So... What did you do with the placenta?

"According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, placenta is considered a powerful and sacred medicine, The use of placenta during the postpartum course to aid in recovery from childbirth is often used among TCM practitioners. After the placenta is prepared it is taken in capsule form, 2 capsules at a time, with white wine. The wine is said to help disperse the energy of the placenta throughout the body. Women can take this dose up to three times a day, and continue until they no longer feel a need. Remaining placenta can be saved and used homeopathically for those times when the child undergoes a separation from the mother. For example, when first learning to walk, or when weaning. The human placenta used to augment qi (life force energy) and blood will help augment lactation."

So this is exactly what we did. We used a small portion to make a homeopathic remedy and the rest was encapsulated according to a TCM recipe. Pictures below.

The homeopathic remedy can be found at www.placentalremedy.com. This is a 7 day process so it's still in the making.

The Recipe
Making a Homoeopathic Placental Remedy

Freezedry or pulp (blend) placenta
or just use a selected piece from the placenta whole.

Add 1 part placenta to 9 parts brandy,
say a piece of placenta the size of a walnut to 90 mls of Brandy.
Or say 1 teaspoon placenta plus 9 teaspoons brandy
(You can use Brandy, whisky, vodka, ethanol etc)

Sit for 3 days, or longer (in a brown glass bottle or a covered bottle/jar in a cool, dark place)

Use 1 part of this mixture and add to 99 parts brandy

Say 2 mls mixture plus 198mls brandy

Discard original mixture

Succuss 100 times
Put mixture in a well sealed glass bottle and bash firmly against a phonebook (or the palm of your hand) 100 times, be focused on your task.

This now creates the 1C MOTHER TINCTURE.

200mls

Store this in a brown glass bottle in a cool dark place.

Application:

This will be a constitutional remedy for the baby throughout her/his life. It could be used for many/any constitutional or unusual ailments (except) when specific remedy is appropriate eg arnica for bruising).

The placenta contains stem cells so this remedy will be a very good immune remedy.

The placenta contains all one's strengths and weakness so treating the individual with this remedy will provide balance when there is imbalance.

Here it is, it'll be ready for the second stage on Sunday.

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TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) recipe for encapsulating the placenta. Recipe found here.

Placenta Pills Recipe

Ingredients:

One fresh/defrosted human placenta
Ginger slices
Half a lemon
One red chilli (hot pepper)
Empty vegetable based capsules
First wash the blood away from the placenta and place in a steamer. Cut up the other fresh ingredients and place on the top.

Directions:

Next steam over a low heat with the other fresh ingredients for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.

Prick with a fork to be sure that no blood or fluid comes out to check if it is done. The placenta will shrink during this process.

Slice the placenta as thinly as possible and place on a baking tray.

Dry in a low-temp oven or use a dehydrator. Then powder or just break it up and put it into the empty capsules.

Store in a dark container at room temperature.

TCM Principles

Properties
Flavour is sweet and salty. Nature is warm and moist.

Functions
Augments Qi (energy) and Xue (blood) and therefore tonifies Yang, Yin and Jing (vital essence). Placenta is often included in traditional medicinal combinations with restorative functions. Mainly used after childbirth but also can be used after high stress or an extremely draining experience.

Benefits
By augmenting the production of Qi (vital energy) and Xue (blood) this allows for increased energy, increased breastmilk and less risk of Xue Xu (blood deficiency) which can cause depression. It can be used preventively. In combination with other herbs placentas have been used to treat infertility and cancer. When consumed directly after childbirth it helps to contract the uterus.

Contraindications
Not to be used in heat conditions or for people with the presence of pathogenic factors, including common cold and mastitis.

Dosage
Two capsules, three times a day for the first two weeks post-partum. It can then be used whenever a mother’s energy is low.

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Here are the ingredients, all ready to be cut, sliced and rinsed.

Here's the placenta all rinsed and cleaned. Ivan's just about to cut the umbilical cord and the membranes away.

So the placenta was steamed and is being cut into small slices now. You can see Ivan has his MP3 player on :-) It is considered very important to this process that the person doing the preparing is mindful of his state of mind and energy as well as keeping the space cleared of negative energy. Ivan takes this VERY seriously and keeps the kitchen off limits until all is done.

All set up in the dehydrator and ready to cook for the next 8-10 hours.

And the final result is a bottle full of placenta pills :-)
I've been taking them for 2 days now and I feel fantastic.

Some other information:

What is Placentophagia?

Placentophagia (or placentaphagia) is the practice of consuming the placenta. Many mammals naturally eat the placenta soon after birth and it is also practiced in some traditional cultures. Preparations vary, including eating raw slivers, recipes such as lasagne, soups, stews etc., or medicinal pills and concoctions. The placenta can be eaten by the mother and/or saved for the child (after introduction of solids). The most beneficial times for the mother are shortly after childbirth or during times of tiredness or energy deficiency. For the child perhaps at times of energy deficiency or perhaps consider before the 7 & 8 year cycles of growth (7, 14 etc for girls, 8, 16 etc. for boys).

Why Eat Placenta?

There are many benefits to eating placenta and although it is not well documented in Western society, it is has been used as a medicine in China for many years. In fact, the placenta is quite sought after, being included in pharmacological preparations to treat infertility, chronic fatigue syndrome and a variety of other diseases. Placenta is bought from young, healthy women then tested and treated accordingly. Why let this valuable organ go to waste?

Benefits of Placenta Pills

Augments Qi (energy) and Xue (Blood) and therefore tonifies Yang, Yin and Jing (Vital Essence).

Brief Explanation:

All foods have properties that can benefit the body, depending on the body type and other factors. Placenta is considered to be a very powerful medicine as it is life giving and stores the vital essence for the baby. Placenta is often included in traditional medicinal combinations with restorative functions.
Generally we cannot directly tonify the vital essence as it is over a process of years that this is built up. Firstly there is the Qi that comes from what we consume. Some of this Qi is then turned into Xue (Blood) after digestion and stored in the Liver. If the body is producing enough Blood (via good health practices) it is then transported from the Liver to the Kidneys and Marrow (in TCM the Kidneys control the Bone Marrow) and becomes Jing. There are two types of Jing: pre-natal and post-natal. Pre-natal Jing is the reason why pre-natal care is so important for future health. It comes from the sperm and ova during conception and cannot be replenished. Post-natal Jing can be replenished but it takes many years. Pregnancy is taxing on the body and can drain Qi, Xue and Jing (in that order) even if the mother follows the best of health regimes.

More specifically, placenta pills may help to:

• Increase general energy
• Allow a quicker return to health after birth
• Increase production of breast milk
• Decrease likelihood of baby blues and post natal depression
• Decrease likelihood of iron deficiency
• Decrease likelihood of insomnia or sleep disorders

The body is so individual and because of the powerful nature of this medicine other benefits are also likely but too numerous to mention.
I believe that this practice is particularly beneficial to vegetarian mothers and those prone to post natal depression.