Everything You Need to Know About Placenta Encapsulation
I know it seems weird! But yeah, I encapsulated my placenta. What does that mean, you ask? Well, after I gave birth, my placenta lady took my placenta to her house and dehydrated it, chopped it up, and put it into little capsules that I now take every day!
Why did I do this?
I did a lot of research about it and the main reasons most people do placenta encapsulation are to help with milk supply and postpartum depression! Basically, everyone who has done this says they have never had a problem with their milk supply. I’m no different! I’ve had a great supply from the start. Maybe that’s because I know a lot about breastfeeding, maybe it’s genetic, or maybe my placenta pills actually help. No one really knows.
I wanted to do anything I could to avoid PPD (postpartum depression). Not sure if that’s something you can avoid, but placenta encapsulation is supposed to help. Here’s why: once you give birth, the placenta is no longer inside providing hormones. The sudden drop of hormones is what causes all women to feel the feelings they feel after birth. If you know, you know. I can’t really describe it any better than I did in my postpartum journey post. But these postpartum hormones, or lack thereof, can make you feel down/not yourself—leading to PPD. So ingesting a little bit of your placenta every day adds those lost hormones back into your body. I wanted to try placenta encapsulation because if there was a chance that I could avoid being depressed after birth, I wanted to do it! I am only five months postpartum, but I have not had any signs of PPD thus far!
The craziest thing is that I can tell if I have not taken a placenta pill. During my pregnancy, my hormones felt so well-balanced! This is not what people usually say haha. But I really did feel so balanced. Now that I have the baby and take the placenta pills, I STILL FEEL BALANCED. But if I do not take a pill, I notice that I am weepy or more emotional than usual. Why don’t you take them every day? Well, I try to and I intend to. But sometimes it just doesn’t happen. Sometimes I know that I haven’t taken it, and other times I don’t realize until later and then I’m like, “Oh, so that’s why I felt unnecessarily emotional about this small thing that happened.”
What if it’s just a placebo?
It very well could be! But that’s okay with me. I’d rather feel balanced and happy than not. So who really cares if it’s nonsense?
How much did it cost?
Around $250, though I’m sure this varies depending on where you live.
Details on the pills
I received about 200 pills, 100 in each container. You just store them as you would any other pill, and they should never expire. I don’t have to take them every day. I could take them more occasionally and would then have more for later. I may end up doing this eventually. I took two pills when I was newly postpartum. I felt like I needed it, but that’s the max you’re supposed to take each day. Some women use the powder to add to smoothies, but I think the pill is enough for me.
Would I do it again?
Most definitely! Taking care of yourself postpartum is just as important as taking care of your baby! This was self-care for me and I am so glad I did it! Feeling emotionally balanced is great.
Last thoughts
Not everyone can do placenta encapsulation. If your placenta is not healthy when you deliver it, you won’t be able to encapsulate it. If you are able to encapsulate it and you are having low milk supply, consider stopping the pills. My experience may be different than yours, so if you aren’t having the desired results, just consider stopping to see if it helps.
Let me know if you have any questions about placenta encapsulation! I’m happy to answer them! If you’ve done this before, please share your experience with me!