Any new parent will probably tell you that the first three months of your baby’s life are the most challenging. Newborn babies eat very frequently around the clock and therefore sleep is sacrificed for Mommy and Daddy. Many newborns can be fussy, especially in the evening, gassy and have colic making the beginning of your journey as a new parent even more challenging. And no matter how the baby came into this world, the new mom has to heal from the trauma of delivering her child; in some cases, such as after a Caesarean, the recovery can be quite painful. All of these factors can make those first three months feel like they go on forever, and that is without even mentioning another major factor for many women postpartum – the emotional roller coaster that follows birth due to a major shift in hormone levels.

According to the research I have done most mothers will experience some sort of postnatal mood disorder with an estimate as high as 80% of women. How could we not given the fact that we carry this bundle of joy for close to ten months, provide it with its own entire organ of nutrients that literally gives it life and the ability to thrive in the womb (the placenta) and then we lose a ton of blood along with this amazing organ when the baby is born. Our hormones go completely out of whack, our bodies experience an incredibly traumatizing event and then instantly we become completely responsible for another life, not to mention the toll breastfeeding takes on us physically as well. Add this to what I mentioned before – fussy baby, sleepless nights and physical recovery from childbirth – and it’s enough to make anyone lose their mind! If it weren’t for my miracle postpartum pills, I would definitely have been one to lose my mind for sure!

My miracle pills were my placenta – encapsulated and taken daily just like any other vitamin I take. Now before you decide to judge me and write me off as just another crazy hippie, it’s worth reading on as the history of placenta encapsulation and benefits are truly amazing!

For centuries the placenta has been revered as a symbol of life in many countries around the world. In Nigeria and Ghana, the placenta is treated as the “dead twin” of the live child and ceremoniously buried under a tree. In Korea the placenta is often burned and the ashes are kept and later given in liquid form to the child when he or she is ill. Many Arabs believe that the future fertility of a woman is connected to the disposition of the placenta; it is believed that if something should happen to it, the woman may not be able to produce any more children. (Here are more ways the placenta is celebrated and used by cultures around the world).

The most popular use of the placenta today is encapsulation, which is a longstanding tradition of the Chinese. In China, the placenta is considered a powerful and sacred medicine for the healing mother; placenta encapsulation dates back to the 1500’s. There is also documentation that dried placenta was a prescribed remedy in Europe in the 1700’s. It wasn’t until the mid 80’s when an American midwife that had studied traditional Chinese medicine, Raven Lang, began promoting placenta remedies during a conference for the Midwives Alliance of North America.

The long list of benefits of having my placenta encapsulated was enough of a reason to give it a go. Here are many benefits:

  • significantly reduce post-birth bleeding
  • been shown to increase milk production and enrich the quality of milk
  • replenish essential hormones such as oxytocin and CRH(stress reducer)
  • replenish essential nutrients such as vitamin B6 and iron
  • reduce stress levels
  • prevent the baby blues and postpartum depression
  • leave new mothers feeling calmer
  • Energy booster
  • Hasten the return of the uterus to postpartum state

Here are the healing properties, which result in the benefits above*:

Gonadotrophin: the precursor to estrogen, progesterone and testosterone

Prolactin: promotes lactation

Oxytocin: for pain and bonding; produced during breastfeeding to facilitate bonding of mother and infant. In pharmaceutical form this is a very addictive drug because it promotes a feeling of connectedness with others

Thyroid stimulating hormone: boosts energy and helps recovery from stressful events

Cortisone: combats stress and unlocks energy stores

Interferon: stimulates the immune system to protect against infections

Prostaglandins: anti-inflammatory

Hemoglobin: replenishes iron deficiency and anemia, a common postpartum condition

Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII: stops bleeding and enhances wound healing

Gammaglobulin: immune booster that helps protect against postpartum infections

Once I decided I was going to do it, the process was very simple. I used Jaqueline from The Sanctuary (jaqueline@birthsanctuary.com) who was referred to me by someone I trusted. It took one phone call to set up, $300, and she came to the hospital to collect the placenta when Beckett was born. Two days later, she showed up at my doorstep with my miracle pills. From the minute I started taking them, I immediately felt the difference. It was truly amazing how much energy I had almost instantly after ingesting one. For the first three months plus I took one every morning and one in the afternoon. I really did feel like a happy healthy mama. My milk supply was abundant. My body was healing easily from the delivery and I was very active from the instant we returned home from the hospital. It wasn’t until I stopped taking them that I realized how much they helped me those first three months. My miracle pills gave me so much energy! I felt ready to return to work part-time, six weeks postpartum, and I think a huge part of the reason was my miracle pills.

Mark my words – placenta encapsulation will become mainstream in America in my lifetime. The benefits are so outstanding and women are catching on. More celebrities are speaking out about it (January Jones has been a major advocate after her own success which was also recently written up in US Weekly), which will definitely help change the perception of this vital organ that is just thrown away in our country.

I will definitely be doing it again when I have another child. If all you have to lose is a little money, why wouldn’t you? Especially if someone told you could feel better post birth, have a greater, healthier milk supply, and heal more quickly and easily? If nothing else, I hope my story will intrigue you and perhaps change your point of view about women who choose to encapsulate their placenta. And if you do decide to do it, please share your story with others so we can spread the word about these incredible postpartum miracle pills!

Here’s a great video about it:


Written by Lana House

Studio Owner, House Pilates

*(Taken straight from Placentabakery.com)