6/16/09

It's your placenta in a, uh, pill

Rereading yesterday's post, it seems apparent that my lame little advice points 1-10 were all a prelude to the shocking reveal: that I'm ingesting my placenta, in little freeze dried bits, three times a day. But that would presume that I can think clearly enough to intentionally set up a big reveal in a post rather than just banging out random advice, that happens to include one decidedly unusual practice, in a half an hour while both kids were napping.

So. Here's a little explanation about my placenta pills (once again, banged out at naptime).

My doula is the one who suggested it. I told her I was concerned about post partum depression since I was so depressed in my first trimester and I didn't want to go through that, or put my family through that, again. She mentioned that several of her clients swore by "placenta pills" prepared by an acupuncturist out the valley (the same acupuncturist I saw for induction treatments). At first I was..... shocked, alarmed, even disgusted by the thought of ingesting my own placenta. But I talked with the doula and read a bit about it (honestly, that website describes the theory behind it better than I could ever summarize) and decided it was worth a shot.

The logistics? We wrote a request in our birth plan to have the placenta put on ice ASAP after birth. At the hospital, we signed a bunch of forms (about removing "medical waste") and asked them to fill our Coleman cooler with ice. My acupuncturist came to the hospital and picked up the cooler the day after Eliza was born. She processed the placenta ****I try not to think too much about it, I don't know where or how she did it and I don't really want to know**** and sent me the capsules (all 300 of them) via UPS next day air. I take three at every meal.

Of course, I have no way of knowing if it's made any difference in my emotional and physical recovery. But I am feeling really pretty good, much more emotionally stable than I felt after Zoe was born, certainly much better than my first trimester. In the last four weeks, CG has only had to deal with 2 weepy breakdowns and a couple of cranky, snippy comments. That may sound pretty bad but WHOAH, that's actually better than normal.

I haven't noticed any negative side effects (there is no after taste, thank goodness, because... YUCK *shudder*). If the pills have made a positive difference, AWESOME. If they haven't, well at least I feel that I did everything I could to recover from the birth as quickly as possible, both physically and emotionally.

And that peace of mind is priceless.

8 comments:

Hillary said...

Interesting ... placenta on ice, mystery treatments by acupuncturist and bang! you have magic pills.

Very cool.

Erin said...

When I was a kid, one of our dogs had puppies (twice). I remember watching those pups be born and then she ate the placenta. It was so quick, just gulp, gulp, GULP and it was gone. I was all, DUUUUDE! Of course, now I understand that most mammals do that. How in the world did that acupuncturist even LEARN how to do that freeze dried thing?

Bird said...

I'm going to file this in the "The More You Know" cabinet. But I'm with you- if it makes you feel like you did every thing in your power to recover quickly, then why not. At least its your own placenta.

Swistle said...

Ha ha! I'm picturing a multi-layer food-drying tray.

This is SO interesting to read about. I wish I'd heard of it before, because I lovvvvvvve taking supplements. I think for me the worst part would be having to explain it to the hospital and having them raise their eyebrows at me.

Sarah said...

I think I'd actually consider this, so greatly do I fear the crazy mood swings I endured after Eli's birth. If nothing else, it surely has a PLACEBO effect that is helpful.

Whimsy said...

I'm with Eleanor Q and Swistle: hmmm the more you know, indeed!

I'm certainly intrigued - but I'd hate to have the Hospital Raised Eyebrows.

Anonymous said...

I have to admit, when I first read this, I was all judgey about it. However, I read the info on the link you gave and it really does make sense. Almost all mammals eat the placenta after birth. There's got to be a reason, right?

I'm not one of those people who thinks the placenta is sacred or magical, or whatev, but I agree that it's a good source of hormones and other stuff that's probably beneficial to a new mother.

I suffered from tremendous PPD after Maddie was born, and I'm already fretting about the next pregnancy and how will I make it without my beloved Zoloft??? I'd be willing to try this, for sure. I mean, even if it doesn't help, it wouldn't hurt, right?

Astarte said...

I am trying to keep an open mind about this one, but it's really, really grossing me out!!! I can't get past the feeling I had when I delivered the placentas, at which point I wanted them as FAR AWAY FROM ME AS POSSIBLE because they felt so gloppy!!!!

That having been said, I think if it's helping you, then go for it. Thank heavens it's in a pill form!!!! That's waaaayyyy better than making a soup out of it, which is the only other way I've ever heard of it being used before. I can totally see how it can help you, maybe.

I kind of picture her dehydrating it with the acupuncture needles, like a placentakabob, over a fire.

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