FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION

What the heck is Placenta Encapsulation?
Placenta Encapsulation is the act of taking the placenta (aka the afterbirth), dehydrating it and putting the powder into capsules.

Why would anyone do that?
All mammals, even the vegetarian ones, like deer, eat their placentas. Humans are the only mammals who do not eat their own placentas.
Studies show that ingesting the placenta post-birth not only gives you back a ton of nutrition and vitamins lost during pregnancy and birth, it also helps stabilize mood, thus helping head off any postpartum depression. Some women have also found that if they save their pills, they help manage the symptoms of PMS.

I’ve heard there are different methods to do this – what method does Belly and Bunting use?
We do both methods that are considered "Traditional Chinese Medicine." A raw (Jing) preparation or steamed (Yang) with ginger, lemon and chilis.
If you do not tell us which you would like, we will do the raw preparation.

What are the capsules made out of?
You can choose between normal gelatin capsules or vegan gelatin capsules, which are made out of seaweed.

Do you always put it in capsules?
No. Sometimes we just make the powder and people add it to smoothies like a protein powder. However, since the placenta is an organ, the powder can have a very strong and distinctive “liver” flavor.

Do you add anything else to the pills?
Not usually. Sometimes we add herbal supplements or powdered vitamins to the powder/capsules. We are happy to do it, but since we are not herbalists or naturopaths, we cannot advise you on what to add. If you have something you want added, please have it available when the placenta is picked up.

Is this done in my home?
We prefer to do it at our house, since we can control the environment and keep it sterile. Also this means you can just enjoy your postpartum time, rather than having someone messing around in your house.

How do I know I'm getting my placenta back?
Because encapsulation involves handling blood we only work on one placenta at a time. There is no way you can accidentally receive someone else's placenta.

Do you only do this for birth clients?
Nope! We’re happy to provide encapsulation as an “a la carte” service.

I'm giving birth in a hospital - will you deal with them for me?
No. If you did not keep the placenta with you right after you gave birth it will be sent to the hospital's pathology lab. Legally, the hospital can only release the placenta to you or a family member of your's.

How much does it cost?
For birth clients, encapsulation is FREE.
For a non-birth client, we charge on a sliding scale of $100-$250. This is not based on income, you simply pay what you can afford in that range.

You didn’t answer my question – what should I do?
Email us at doula@brightgirl.net or call 206-617-3671 and we’ll be happy to help!