Placenta Encapsulation FAQs

What is your training?

I have been encapsulating since 2003 and I am self-taught. As professional trainings and associations have emerged over the last decade, I have read much and refined my methods. Because I am a midwife I have a thorough understanding of blood-borne pathogens, OSHA guidelines and universal precautions to protect both myself and my clients. 

Though it is my opinion that specific certification in the art and science of placenta preparation is not necessary, it IS necessary to have knowledge of relevant placental anatomy and physiology, infection control, blood-borne pathogens, universal precautions, proper dehydration technique, and postpartum physiology. Many encapsulators in our area have a healthcare background or have received specific training. Always ask your encapsulator about her training and experience! 

I have encapsulated over 200 placentas. 

Do you have dedicated space or dedicated equipment?

I do not have a dedicated space solely for placenta prep; however I follow all relevant SC "cottage" food preparation laws so that placenta preparation occurs completely separate from other kitchen activities, & away from pets and children, to avoid cross-contamination. 

I DO have dedicated equipment including: knife and cutting board, separate vitamix dry container, dehydrator, encapsulation device and preparation tray. 

All equipment and surfaces are thoroughly disinfected and sanitized before and after usage. 

How will I know my placenta is mine and not someone else's?

Your placenta is labeled from the moment I receive it, labeled on the dehydrator, labeled in its jar as bulk powder and again after encapsulation. In addition, keepsake cords are labeled immediately once they go into their containers.

How should I store my placenta once it is born?

Your placenta will be fine at room temperature for a few hours. It should be placed on ice in a cooler or refrigerated as soon as possible.  If it will be more than 48 hours until pickup, please lay as flat as possible and freeze it.

Can I have my placenta processed after it has been frozen?
As a general rule, a placenta that is less than 6 months old in a standard freezer should be fine if it has been properly stored and does not have signs of freezer-burn. 

Do you add herbs?  What is your method of preparation?

Though I am an herbalist, I do not add any herbs during the process. Some encapsulators steam the placenta with lemon and spicy peppers prior to dehydration, and they call this the "Traditional Chinese Method" though it was actually invented by a California midwife and acupuncturist named Raven Lang. 

Adding powdered herbs to the capsules is also not wise. If you have an adverse reaction, it would be hard to know if you were reacting to the placenta or the herbs. If you are taking herbs postpartum, it's best to have these as separate teas/tinctures/syrups etc.

I employ the "raw" preparation method because it better preserves the nutrients and hormones. Raw is somewhat of a misnomer, however.  Dehydrating with proper heat in a controlled setting must be performed to ensure pathogens are destroyed, and this does heat the placenta above standard raw food guidelines.

How long until my capsules are ready?

I guarantee a week turnaround from pick-up to delivery, because I am a busy midwife and mother. If there is a great need, I can usually prepare in about 2-3 days.

Can I have my placenta encapsulated if I am GBS positive; received pitocin, antibiotics, or epidural anesthesia; there is meconium staining; or if I had a cesarean birth?   
Yes!  None of these are contraindications for encapsulation. 

Are there any reasons why I should not encapsulate my placenta?

Yes; if you had chorioamnionitis, HIV, Hepatitis or another infection at the time of birth, encapsulation is not recommended.  If your placenta was sent to pathology or not refrigerated properly following birth, it is also not guaranteed to be free of contaminants or pathogens and must not be consumed. 

What potential adverse effects could I notice?
Side effects are rare, but some women have reported that their "happy pills" made them feel anxious or sad.  In addition, you may notice headaches or gastrointestinal upset.

About how many capsules should I expect to receive?

I typically use size "O" vegetable capsules. On average you can expect around 130-160 capsules, though a larger placenta can yield up to 180-200.  Placentas grow in proportion to the baby, so big babies have big placentas and little babies have little placentas. 

How should I store my capsules?

Your capsules should be stored somewhere cool, dry and out of direct light. Room temperature is just fine for the first 6 months.  Capsules should not be stored in the refrigerator, as the moist environment could cause cause your capsules to absorb moisture and become moldy.  For longer-term storage, please double-bag and place in a deep freezer. 

Any other questions?
Please post in the comments! Thanks! 

the bitch is back (apologies to elton john)

Dusting off the ol' blog here. Goodness has it really been 4+ years? So much has happened in that time: family engagements, weddings, bar mitzvahs, funerals; birth after birth after birth; starting and changing schools, a new pet, shifting friendships, starting to teach herb classes again, kids growing growing growing. So here we go. Onward.

Shofar #BlogElul 7

I can't remember when I last heard a shofar.  Until my cousin's recent Bat Mitzvah weekend I had not stepped in a shul, except for a historic tour, in over 11 years.  Despite my grapplings with a faith that treats women as second-class citizens and repeatedly sanctions genocidal land-grab in the name of a mountain-dwelling, masculine war deity, I did always love to hear the shofar.  Its clarion call echoes the ancient tradition of a people who lived closer to the cycles of life and death, blood and sacrifice than do many of us now.  It heralds a demarcation from day-to-day life.  Stop the presses, it says.  Pay attention. Be here, fully open to this moment.

I have thought about attending High Holiday services again.  The crispness of Fall feels like a wonderful time to pause and deeply reflect.  Not to throw the baby out with the bathwater; there are many aspects of Judaism that I find beautiful.  The Jewish Renewal Community in Boulder showed me a progressive, feminine-affirming Judaism.  But ironically enough, the only congregation here that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for tickets is the Orthodox one.

I will not sit in a segregated section because some guy might get distracted by my feminine wiles from his high calling of convening with G-d.  Life and Spirit are all around us, all the time, to be embraced and felt with passion.

I will not sit in a segregated section because I might be "impure."  My body is holy.  My blood gives life.  If that's not Sacred, what is?

I will not be content solely to keep house and make babies while the menfolk get to challenge their minds.  I have plenty to offer this world.  Why limit half of the population?

I will not cover myself in wigs and long skirts.  I will not silence my outrage that women who dress immodestly in Israel are often victims of irrationally misogynistic violence.  That women may not pray equally to men at the Western Wall.  That women in ultratraditional marriages may not initiate a divorce.  That with a few notable exceptions, our ancient tales are written by and about the patriarchy.  My T'kiyah bellows "knock it off!"

Faith: #BlogElul 6

Miss Hortense Robinson was a traditional midwife who lived and served in Belize.  She spoke with the gentle patois of the Caribbean islands, laughed readily, loved red hibiscus flowers, and didn't miss a thing with her bright eyes.  One of her oft-repeated phrases was "Have Fait."

Faith, to her, was the answer to many a dilemma.

But what does that mean?  Blind, dogged trust in the unknowable?  Do we say to people in the path of a hurricane to have faith?  How realistic is that?  Have faith in who or what, exactly?  Is faith foolish?  Does it serve a purpose in a rational (yet equally crazy) world?  I have no answers, just many questions. 

Trust: #BlogElul 5

I've been ruminating about trust all day.  Such a huge topic.  What do I hone in on?  Even the simple, everyday act of getting in the car and driving from point A to point B involves many instances of trust.

I watch my 9-month-old daughter playing, then turn and joyfully beeline for me with all her might.  She is completely open, completely dependent, and trusts me inherently.

So much in my day-to-day life occurs without a second thought, and I trust it will. just. happen.
I flick a switch and the light goes on.  Turn on the tap and water flows forth.  (Sadly this is not the case for many people in the United States right now.)  I can go to sleep with my children and trust we will awake safe and sound.  The sun will rise in the morning. 

A father recently thanked me for helping bring his son safely into the world after a rare event complicated his birth four years ago.  And it hit me what to write about.  I've been apprehensive about attending a birth for the first time in nearly a year.  Late at night I lie awake, playing out various scenarios in my head, giving myself little quizzes.  What would I do if I heard wonky heart tones?  Saw bright red bleeding?  But I know better than to dwell in negativity, after all what you lend attention to will grow. I have to trust everything will be perfect and it will all come back to me.  It's like riding a bike, right?

I trust in the synchronous intelligence of mother and baby. 
I trust that my hands will know what to do. 
I trust my mouth to speak with wisdom, and only when necessary.
I trust my ears to be sensitive to mamababy's rhythms.
I trust my eyes to shine love and confidence.
I trust my heart to be open.
I trust my mind to remember, and to recognize.
I trust my body to attenuate to the altered consciousness of the birthing space.
I trust my entire being to be present.

Counting: #BlogElul 4

Counting is about value.  Not just numerical value, but also energetic and emotional value.  Numerical counting is objective; energetic counting more subjective.   If someone says "count on me" you know she has your back.  Her energy is of value to you.  Similarly "count me in" means I'm lending my presence, my energy to your endeavor.

Since Miss L. came along nearly 9 months ago, I've found I must limit the number of people and organizations who count upon me.  It feels quite good and wholly necessary to set boundaries, lest I take too much on and drive myself (and those in my immediate vicinity) crazy.  I'm starting to get more calls for birth and herb work in my community again.  It feels wonderful.  I want to say yes to everyone.  But there are two little people and one big person counting on me to be here primarily for them. 

And here's what I have going on outside my immediate family and their needs and activities:

• On call for a birth in September; prenatal visits up 'til the birth, restocking and preparing my supplies, preparing childcare options, the actual on-call time, and postpartum care.
• Staffing a table and giving a talk at a Pregnancy Fair, also in September. 
• Facilitating a Holistic Pregnancy workshop in October.
• Staffing a table at a Baby Fair in October.
• Serving on the local Doula group board and two state Midwifery organizations (meetings every month for at least one of those groups; plus online time).
• Commissioned to encapsulate several placentas each month.
• Facilitating an Herbal Workshop in the spring; need to create outline for submission.
• New client due in spring--starting prenatal visits with her.

I LOVE what I do.  Love it.  I count myself very blessed to need to say no sometimes. 

Counting myself blessed to have a vocation I love, a roof over my head, food in my belly, a safe home and a healthy family is still another form of accounting value, of stock-taking.  I'd say the tally-sheet is full in all the right ways.   

Intentions: #BlogElul 3

I intended to blog for August 21st/Elul 3rd.

It didn't happen.

Nuff said.

Inventory: #BlogElul 2

At the request of my dear darling life partner, I flip-flopped over half our kitchen cabinets today.  With an eager 8-month old assistant.  The jars and jars and jars of herbs were taking up impractical space.  So many dusty jars!  Am I ever going to use this one?  How old is this?  Sniff, sniff.  Yes, still potent.  Why do I have so much Cascara Sagrada?  (That department is just fine, thank you).   When did I make that extract and should I decant it?  Is the moon waxing or waning and is it still in Virgo?  Are the tinctures in alphabetical order by Latin or English name?  Am I an insufferable geek?  Am I an herb hoarder? 

The busy day draws to a close.  Children sigh in their sleep.  Lying nestled between them is truly my favorite place to be.  My body is peaceful, but my mind races.  Is everything ready for tomorrow?  Do I have enough water next to the bed?  Did I take out my contacts yet?  Where is J's backpack?  Does he have clean underwear?  Do I have clean underwear?  Did I un-silence my alarm?  I should check the weather to see if the park playdate is still happening.  Must remember to bring diaper covers for J and gestational wheels for S and S.  I should make dinner tomorrow night; what should I make?  Have to organize the waterbirth bin soon.  Do we need more eggs?  Am I giving everyone in my life enough love and attention?  How can I achieve more balance with everyone when a baby is literally sucking the life force out of me?

Breathe.  Love.  Rest.  All is in order.

Return: #BlogElul 1

Forgive me blog readers, all two of you.  It's been--gulp--over two years since my last blog post.


I am taking Ima Bima up on her challenge to blog every day during the Hebrew month of Elul, and today's theme is "return."

For starters, I'm returning some attention to writing.

My oldest child returns to school tomorrow.  This summer household is about to be shell-shocked with a 6:30 am wake-up call.  Oh we have tried, valiantly, to get on a better schedule since we returned (there it is again) from the west coast a few weeks ago.  We have tried earlier bedtimes, earlier rising, melatonin, vigorous daytime activities like sweating at the park and daily swimming lessons, and making plans with friends to get us up and out of the house that only were kept about half of the time (sorry friends!).  But honestly after a fun-filled and scheduled summer, we all needed some unstructured time.   That ends abruptly in 12 short hours.

I look forward to exploring more thoughts but right now the baby has returned to alpha-wave consciousness after her nap, so away we go! 

International Month of the Doula

The Bellies and Babies Blog is hosting many wonderful giveaways for celebrating doulas and their work in supporting birthing women. Giveaway #8 is a gift certificate for $100 off a waterbirth tub rental.

I can't wait to see what other goods and services people are donating for the giveaways. There are some very unique offerings! Go check it out.

the trouble with truffles

Locally available corporate supermarkets Whole Foods and Earth Fare have stacks and stacks of "organic truffles" for sale. Let's check out the two brands' ingredients:

Whole Foods: Organic Cocoa Mass, Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Cocoa Powder, Soy Lecithin.

Earth Fare: Organic Cocoa Mass, Organic Vegetable Oil (Copra), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Cocoa Powder, Emulsifier: Soy Lecithin.

Déjà vu all over again. Almost.


What is Copra, from which the EF truffles source their Organic Vegetable Oil?

Here is what one website has to say:

Conventional coconut oil comes from dried coconut flesh, called copra. Copra is dried in a wood-fuelled kiln, or in the sun, over a period of a few days. It is time-consuming, dirty, lonely, arduous, fuel-intensive and low-paying work. Many farmers consider it a form of slavery.

Copra is bulked up at an export port and shipped to a large industrial oil mill — often in Europe or Asia. Unhygienic drying, humid tropical conditions, bulk shipping and long distances, result in lengthy delays and the growth of moulds on the copra. Sometimes this leads to aflatoxin contamination.

Copra oil extraction requires large-scale, high-pressure, expensive, energy-intensive equipment. Unhygienic copra means that the resultant oil is normally of low quality with a Free Fatty Acid (FFA) level of 3% or more. (FFA is one measure of rancidity of oil).

Thus copra oil requires refining, bleaching and deodorising (RBD) to create a commercially acceptable product. The refining process uses hydrochloric acid, solvents and steam to strip out the contamination. Some residual solvents remain in the oil. The process also removes the natural volatiles and anti-oxidants that give pure coconut oil its unique flavour and aroma. The total process from farm to refined oil can take many months. The residual copra-meal is only suitable as animal feed but, even here, care is required because it can be contaminated with carcinogenic aflatoxin.

The tropical world has over one billion coconut palms, producing over 50 billion coconuts each year. And yet, because of the low income earned on the world market from coconut products, many coconut groves are run down, with nuts and old trees lying where they fall, encouraging plant disease and insect pests.

With fluctuating copra prices, farmers only harvest their nuts when prices are high or when they are in desperate need of cash. For many remote islands with plenty of coconuts, copra is still a risky venture because of the infrequency of shipping services.

So you think you're buying something healthy. Hey, the label says it's organic. Maybe the antioxidant content of the chocolate will offset the damage wrought by the rancid copra fats.

Might I also point out that both brands use non-organic soy lecithin. Soy, the cheap. Soy, the ubiquitous. Soy, the genetically modified. At least they could choose organic soy, right?

ACNM: WTF?

Yesterday the ACNM published a letter to Congress in which the organization recommends NOT recognizing the CPM credential as a valid midwifery standard. The letter is crafted with the most heinous doublespeak: it acknowledges the CPM as an accredited credential with a "psychometrically sound exam" at the same time as it attempts to dismiss it outright. We need MORE midwives, not fewer. Why does one group think it gets to define the profession for everyone?

I am saddened and angry. Reminds me of a piece Jan Tritten wrote called Don't Sell Your Sisters Down the River.

Is this endless dividing really serving women?

Pulling rank is so stinky.

Home Birth is Cleaner and Greener

I started thinking about this several years ago after attending an Earth Day festival and deciding that midwives should be represented. My original notes are scribbled on the inside cover of the fabulous Birthsong Midwifery Workbook!


Your home is populated by your family's normal flora. Other birth sites may breed 'superbugs' such as MRSA or C. difficile. Babies are meant to be populated by their mother's flora.

Home birth is less wasteful:

• you use your own cups, pitchers and bowls; not disposable plastic items
• no plastic IV bags or tubing
• you may choose washable cloth underpads instead of single-use, plastic-backed 'chux' pads
• no paper external fetal monitor printout
• minimal vaginal examinations means fewer gloves are used
• umbilical cord is clamped with a sterile, stainless-steel clamp, a small latex band OR if you choose a Lotus Birth, no clamp or band at all.

Home birth uses less electricity:

• maternal-fetal well-being is assessed by a person, not by a machine
• baby's heart rate is checked intermittently rather than continuously (studies indicate this method is both safe and effective)
• lights are dimmed; many people opt to birth by candlelight
• newborn warmth is provided by mother and partner's bodies, not an isolated machine

At a home birth, your placenta is not labeled as medical waste to be incinerated. We respectfully suggest you:

1. Make it into medicine, or
2. Return it to the land or the sea.

More ideas are welcome. For instance, I couldn't come up with a succinct way to say "no teeny-tiny UPC stickers affixed to every item, peeled off, and stuck to a billing form in your chart."

Here's a similar blog piece about homebirth reducing your carbon footprint.

breech news from our northerly neighbors

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada just released this little nugget:

breech presentation is not an indication for automatic cesarean section birth.

Do you think this will change medical school curricula in Canada? In the USA?

Might it affect current doctors' practice protocols?

Will Health Insurance companies scoff at this recommendation?

intelli-what?!

So now we can all go buy a baby gender predictor kit. Yes folks, that's right, for only 35 of your hard-earned American Dollars, you can pee in a cup and determine with 78 to 80% accuracy whether to buy frilly pink or sporty blue baby gear.

Call me old-fashioned, call me romantic, but there is something rather special about finding out who your baby is right after (s)he emerges.

But this test could be a good thing. Maybe it would decrease the number of babies exposed to ultrasound radiation. No? Oh, the manufacturers suggest a follow-up sonogram. Perhaps the 78-80% efficacy is a ploy and if the test were more accurate no follow-up would be needed.

Of course anti-choicers are up in arms, proclaiming this will only lead to a wave of gender-selected abortions. But think about it: the test is only accurate at 10 weeks after conception, or 12 weeks of pregnancy as dated by the last menstrual period (LMP). You can only procure a first-trimester abortion until 16 weeks LMP. That's not a very big window of time.

Widespread gender-based eugenics is going to have to wait a little longer for its heyday.
(Not to mention all the orphaned Chinese girls.)

from the horse's mouth

Last year I wrote about a natural food store's "house" ice cream. Today I learned it is truly rBGH-free. Glad I questioned, glad to learn it is legit, and glad to set the record straight.

true stories

from my night at ye olde corporate healthe foode store:

1.
Very annoying lady with whom I have spent the last 20 minutes approaches me for "one last question". The kind of customer who asks me to read to her how many tablets are in each bottle, which colloidal silver is strongest, how many ounces are in each bottle and which is a better buy per ounce, and which book on Acid-Alkaline Theory I suggest she purchase. Until I reveal I think that theory holds no water.

Now she holds two cartons of cookies.

"Which one of these should I get?"

"I don't know, what do you like?"

"Well, I'm a diabetic."

"Then you probably shouldn't be eating cookies."

"Oh it's ok, I take insulin. But see here this one says Spelt."

"Spelt is a relative of wheat. Some people eat it because they digest it better than wheat."

"So it's for digestion."

"Well, it's a grain..."





2. Phone call with a male caller:

"I wanted to ask you if I can take some things together."

"Sure, what are you taking?"

"Advanced Enzyme complex. and these probiotics, it says 'Aci...' I can't pronounce it."

"Acidophilus?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Those two should be fine together."

"No, I want to know if I can take them with something else."

"With what?"

"Flintstones vitamins; I take them for energy."



I kept wondering if it was a prank call.

comedy of errors

So on this lovely morning I find myself driving to a birth. Cruising through a main street of town, I think "I am going to make great time." Then I get behind 2 cars, the front of which is driving 25 in a 35 mph zone. Really?!

The car turns at the next major intersection, and I briefly rejoice by stepping on the accelerator, until a posse of bike dudes decked out in serious bike gear crosses the street and merges into traffic. Grrr...

The other car and I slowly maneuver past the biker posse. Then I turn onto the rural 2-lane highway and find myself behind a garbage truck! I manage to pass the one car between us, but every time I dip left past the truck to gauge traffic, I see an oncoming car.

The garbage truck finally turns...at the same intersection as I. "Screw this," I say as I motor past the truck illegally, but safely.

A hearse pulls out in front of me.

Actual cost of driving time=10 minutes.
Cost of comedic effect=priceless.

color me whiney

what happened to the revolution?

I really want a doula at my birth, but...

I really want a natural birth, but...

I really want a VBAC, but...

I really want a homebirth, but...

Someone once said "There is no 'but' that is not followed by an excuse."

Really wish people would say what they feel, and do what they want. And take some responsibility for their choices. Like this:

I want to have an epidural and feel absolutely no pain from the very first twinge of a contraction.

I don't want a doula at my birth, I just went through the motions of looking for one because my girlfriends all hired doulas.

I do want a doula but my doctor's practice doesn't work with doulas and I don't want to rock the boat or look more closely at why the practice is so unfriendly to labor support, because that would mean looking more closely at myself.

I don't want to try to have a VBAC because it is scary and feels out of control; I'd rather live through a predictable, familiar process than try something new and fail. or try something new and succeed. And I don't really trust my body but I am too afraid to say so.

I don't want a homebirth because it's too much pressure and I do honestly feel safer in the hospital, and gee how silly I was when I, a grown woman, said "I do want a homebirth but my husband won't let me."

I know I said my doctor pressured me into the c-section, but honestly I was so tired of being in labor that I didn't want to struggle any more. It was nice to know it would all be over soon and I would get to hold my baby.

I know I said my doctor made me get induced but I really was done being pregnant and impatient waiting for labor to begin.

Once we start to speak honestly about our birth choices, when the facades fall away, then the revolution can get back on track. There are very few women holding the threads of honest birthing. Whatever their choices may be, when they are made authentically, I salute them .

blame the midwives

Placentas are appearing in the Urbana, Illinois sewer system. From the article:

"The unprecedented finds have officials wondering if a midwife or veterinarian, stressed by economic woes, has been avoiding the expense of paying for a medical waste disposal service."

Right, because they couldn't possibly be from a doctor's practice or hospital. Or from--gasp--unassisted births.

One of the investigators implies it would be difficult to flush a placenta down a toilet. Really? Think about the aperture of a woman's pelvis and yoni.

Most of the homebirthers I know have such respect and reverence for the Arbol de Vida, they would never just discard it. Usually people bury it and plant a tree or shrub, or process into placenta medicine.

Are the sewer placentas just another symptom of our profound cultural disconnect from nature and the cycles of life and death?

homage