~ An invaluable part of postpartum healing for both mother and child
Traditionally, placenta capsules are used to help:
- Balance your hormones
- Enhance your milk supply
- Increase your energy
Studies show that placenta is extremely nutrient rich, high in iron, protein, vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6 and of course, your own natural hormones, making it perfectly made for you, by you. Experts agree that the placenta retains hormones, reintroducing them to your system is believed to ease postpartum and menopausal hormonal fluctuations.
Placenta capsules may help to:
- Bring your body back into balance
- Avoid the “baby blues”
- Increase energy
- Augment milk production
- Lessen postnatal bleeding
- Increase postnatal iron levels
- Recover more quickly from birth
Some even believe it can help:
- Build baby’s immune system
- When baby is weaning from breastfeeding or on child’s first day of school, helping with any transition baby or mother may go through
- If baby has had a break or a trauma of any kind
- Regulate hormones during menopause
I first learned of mother’s ingesting their placenta as a supplement after childbirth while in school for Traditional Chinese Medicine, this has been in practice in many cultures for thousands of years. Almost every mammal ingests their own placenta after the birth, sometimes even ignoring the young until the placenta has been completely ingested.
In Terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the placenta tonifies the liver and kidneys and augments the essence. It augments the qi(energy or life force) and nourishes the blood, it tonifies the Lung qi and augments the kidney essence.
In layman’s terms, it brings the body back into balance, replenishing what was lost during childbirth. In China it is also used for debilitating chronic diseases and widely used as an anti-aging treatment, as well as a variety of other ills, including fatigue and insufficient lactation.
In many cultures the placenta is considered the tree of life, and indeed, without it life would not be possible.
*When and How is it Prepared?
Ideally, the placenta is prepared as soon as possible after delivery, allowing you and baby to benefit from the most potency the placenta has to offer. The first two weeks are the most important and effective time to be taking the placenta, so, the sooner the better. Directly after the birth, the placenta should be placed in an enclosed container in the refrigerator or in a cooler of some sort if you are in the hospital, until it can be taken home and placed in the refrigerator. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, after 48 hours it should be placed in the freezer. However, I am usually there within the first 24 hours to begin the process. And although it is advised to begin taking placenta capsules as soon as possible after delivery, placentas that have been properly frozen, meaning that they were frozen just after delivery and have been double-bagged and protected from freezer-burn can also be encapsulated up to 6 months after birth. Although you may not be getting the postpartum benefits, these capsules can be saved and used for the baby and you throughout the years for any type of transition in life or trauma and can also be used for mommy later in life while transitioning through menopause, using your own natural hormones.
Adhering to the strictest standards of safety as set forth by OSHA and the EPA and conforming to local health department guidelines for food preparation and safety protocols, the preparation process is always done in a sterile environment, using sterile equipment, with love and patience and infused with healing mantras, giving you the greatest quality and care you can ask for.
The first visit I make to your home, taking about 2 hours, the placenta is prepared for drying, it is then left to dehydrate for several hours. I return the following day to begin the encapsulation process, taking about an hour and a half. You can then start taking your capsules right away for the maximum postpartum benefits!
*When NOT to Take:
Placenta should not be taken if the body is fighting off a common cold, flu, or infection. If mommy should get a breast infection, the placenta should not be taken until infection is cleared. If symptoms such as chills, fever, sneezing, aches, flushed cheeks, hot palms and feet or night sweats should occur, stop taking the capsules until the body has fought this off. The reason for this is because placenta is extremely tonifying in nature and can cause a pathogen to grow stronger and get deeper into the body.
Please contact me via email or phone to discuss this incredible process further, I am always ready to answer any questions and or concerns. I would also be happy to meet with you in person before the birth. Happy birthing!
Cost: $275
* Plus, you receive 20% off a post-natal massage when you have your placenta encapsulated! (See the massage section for fees.)
Accepted forms of Payment:
cash, check, or credit card via Google Checkout
I asked Sara to encapsulate my baby’s placenta a few months before giving birth. It felt intuitive to me that the placenta that gave my daughter nourishment for so long should not be discarded as waste just because the pregnancy is over. Sylvie is 5 days old now, and so far it is obvious to me that the placenta’s magic is working. I started taking the placenta right away, and am surprised that it is so easy. I expected a strange taste, or a queasy feeling…something, but all I have is energy and more energy. Despite the sleep deprivation, phonecalls, diaper changes, and all the time spent gazing at her adoringly, I feel great. Our family has been out since day 2 every day for either a walk or an outing, we even went to the hometown fair! Everyone remarks, you look so vibrant already! The most important thing on my mind right now, is making sure that my milk is coming in and that Sylvie is gaining weight. Well, I’ve been to the lactation consultant for some fine tuning, twice now, and she cannot believe how much milk I have. Today, after twenty minutes of feeding, I still had an abundance. Sylvie drank 1.6 oz from just one side, and the lactation lady gasped and said, “Now, I’ve been doing this a long time, and I don’t think I’ve EVER seen that much milk from one breast before.” There is nothing more satisfying than knowing your child is thriving from your healthy body. Thank you Sara, I know the placenta is a big part of mine and Sylvie’s vitality.
I am a first time Mom and had heard many stories about mothers experiencing postpartum depression. I wanted to enjoy my baby after he was born without having to experience negative mood swings, and that’s when I learned about placenta encapsulation. I thought that it sounded like a wonderful solution and there wasn’t any reason not to try it. When I inquired at the hospital about saving my placenta they said they needed to take it away right after birth for examination as part of their regular hospital procedure. I was worried that I would not be able to encapsulate my placenta after the lab procedures because it could be ruined. I then asked my encapsulation specialist Sara Pereira about this and she informed me that there are waiver forms available so that patients can avoid this lab procedure and retain the placenta for their own use. That is exactly what I did and I was able to have my mother take it immediately home for me.
The next day Sara started the encapsulation process, and since I was still in the hospital my Mother met with her at my house. The following day after I returned from the hospital, I met Sara and she finished the process. She was very nice and answered questions that I had and shared with me many of the benefits of placenta encapsulation. I would recommend Sara and placenta encapsulation to anyone who is considering trying it. I started the pills right after she finished making them, and I took them exactly as was suggested. Even after a very long labor and bad tearing I did not suffer from postpartum depression. My milk came in quickly and my baby put on a healthy amount of weight with out needing any supplementation. He is now almost 2 months old and we are still both doing great. I want to say thank you for helping make placenta encapsulation widely available and helping women avoid unnecessary suffering from postpartum depression after childbirth.
Sara–
The capsules have been great–I am just finishing them up! I have felt wonderful so I am guessing they did the trick. I was very worried because I do suffer from depression and was concerned about post-partum, but I have been very even keel and happy. Thank you so much! I will certainly pass your info on and use you again for our next pregnancy!
Sara Pereira is the only person I recommend for placenta preparation. We went to Chinese Medical school together, and I can’t rave about her work enough! She is certified in placenta encapsulation, she follows the letter of the law in terms of safety and OSHA compliance, and she brings a generous and loving spirit to each preparation. Sara is always eager to take on more placenta clients, and is very diligent about follow-up. I always know, when I refer patients to her, that their placenta capsules will be the core of the post-partum herbal regimen that I prescribe. My patients have found her to be very easily reachable by phone, email, web, and Facebook, and they always thank me for introducing them to her!
I’m doing great! Who knows if it was the pills or not, but I feel fabulous – much better than with the other two births.
No depression, great milk supply and I’m waiting to see how the hair things goes. Around three months I usually loose a ton of hair. Hopefully that won’t happen this time. I still have a few pills left and I figure I’ll take them if I feel down, tired or notice lots of hair loss.
Thanks so much!
Julie
Sara, thank you so much for preparing my placenta. I had never even heard of this process before I visited your site and I am fascinated by the procedure and the benefits. Thanks for making it so easy and working with my girlfriend for delivery and coming to my house to do the prep. My recovery has been great. No depression and my skin has looked great. I’m 4 1/2 mos out and am thinking about taking the rest of my pills now as I am definitely sleep deprived and my guess is these will help me get through the rough nights. I will spread the word to my soon to be mommy friends. THANKS AGAIN!