Why consume my placenta?

Your placenta is made up of a unique mix of your own hormones.  Consuming your placenta after birth helps to balance the normal dip in hormones that occurs after childbirth. Many women report faster recovery times, increased energy, reduction in postpartum bleeding, boosted milk supply, uterus returning to normal size faster, reduction in postpartum depression, and a general balancing of hormones.  

What is your service area?

I cover all areas of the East Bay Area as far North as Marin and Vallejo, East to Walnut Creek and Concord, South to San Leandro, and all areas in between.

How do I make a booking?

Contact me with your due date and information on where you plan to deliver. I will check my calendar and send you a contract. To secure your booking I will need the signed contract and a $100 nonrefundable deposit to hold space for you in my calendar. I can accept cash, check, square, or paypal. Some families choose to take care of the balance before the birth. Any monies paid prior to baby's birth (except for the $100 deposit) will be fully refundable should you not be able to keep your placenta for medical reasons. If you decide to pay the balance after your baby is born, please bring the payment with you to the birth so that I can collect it when I pick up your placenta.

What should I say to my care provider?

Please let your care provider know prior to labor that you will keep your placenta. If you have a written birth plan, include your decision in your plan. When you arrive at your place of birth, let the staff know you are keeping your placenta.  When you are pushing, remind the staff again. Once the baby is born, remind the staff again.

What should I have at my labor and how do I care for the Placenta after birth?

Bring a small cooler and a large ziplock freezer bag to your labor. After your baby is born, put the placenta with cord attached in the freezer bag and then into the cooler on ice within 4 hours after birth. Many hospitals will have their own container or bag. Nurses at the hospital can give you ice and change the ice as needed. If you deliver at a birth center or at home, you can put the placenta in a ziplock bag or other sealed container and put it in the refrigerator. Please contact me for instructions if you would like to leave the cord attached for longer than four hours. If there is some reason you cannot contact me within 4 days of birth, put the placenta in the freezer.  Encapsulation and keepsakes are still available for frozen placentas.

When and how do I contact you?

While I do appreciate updates on when your labor starts, your only responsibility is to contact me after your baby is born. Call or text me and we will arrange a time for pick up. Depending on the time of birth, I may come right away, or it may take several hours. Please follow the instructions above to care for your placenta and keep it safe for consumption.

How long does it take to process and return the placenta?

Creating your order takes 24-36 hours. (Frozen placentas will take an extra 24 hours to safely defrost before processing) My goal is to get everything to you within 3 days of your baby's birth. I will deliver everything to you or a person you designate either at your place of delivery, or your home.  You don't need to worry about a thing.

What are medical reasons I may not be able to use the placenta for consumption?

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me before releasing or discarding the placenta. I cannot encapsulate a placenta that has been to a pathology lab. If your care provider would like to examine your placenta in pathology, ask them to cut a piece from the maternal side to examine vs. taking the entire placenta to pathology. Other situations that may make consumption unsafe include high and prolonged maternal fever or maternal infection.  Again, please contact me before you forfeit the placenta.

What other medical situations may come up that are NOT a danger for placenta consumption?

Please let me know if any of the following issues are present. These do not generally prevent placenta consumption. If you have a concern, we can discuss the situation and I will give you information to help you make a decision about consumption. Keepsakes may still be available if you decide not to consume your placenta.
- Group B strep
- Cesarean section
- meconium or maternal feces
- Hepatitis B or C
- High blood pressure or preeclampsia
- Gestational diabeties

After making a booking, is there ever a chance you won't be available to work on my placenta?

As a working birth doula, if I am at a birth and not able to pick up your placenta within 24 hours, I will call in a back up encapsulator. If I have a planned vacation I will let you know in advance and arrange a back up encapsulator. If I am unable to encapsulate for you due to illness or emergency, I will arrange a backup encapsulator for you.

I've already had my baby and am interested in encapsulation

I do take last minute clients if I am available. Please contact me to check availability. If I am not available, I can recommend other encapsulation specialists to help.

Disclaimer

While the vast majority of women experience positive results from consuming their placenta, a few women have reported feeling unwell. My service to you continues after I drop off your items. If you have any questions, concerns or doubts, please give me a call. If you would like more support during the postpartum period, I can help you there as well.