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I have worked with pregnant people and new moms since 2012 and have been encapsulating placentas since 2015, so when I became pregnant and gave birth to my son, Sonny, in 2017, I of course planned on encapsulating and consuming my own placenta. I had prepared dozens of placentas in Austin, Texas and had been hearing just how wonderful and helpful encapsulation was, and I was excited to utilize the benefits myself. The most common reported benefits of placenta encapsulation are increased milk supply and energy, feeling more balanced and less weepy, having less bleeding and a faster recovery... and overall, just feeling better. I'll admit that after giving birth I had a twinge of fear- What if my placenta didn't really help me? What if the effects are placebo? I was worried that I wouldn't feel any benefit, and because I refuse to lie to my wonderful clients, I would have to stop encapsulating placentas. Thank goodness, that didn't happen!  My one day old Sonny boy. The first few days after giving birth I chose to have raw placenta smoothies. Because the placenta needs to be cleaned, cut, and frozen within four hours after giving birth to ensure food safety, this isn't a service that I don't typically offer to clients, but it's a great choice if you give birth at home since your placenta can be rinsed and cut up in your own kitchen by your partner or midwife. After my home birth, my husband cut up my placenta and froze individual, strawberry sized pieces in our deep freeze. Each day, he'd pop a piece into my smoothie and blend it up. And let me tell you... that sh*t WORKED. Almost a little too well! After having my placenta smoothie I felt a lot of energy- like I'd had one too many cups of coffee. This would be great if you can clean your house or host a party, but not ideal when you're in bed with a newborn battling first-time-mom-anxiety. I've talked to several women who did all smoothies with their placenta and loved it- it just wasn't for me.  The infamous placenta smoothie No longer wanting to feel like I was on speed while also recovering in bed with my snuggly new 9 lb 9 oz boyfriend, I opted for encapsulation. Two weeks after Sonny was born I managed to finally encapsulate my own placenta (something I had been looking forward to for years!) I thawed, cleaned, steamed, dehydrated overnight, and then ground up and encapsulated my placenta. I opted for flavored capsules (half mint, half strawberry!) and happily took my first dose.
Here's how I describe the experience: You know how sometimes you wake up exhausted and cranky and totally overwhelmed by life and all you want is that first cup of coffee and then you know you'll at least be okay? My placenta pills were like my coffee. They took the edge off, gave me a bit more energy, and generally just helped me feel better. Life with a newborn was a little less overwhelming and I just felt like I could actually do it. There are lots of promises out there about placenta encapsulation, but the truth is, life with a new baby is hard. Sometimes it's really fucking hard. Especially when your partner is back to work (mine was back at two days), finances are tight (yes, very), and breastfeeding is difficult. Newborn life can be even more difficult with traumatic birth experiences or stays in the NICU. So, placenta encapsulation did not necessarily make my postpartum period easier, but my pills absolutely helped me to better cope with the major transition into motherhood that can at times be overwhelming. I did have a robust milk supply, minimal bleeding, and a super fast physical recovery and I could truly feel a difference when I forgot to take my capsules those first few weeks. Along with extra postnatal support (partner, grandma, doula, friends, mom group, etc) and a commitment to truly rest and recover (keep your butt in bed!), I know that my placenta pills truly aided my recovery in a way that no other supplement could have in the first couple months after giving birth.
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Every once in a while, I'll get asked if it's safe to encapsulate a placenta when mom tests positive for Group B Streptococcus (GBS). The short answer is YES, ABSOLUTELY! The evidence shows us that testing positive for GBS (simply being colonized) is not a safety concern for consuming a properly prepared placenta. GBS is a type of bacteria that is present in all of us at one point or another and is normally found in the vagina and/or rectum of about 25% of all healthy, adult women (1). Recently, an article from the CDC has been circulating, leading some to believe that women who test positive for GBS are at risk when consuming their placenta. (2) The mother in this story tested negative for GBS at 37 weeks and had a normal vaginal delivery. Shortly after birth, her baby developed signs of respiratory distress and was transferred to the NICU. Mom had her placenta encapsulated, and baby was later reinfected with GBS. Unfortunately, there are many holes in the CDC's story that are not being translated to the circulating news stories (shocking, I know). As a trained and professional encapsulator, safety is absolutely my number one concern and I take it very seriously. Your safety and satisfaction is also my livelihood and reputation!  Here's why we can say that encapsulation is still safe for a GBS positive mom: 1) The evidence shows that proper steaming and dehydration temperatures will drastically reduce microbial counts, making placenta consumption generally safe. According to Jena University, "the preparation of placental tissue has a clear effect on the microbial contamination: dehydration causes a drastic germ reduction, steaming followed by dehydration causes an even greater reduction of microbial species. Regarding to foodstuff regulations of the European Union, no “unsafe” organisms were detected in our samples."' (3) Basically, to effectively kill GBS bacteria, placentas need to be heated to 130 degrees F for at least 30 minutes (4). The encapsulator in this specific story used the "raw prep method" and did not steam the placenta before dehydrating it, so it's possible that it was not prepared according to food safety guidelines. We don't know what dehydration temperature was used, but if it was below 130 degrees, the placenta was not properly heated to kill the GBS or other bacteria. To ensure safety during preparation, Woman Craft Austin follows strict, standard protocol for each placenta and does not offer raw preparation (remember, you can be GBS+, even when you test negative?) Each placenta is steamed for 30 minutes (with an internal temperature check) before dehydrating at 145 degrees F for a minimum of 10-12 hours. All this being said, I do know a handful of women who have consumed their placentas raw after testing positive for GBS, and they were fine. It's just not an option I feel comfortable offering when providing the service professionally. 2) We also know that this baby showed signs of initial infection soon after birth and before placenta pills were even returned to mom. The placenta likely should not have been prepared for encapsulation since an infection present in mom during labor (chorioamnionitis), or a baby that is sent to the NICU for infection, means that the placenta cannot be safely ingested. This is why I always ask about signs of infection at pickup. 3) As far as the baby's reinfection of GBS, it is pretty clear that reinfection was likely not actually caused by mom's ingestion of placenta pills, whether they were properly prepared or not. We can say this because mom's breastmilk tested negative for GBS! Since there are over 16 strands of strep, no one else in the immediate family was tested, strep can be spread through touch and certain foods (5), and mom's breastmilk tested negative for GBS, the evidence just isn't there. Even the CDC says "transmission from other colonized household members could not be ruled out." Correlation does not mean causation.  What happened to this mom and baby is sad and scary, but pointing to placenta encapsulation is not supported by the evidence provided and may likely keep birthing people from utilizing a service that could really help with their postpartum transition. Although it's possible that incorrect steps were taken in the preparation process, and incorrect information and generalizations are being shared in the media, placenta encapsulation (the weird, kind of gross, redheaded stepchild of birth stuff) is always easy target. With Woman Craft Austin, your safety is my number one priority. I have trained with two professional encapsulation organizations (PBi and APPA) and I'm trained in proper food safety handling and OSHA handling of bloodborne pathogens. I absolutely stand behind my services and truly believe in the unique benefits of placenta encapsulation. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns! Here's a few other blogs by professional encapsulators addressing this issue: Correlation Isn't Causation and Encapsulation Safety. SOURCES
1. Group B Strep Infection- American Pregnancy Association. http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/group-b-strep-infection/ 2. Buser GL, Mató S, Zhang AY, Metcalf BJ, Beall B, Thomas AR. Notes from the Field: Late-Onset Infant Group B Streptococcus Infection Associated with Maternal Consumption of Capsules Containing Dehydrated Placenta — Oregon, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017;66:677–678. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6625a4. 3. Johnson, Sophia. Preliminary Research Results. April 2017. Jena University. https://experiment.com/u/DKKnUQ 4. Streptococcus Agalactiae. 2011. Public Health Agency of Canada. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/streptococcus-agalactiae-eng.php 5. Manning, Shannon. Clinical Infections Diseases. Volume 39, issue 3. Prevalence of Group B "Streptococcus Colonization and Potential for Transmission by Casual Contact in Healthy Young Men and Women". August 2004. With the passing of HB 1670 in 2016, you can now have your baby and keep your placenta too! Although there are no court orders or additional fees required to have your placenta released, each hospital has different policies and it's best to be prepared for how your birthing place handles placentas after birth. No matter what hospital you're in, you'll need to sign the placenta release waiver (don't worry, your nurse will know exactly what you're talking about) and remind your nurse, doctor and/or midwife during pushing, or prep for cesarean birth, that you're keeping your placenta. It's also important to remember that your precious placenta should be on ice or refrigerated within 2-3 hours after birth and frozen within three days to be safely encapsulated. After booking services, I send a handy and specific checklist for how you can handle your placenta after birth, but generally, here's what you can expect when encapsulating with Woman Craft:  St. David's North/ Women's Center (North Austin Medical Center ) This St. David's releases placentas immediately, so bring a cooler and five gallon ziploc bags with you. After giving birth, ask your nurse to double bag your placenta and have your partner fill the remaining three bags with ice from the refreshment room. Pack your placenta in the cooler and surround it well with ice and let me know that baby is born. This hospital generally prefers that you don't bring your placenta to your postpartum room, so if you give birth overnight or I'm not able to make it to the hospital by the time you relocate to your new room, you can hand your placenta off to a relative or friend to keep with them or transport to their home for a few hours or keep your cooler in your car until I arrive for pickup. Either way, make sure to refresh ice as needed so that your placenta stays fully surrounded by ice! St. David's South St. David's Round Rock These hospitals release placentas immediately, so bring a cooler and five gallon ziploc bags with you. After giving birth, ask your nurse to double bag your placenta and have your partner fill the remaining three bags with ice from the refreshment room. Pack your placenta in the cooler and surround it well with ice. Let me know that baby is born and keep your placenta with you in your L&D or postpartum room until I can swing by to pick it up. You can expect at 2-3day turnaround for placenta pills when you give birth at any St. David's in Austin. St. David's Main No need to bring a cooler with you unless you'll be transporting your placenta home yourself. This St. David's conveniently bags, labels and stores all placentas in a separate fridge on the L&D unit. If you're taking your placenta home yourself, you'll want to bring a cooler and some bags for ice with you, but if we're working together, I'll bring my own cooler to pick your placenta directly up from the fridge at nurses' station. Seton Main & Seton Northwest Seton hospitals do not directly release your placenta to you, but it can still be released (if you take issue with that, I suggest giving a call to the hospital risk manager in hopes of someday changing this unnecessary rule). All placentas at Seton are stored in their Pathology freezer for 72 hours. This means that after birth, your placenta will be bagged, labeled, and transported to the Pathology unity by a tech. Since placentas need to be on ice or frozen within 2-3 hours after birth, you should confirm with your nurse that your placenta has landed in pathology in a timely matter. It's also important for your to double check with your doctor after giving birth to make sure that they don't plan on having your placenta examined in pathology without legitimate reason (ex: suspected infection). A placenta that has been examined is unsafe for consumption. When working with clients at Seton, I pick the placenta up after the 72 hour hold. If you're picking it up yourself, you'll want to bring a cooler and ice. In addition to the 72 hours of freezing, you can expect another 1-2 days for the placenta to safely thaw, plus 1-2 days of processing, getting your your finished placenta capsules about 5-7 days after birth. Birth Centers Birth centers (and home births) are super easy for placenta release, as you don't even have to sign a waiver to keep your placenta. Just bring a cooler and five gallon ziploc bags. After birth, have your midwife double bag your placenta and have your partner pack the placenta and cooler up with ice. Let me know that baby is born and I'll meet you at the birth center or at home a few hours later for easy placenta pickup! When using a birth center, you can expect a 2-3 turnaround on your placenta pills. For more info on placenta encapsulation, read some FAQs right here. You can also contact me directly or book services online. Happy Birthing!
1. TRAINING? Just because someone is a birth pro (doula, midwife, etc), does not mean that they offer professional quality placenta services. Offering services without having formal training in placenta encapsulation is a huge red flag! Although there are many training organizations to choose from, APPA, IPPA and PBi are a few reputable ones. Without formal training, how did this person learn safe encapsulation protocol? Did they learn from YouTube (yes, people really do do that!)? Did they learn by helping their sister encapsulate a mutual friend's placenta? Did they learn from someone else who doesn't have formal training? Although the encapsulation process is fairly simple, it's not always straightforward and formal training goes a long way in making safe decisions. Having proper training in the OSHA standards of bloodborne pathogen handling and food safety handling are also important! Remember, it's not just your placenta that will be passing through the encapsulator's equipment, so proper training in storage, preparation and sanitation are absolutely vital to safe encapsulation! 2. PREP SPACE So where does the magic happen? There are three different places that placenta prep usually happens: 1- In the professional's separate, dedicated workspace, 2- In the client's personal kitchen, 3-In the professional's personal kitchen. The first two of those places are appropriate for professional prep, the third is not. I personally prefer to work in my separate, dedicated workspace because it gives me more control over timing, safety, and sanitation (plus I have a placenta-specific fridge!) all while not taking over new parents' kitchen. It also means that there's no food, kids or pets going in and out of the prep space either! It's one thing to encapsulate your own (and only your own) placenta in your personal kitchen, but it's another to encapsulate multiple women's placentas in your personal kitchen. See the difference? 3. TRANSPORTATION Who transports the placenta after your birth? Will your encapsulator already be at the birth with you? Do they have pickup hours or other limitations? Do they charge an additional fee for picking up your placenta? Some encapsulators have an option for you to drop off your placenta to their home or workspace and some absolutely will not transport a placenta at all. If the preparation is going to happen in your home, do you have someone else who can worry about transporting your placenta (and making sure it is stored correctly for consumption)? If you're planning a home or birth center birth, will your encapsulator still pick the placenta up from the hospital if you transfer or will it be your responsibility to get it to them? Are you responsible for picking up your finished capsules or will they be delivered to you, whether you're home or at the hospital? If these questions are not clearly answered on their website, inquire further! 4. PERSONAL ATTENTION This quality may or may not be important to you in your decision. However, quality support from your encapsulator (or from anyone who you invite to be part of your birth and postpartum experience) can be a huge bonus and a major help in recovery. If you want to know how invested in your satisfaction and comfort your encapsulator will be, pay attention to communication before labor starts. Are they forthcoming and thorough on their website? Are they responsive to inquiries, emails, and texts? Do they give you thorough and specific directions for how to handle your placenta (each hospital and birth center are different)? Do they work with 4-6 clients a month or 40-60? Are they going to be able to offer you personalized guidance after your baby is born or are you just one of many clients to them? 5. COST I'm a human person living in ATX, so yes, cost is important to me too! And no, having a baby ain't cheap. I get that (believe me). However, when dealing with a service based industry, cheapest does not typically equate to best, so I suggest finding out exactly where you'll be losing quality to save that $150 (again, I get the allure). You can likely find an answer by sifting through the questions above with any encapsulator you're looking into working with or reading over their website. It is my personal goal to provide the highest quality service and support to every woman and family I work with so that moms can have a more comfortable pregnancy and postpartum period. I'm always happy to chat directly, but you can also read more about my training, FAQs and protocols, and testimonials throughout my site.
 1. "WHAT ARE YOU, CRAZY? Why would anyone eat their placenta?" During pregnancy, the placenta actually becomes an endocrine organ as it starts producing many hormones that help us cope with the pain and stress of pregnancy and childbirth. Estrogen, progesterone, prolactin and cortisol levels rise steeply with placental production- with some increasing by 1,000 fold at the end of a full term pregnancy! So what happens when the placenta is delivered right after the birth of your baby? Within three to five days those hormone levels drop back to pre-pregnancy levels, leaving new moms with low levels of stress-coping and pain-relieving hormones while the brain figures out how and when to keep up with production. Consumption of the placenta can help replenish these vital hormones along with opioids and nutrients including proteins, iron, vitamin B6, oxytocin and corticotropin-releasing hormone.  Women who consume their placenta report:
 2. "Ok, but that’s just plain gross!" I get it. Imaginations can run wild at the mention of eating your placenta. I get lots of weird/ disgusted/ confused looks when I tell people what I do, followed by comments about a family dinner of placenta loaf. Although some people do choose to eat their placenta that way, you certainly don’t have to! Encapsulation is a wonderful method for ingestion if you’re a little (or a lot) weirded out by the whole thing. I take the ick- factor out of the process by transporting your placenta for you, preparing it in my space and delivering the finished product back to you in totally palatable pill form.  3. "But isn't all the good stuff cooked out?" Nope! Just like how your meats and veggies at dinner still retain vital nutrients after cooking, so does the placenta when it’s steamed and dehydrated. Humans have been consuming organ meats for centuries (liver, kidneys, etc), because they are so nutrient dense and cooking foods before consuming them typically helps us better digest them as well. Removing water from foods via dehydration is a practice that’s been used for centuries as a way to preserve foods and maintain their beneficial nutrients. 4. "Is that considered cannibalism?" Unless you removed a placenta straight from your enemy after winning a battle and are consuming it ceremoniously, or are desperately eating your ship-wrecked neighbor’s placenta after months of being lost on a desert island, then no, placenta encapsulation is not cannibalism. Cannibalism is “the act or practice of humans eating the flesh or internal organs of other human beings.” Placentophagy is the act of consuming human placenta postpartum… in this case- your placenta! 5. "But I’m a vegetarian /vegan!" Although it may seem counterintuitive to eat your placenta when you normally abstain from meat, the placenta is like no other meat you’ve ever encountered! Placenta is the only meat taken without violence- no animal suffered or died for it and it is unequivocally associated with health, life and birth. Even herbivorous mammals consume their placentas afternbirth! 6. "But animals only eat their placenta to clear the birth site." You’ve probably heard that most mammals eat their placenta immediately following birth. You may have also heard that animals only do this to clear the birth site and avoid attracting predators or because they’re hungry after birth and the placenta is readily available nutrients. However, these theories don’t’ stand up to analysis because they are true in only a subset of mammals, while placentophagy is almost universal. Fun Facts:
7. " Doesn't the placenta hold on to a bunch of toxins and waste?" The placenta is a life-sustaining organ and part of a detailed filtering system that works to prevent most harmful substances from making it to the baby in utero. When the placenta filters out environmental toxins or waste, they’re then passed on to the mother to remove and filter through her organs- they are not just stored indefinitely in the placenta! Some heavy metals that are found in cigarettes can be stored in the placenta, so heavy smokers might take this into consideration before moving forward with encapsulation. 8. "I heard that the hospital won’t release my placenta or that it's an ordeal to get it released." Until 2016, it was true that you had to have either a court order or have a funeral director available for the hospital to release your placenta (yes, totally crazy, I agree). With HB 1670 in effect, placenta release is now fairly easy! If you’re delivering at St. David’s, you simply sign a waiver at admission and your placenta is released without any holds and if you're at Seton, they still hold placentas for 72 hours. But don’t worry, I coordinate pickup so you don’t have to worry about it storing and transporting after your baby is born! After signing up for encapsulation services, I send you an easy and personalized checklist that walks you through every step of the process for your specific birth place.  9. "Is it true that encapsulation can help with breastfeeding? " For over 1,400 years, Traditional Chinese Medicine has been prescribing placenta for increased milk production following childbirth. In one study of women who were given either their placenta to consume post birth or a placebo of beef (both freeze dried and given in the same dose), most who consumed their placenta had a marked increase in lactation. The participating women already expected to have a difficult time breastfeeding due to low milk production after previous births or flat/ inverted nipples, but over 85% of those who ate their placenta reported good or very good results with an increase in milk supply, breast size and tenderness, and milk that flowed on its own. A similar study with rats shows increased milk supply after placenta consumption due to orally-active substance that may modify blood levels of pituitary and ovarian hormones. 10. "I can’t encapsulate- I had pitocin/ epidural/ cesarean/ antibiotics/ etc." .Fortunately, that’s just not true! Pitocin, epidural anesthesia and antibiotics are incredibly common in births these days and have no noticeable effects on placenta capsules. Most medications are broken down and leave the system relatively quickly so they won’t be stored in the placenta (remember #7?). A substance would also have to survive the cleaning, steaming and dehydration process to make it into your capsules.  Sources:
Beacock, Michelle. “Does Eating Placenta Offer Postpartum Health Benefits?” British Journal of Midwifery. Bodnar, Lisa, PhD, MPH, RD. “Have We Forgotten the Significant of Postpartum Iron Deficiency?” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Volume 193. 2005. Fertil, J Reprod. “Effects of Placentophagy on Serum Prolactin and Progesterone Concentration in Rats After Parturition of Superovulation.” November 1980. Hendrick, Victoria, MD. “Hormonal Changes in the Postpartum and Implications for Postpartum Depression.” Psychosomatics. Volume 39 #2. March/ April 1998. Mercola, Joseph, OP. “The Health Benefits of Consuming Organ Meats.” Mercola.com. December 2013. Schramel, P. “Selenium, cadmium, lead, and mercury concentrations in human breast milk, in placenta, maternal blood, and the blood of the newborn.” Biological Trace Element Research. Volume 15, Issue 1. January 1998. Soykova- Pachnerova, E. “Placenta as a Lactagogon.” 1954. Not too many things can compete with having a baby- in excitement or workload. Luckily, a little bit of forethought can go a long way in way preparing for a smooth transition from pregnancy to the sacred weeks following birth. Be sure to scroll down and check out the first half of my six tips for a happier and healthier postpartum period if you haven't yet!
4) Eat Your Placenta Placenta encapsulation isn't just for hippies anymore. In fact, all but a handful of mammals instinctively consume their placenta after giving birth and this practice is becoming more mainstream with modern women. During pregnancy the placenta becomes a primary endocrine organ, taking over production of many reproductive hormones. These hormone levels are 20-30% higher than normal during this time! After birth estrogen, progesterone, endorphins, and other hormones, along with thyroid levels, drop immediately, causing a significant physical and emotional crash in new moms- also known as the "baby blues." Luckily, encapsulation is an easy, no-mess way to consume your placenta and smooth the transition into motherhood... No yuck required! Women who consume their placenta consistently report benefits that including fewer hormonal swings, increased energy and milk supply, a decrease pain, less bleeding and an overall improved sense of well being- all from materials produced by your own body and processed into simple capsule form. 5) Adjust Your Expectations This may be one of the most difficult steps in preparing for your postpartum because it can't be bought, scheduled or eaten, but adjusting your expectations for reality with a newborn may be an important step in your journey. Just like how TV and movies don't accurately portray childbirth (shocking, I know), they certainly don't portray the postpartum time either. Sometimes mothering comes naturally, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes breastfeeding comes naturally, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes you go for what seems like literally days without sleep, you partner doesn't seem to be holding up their end of the parenting deal, you look six months pregnant four weeks after giving birth and there's a bird nesting in your hair. Sometimes babies have difficulty latching and formula supplementation is appropriate. Sometimes you're crying and bleeding, feel like you've lost your whole identity and don't know how to keep your well- meaning, but exhausting mother-in-law at bay. I am by no means trying to spread horror stories or scare you. I am saying that parenthood is unpredictable, beautiful, messy, exhausting and amazing. It's the hardest f@#*ing work you'll ever do. Be flexible, be open to a change in plans and remember that there is no perfect in the parenting game. 6) Stay Well Fed and Hydrated This one sounds simple, but hunger and dehydration can sneak up on you when all your attention goes directly to your precious (and very demanding) newborn. While you may not be sitting down for three homecooked meals a day, it's still important to get an additional 500ish calories a day when breastfeeding. So what's a new mom to do when you don't have the time, energy or free hands to hang out in the kitceh all day?
Seriously, being a new parent is hard. Ask for help, accept help, be flexible and take some time for self-care. If feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, depression, weepiness or anxiety persist for more than a couple of weeks postpartum, talk to your care provider, connect with others online at Postpartum Progress or The New Mama Project or check out these local resources. Sources: Hibbert, Christina. "Postpartum Mood Disorders: An Informational Guide For Couples". Psychology Today. Le Leche League Do you have dreams of a magical Baby Moon when you'll do nothing but glow from oxytocin and stare longingly into your new babe's eyes? While planning for your ideal birth, it's just as important to plan for the period afterwards. Birth is like the wedding day and the postpartum period (and beyond) is like a marriage... more dirty work and significantly less glamorous. When you're pregnant with your first child it can be difficult (almost impossible!) to imagine that life with your new baby could be anything but perfect. We like to think that our love for our children is enough to get us smoothly through the trials of early parenthood, but that's not always the case. The combination of hormonal fluctuations, exhaustion, social isolation, and financial stress can push even the most prepared parent into a serious mood disorder.
Did you know that....
Though the baby blues and mood disorders can't always be avoided, there are certain steps you can take to lessen your chances and prepare for the beautiful postpartum period you imagine and deserve. 1) Practice Lying-In Basically, America does postpartum WRONG! Here we're expected to birth a baby, go grocery shopping, clean the house and prepare dinner for visiting and doting relatives. In reality, that's a great way to pass a blood clot the size of a lemon, exhaust yourself and miss out on some serious bonding with your newest addition. Other cultures practice 30-40 days of "lying-in". This is where you and baby hang out in bed while family and friends take care of housework, older siblings and meal prep, allowing for faster healing, the opportunity to process the majorly transformative event that is childbirth and learn the quirks and challenges of feeding your new little one. Lying in is important for all new mothers, but is especially vital for mothers who birthed by cesarean section! Not sure you can manage your household from the horizontal position? That's when it's time to call in some extra hands.... 2) Say "Yes" to Help Now is not the time to be a hero. When they say "it takes a village", trust them. After giving birth, you need help. Sometimes a lot, sometimes just a little. Good thing almost everyone wants to help when there's a new baby involved. Mothers, mothers' friends, mothers-in-law, sisters, neighbors, church ladies, aunts, strangers at Central Market... they all want to help. Take them up on it. So when someone asks, "What can I do to help?", give them an answer! Here's a few ideas of what to ask for if you're unsure of what you'll need.
3) Get a Massage No matter how you birth or feed your baby, your body will likely ache. Massage in the newly postpartum period is less of a luxury and more of a step towards homeostasis. The normal anxieties of parenting, plus waking up every two hours to feed a creature who's completely dependent on you, can wreak serious havoc on your nervous system and throw you into a fight or flight response that's hard to shake and you just can't think your way out of. Massage is a lovely and gentle way to coax your body back into relaxation and say "Yes, this is okay. I'm okay. My body can feel good again. I can recover". Massage helps your whole body take a breath and slip back into the relaxing parasympathetic nervous system that encourages faster healing, allowing you to be more present for yourself and your baby. Not sure how massage works when you're leaking from just about everywhere and you can't imagine getting in the car or being away from your baby for more than 20 minutes? I take care of all of that and come to you! I love working with new moms who aren't quite sure what to do with their newly postpartum bodies. We set up the massage table in your home and get you comfortable. Baby is nearby with dad or grandma and can stop in to nurse as needed. No worries if baby needs to be close the whole time, as he or she can lie with you on the table and you can both be blissed out from a healing and recuperative massage. Like what you've read so far? Stay tuned for three more practical and simple tips for a healthier and happier postpartum period! Sources: Beyond the "Baby Blues". Harvard Mental Health Letter. September 2011. M. Diego. Moderate pressure massage elicits a parasympathetic nervous system response. PubMed.gov. 2009. Canadian Mental Health Association PANDA.org Effective January 1, 2016 Women Have the Right to Retain Their Placenta in TexasKey Highlights
Texas women can now have their baby, and keep their placenta too. HB 1670, known as the Texas Placenta Bill, was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 17, 2015. It passed in the Senate on May 26, 2015, with unanimous support (31-0). The new law allows mothers to keep their placenta after the birth of their baby in any Texas hospital or birthing center. This is a major win for personal liberty, informed consent and choice for Texas women.  Previously before this new law, Texas classified placentas as medical waste, and every hospital in Texas has their own individual policy regarding the release of placentas.
This policy differed drastically, even among hospitals in the same city. Some hospitals simply required the mother to sign a release of liability form, and others required an expensive, and time consuming court order signed by a judge. Placentas were also released to a funeral home, since the placenta is considered an organ. Some hospitals simply refused to release the placenta all together. Many women and families choose to retain their placenta after birth for various reasons. Some women choose to consume their placenta, most often in a dehydrated encapsulated pill form, after birth to help in their postpartum recovery. This practice helps replenish the iron and hormones that are lost after birth, which helps the mother recover both emotionally and physically. Families also retain their placenta to plant a tree in honor or memory of their baby, or part of a ceremonial practice. The origin of this bill began after Melissa Mathis, a Dallas resident, was denied the right to her placenta after delivering her baby at Baylor University Medical Center in April 2014. During November election campaigning, Representative Kenneth Sheets literally came knocking on her front door. When Mathis answered the door, Sheets asked if there were any issues she was concerned about that he could address. She told him the story of her placenta, and the lack of personal liberty she first-hand experienced. Sheets listened, and took action. A few months later HB 1670 was drafted and filed in February 2015. Mathis created a grass roots campaign to build awareness for HB 1670. The Facebook group Pass the Placenta! (HB 1670) was created in March 2015 with regular posts on the status of the bill, and how women and families across Texas could take action to support the bill. Within a few short months, the group has more than 500 active members. Through the dedicated efforts of the authors of this bill, committee members, Representative Sheets and his staff, and the wide-spread community support, HB 1670 passed in the Texas House of Representatives on May 13, and passed in the Senate on May 26, 2015. The passing of this bill was significant for women’s rights in Texas. Regardless of what any woman wants to do with her placenta after the birth of her baby, it is now her choice. |
AuthorI'm Colleen. Mommma. Birth, breastfeeding, pregnancy, placenta lover. Sleep Deprived. 
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