Maybe you've heard about placenta encapsulation and that it offers incredible benefits, but you're not sure..
Is it worth it? Is it necessary? What can it can do for me?
Here are 5 great reasons to consider placenta encapsulation:
1. Increase Your Milk Supply
Many moms worry about and/or struggle with breastfeeding. One of the most commonly reported benefits of placenta encapsulation from new moms is an increase in breast milk supply.
A study conducted by The First Obstetric Clinic of Charles University reported placentophagy has a positive effect on breast milk production. Their study tested women anticipating trouble with nursing and 86% experienced a positive result from placenta encapsulation.
2. Balance Your Hormones
Everyone knows the postpartum period can be an emotional roller coaster. And it's true!
After giving birth, your body will experience a crash in hormones, because all the hormones your placenta was producing during pregnancy, labor, and birth, are suddenly gone. The placenta creates these hormones and steadily increases their levels during pregnancy and birth. Encapsulating your placenta allows you to slowly wean from all the hormones your body is so used to receiving, which brings us to #3.
3. Decrease Your Risk of Baby Blues/Postpartum Depression
Another common concern for new/expecting moms is baby blues and postpartum depression (PPD).
There are many factors that cause postpartum mood disorders, but the major shift in hormones I talked about earlier can be a contributing factor. As I said, placenta encapsulation can help decrease your risk of PPD because of its richness in beneficial hormones. Supplementation of hormones found in the placenta, such as estrogen, prolactin, oxytocin, and cortisol have been proven effective in reducing PPD.
Read more about postpartum mood disorders and when they usually occur here:
https://coloradoplacenta.com/northern-colorado-placenta-services-blog/2017/7/20/postpartum-mood-disorders-what-you-need-to-know
4. Increase Energy
What new mama doesn't need a bit (or a lot) of extra energy? Recovering from birth is hard enough, but taking care of a newborn is obviously demanding too. Placenta encapsulation gives you the extra energy you need to take care of yourself and your baby when you need the extra boost most!
The boost in energy many moms experience from placenta encapsulation mostly comes from it's richness in iron, which is an extremely important element to postpartum health.
Anemia is a very common cause for postpartum fatigue. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that less than 25% of women start pregnancy with iron stores sufficient enough for the demand and 56% of women are already anemic by the third trimester. After giving birth, iron levels drop even further from blood loss. Studies show even for non-anemic women, iron supplementation can help with fatigue.
Postpartum fatigue and anemia are also significant risk factors for PPD, so increasing iron and energy levels is another way your placenta can help prevent postpartum depression.
5. You Only Get One Chance
You only get one postpartum experience. You only get this short and precious time with your newborn baby, once. It's such a special and important time in your life, and my hope is for all moms to get to enjoy that time as much as possible, and for the transition into motherhood to be as seamless as possible. You only get one placenta, and it is truly such a gift, not something to waste.
Learn more about placenta encapsulation services in Northern Colorado here:
https://coloradoplacenta.com/packages-pricing
References:
1. Kristal Mark B., “Enhancement of Opioid-Mediated Analgesia: A Solution to the Enigma of Placentophagia.” Department of Psychology State University of New York at Buffalo. 1991. Buffalo NY 14260.
2. Hendrick, Victoria MD, Altshuler, Lori L MD, Suri, Rita MD. “Hormonal changes in the Postpartum and Implications for Postpartum Depression.” 1998.
3. Beacock, Michelle. “Does eating placenta offer postpartum health benefits?” British Jounal of Midwifery. 2012.
4. Gale Group. “Baby blues- pospartum depression attributed to low levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone after placenta is gone-Brief Article.” 2004.
5. Corwin, Elizabeth J PhD, RN, CNP and Arbour, Megan MS, CNM. “Postpartum fatigue and evidence-based interventions.” 2007.
6. Soykova-Pachnerova, Eva, Brutar, Vlastimil, Golova, Berta, Zvolska, Eva. “Placenta as a Lactagogon.” First Obstetric Clinic, Charles University, Prague. 1954.
7. F Vernon, B Burnand, C-L Fallab Stubi, C Bonard, M Graff, A Michaud, T Bischoff, M de Vevey, J-P Struder, L Herzig, C Chapuis, J Tissot, A Pecoud, B Favrat. “Iron supplementation for unexplained fatigue in non-anaemic women: double blind randomised placebo controlled trial.” General Practice Unit, University of Lausanne, rue du Bugnon, Lausanne Switzerland, Health Care Evaluation Unit, Institute of Social and Preventative Medicine, University of Lausanne, Medical Outpatient Clinic, University of Lausanne. 2008
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