I was asked by a client recently to use her placenta.. here is a story written by her sister as we did it together as a team! I’m pregnant too… Baby due in December and I’m giving placenta duties to my
man to look after this time!
My first experience with placenta remedies
This is a wonderful account written for the IPEN network by my recent birth client’s sister describing our adventure as hired the kit and prepared her twin’s placentas for a hormone boosting smooothie and capsules to promote recovery and well being and to encourage the earlier arrival of mamma’s milk after her cesarean birth:
The most amazing birth gift for my sister – placenta capsules
There are a few aspects to the encapsulation which I think are definitely worth sharing…it was a very interesting experience indeed!
Firstly it was a joint effort between myself and Jolie, Emma’s Doula. Jolie was Emma’a attendant in the cesarean so made sure the placentas were retained.
Some time after the birth a nurse brought them out (just one placenta as it turned out: they had joined) to the waiting room in a medical waste bucket. We kept them in there in an cooler box until later in the day when we were ready to go home. So this was about 2.30pm.
Later at about 6pm Jolie and I brought them back and got the kitchen set up for everything…making sure all the utensils were sterile etc etc. Then came a funny part…we found we couldn’t open the medical waste bucket very well so looked onto the side to try to find instructions, only to discover a notice warning it wasn’t meant to be reopened! We were both starting to feel tired by this point but found this situation very funny (maybe we were starting to feel a bit delirious too) so struggled with the bucket on the floor (as we both had visions of it on the bench opening up and exploding everywhere!). Eventually it was opened by substantial force with Jolie making a gap in between the lid and bucket and myself briskly sliding a kitchen knife to prize it open…it worked and we were overjoyed to have combatted this unforeseen hiccup. Turned out the placenta was in a bag inside the bucket.
I had initially thought I wouldn’t be the one to handle the raw placenta as the thought of it made me a little queasy but once we opened the bag it was in (inside the bucket) I seemed to just proceed and Jolie and I shared the process together.
I must also add that we had music on at this point…some earthy female vocals from Cuba I think…which created extra energy and rhythm.
So we followed the instructions and blessed the cords as they were each cut and closely inspected the dividing line joining them together. We commented on many things like: * how fragile the placenta was to handle * how red the blood was * how the flesh was made up of so many different textures
I cut the strips with a knife whereas Jolie used scissors and we found the scissors did a great job in keeping the strips to consistent thicknesses.
Both of us felt an extra burst of energy as we cut the strips.
By the time we finished (to Dead Can Dance playing), cleaned up and switched the dehydrator on it was about 8.30/9pm.After more (slightly manic) cleaning of the kitchen tiles and benches I set the alarm for 2.30 am to check the process.
Then drank about 1L of water! Once in bed I really felt the buzzing of my body and a certain throbbing right where my ovaries are. I have felt this sensation before but this was very strong.
Again the next night as I lay down to sleep and the strips were ground up already in capsules I felt the same sensation. Then I didn’t experience it again.
So looking back I would say the process is one of intensity on most levels and found it was often better not to think too much while the process is in motion, but to keep clear and focused on each stage, trying to remain objective. I think the instructions also encourage this mentality.
Also, collaborating with at least one other person worked for us. It’s good to be able to talk about the process as it unfolds and share perspectives about what the instructions mean too.
The smell of the dehydrating flesh I found a little strong and would probably consider doing this part outside if there was another occasion.
I would definitely consider this process for myself should I give birth in the future, but not sure how I would go drinking the shakes.
In hindsight I think most of the reservations I felt about the process had a lot to do with the general Western attitudes of handing flesh, especially human flesh, a certain taboo which is ingrained.
And the general detachment surrounding the way meat is bought and eaten.
I feel honored to have been part of this process and am probably happy to keep it as a “once off experience”at this stage!
