Did you know that many mammals eat or lick their placentas after giving birth? Every mammal that is, except humans.
Apparently, this developed into the idea that women should encapsulate their placentas in order to prevent hormone loss, postpartum depression, and to regain nutrients lost at birth. Encapsulating the placenta means that someone takes your juicy, throbbing organ and turns it into a pill to pop. What’s even more shocking is that a small fraction of these women simply take their placentas home and then fry them up with some onions and garlic, or turn them into placental smoothies. Looks like strawberry banana, tastes like eating part of your body!
I talked with my parents about this, because maybe I was in the dark and this is something that a lot of women do. Now, my parents are not scientists or medical doctors, but they are highly educated psychologists and were much closer to being hippies than I ever was. So I thought maybe they would have a thing or two to say about this. They told me that when animals eat their placentas they are likely doing it to hide evidence that a baby was just born, so predators don’t come looking for them. And when they are licking and eating during the birth, it’s in order to open the sac to release the baby. I liked this theory a lot more than wondering if I was missing out if I didn’t eat my placenta.
Upon further research, I learned that placentophagy is the term used to describe an animal that eats the placenta. Doctors have different views, because there could be some nutritional benefit, but the majority of doctors seem to be saying that in a society where we have access to healthful food and nutrients, eating the placenta is not necessary.
Here’s the bottom line: Animals lick their asses. I’m not going to start up that habit anytime soon. Dogs eat cat crap out of the litter box. Also not a habit I’ll be picking up. Animals also live in caves, dens, water, and holes, and I prefer apartment and house dwelling.
So if you choose to eat your own placenta, all the power to ya! It’s brave, unique, and also kind of creepy. I just figure, if the thought of eating my own body tissue revolts me, I’ll follow my OWN animal instincts, and after the birth I'd like a corned beef sandwich and glass of red wine please!
No offense to your parents (mine are also post hippy psychologists as well) but they aren't scientists and no offense to your doctors but they take the completely western approach. The explanation for mammals ingesting their placenta is to help replenish the hormones lost after delivery which is why it's gaining popularity. Considering 80% of postnatal moms experience baby blues and many also experience postpartum depression (which is in part due to hormonal imbalance much of which due to losing our placenta) it's no wonder they're choosing to experiment with this alternative. The other choice is antidepressants which are obviously no bueno for nursing moms and in my opinion are the much less healthy route. Ingesting your own placenta is also said to help with lactation. As gross as it sounds my husband made smoothies with my placenta....it was tasteless by the way....trust me I know how disgusting it is...but when you and your family have a history of depression, you might be willing to try anything to avoid dealing with that with a newborn. Of course we could've encapsulated but we're shocking like that and are artists so go figure. Do I think it helped? Perhaps...but there really is no qualitative way of knowing especially with such a new homeopathic treatment. Let's not forget, we ARE mammals and there's nothing that reminds us more of that than giving birth and breastfeeding.
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