reaction - that would be a bummer!
5. Fill capsules. One placenta will yield *about 125-175 capsules*. You can use The Capsule Machine or Cap M Quik, it can be done by hand. I use capsule size "00". There are smaller size capsules available. The picture to the top is just placenta powder and herbs blended together.
6. Store capsules in refrigerator, they will keep indefinitely. How many to take in the PP period depends on the mother and her needs. I recommend 3 capsules twice a day for two weeks. If mom has a history of PPD I recommend 3 capsules three times a day for a full two weeks. The following week she can cut back her capsules to once a day or two capsules twice a day.If mom is feeling run down, fatigued, low supply or emotionally fragile increase dosage. You can always take more a few months down the road if you need a "pick me up".