Placenta Preparation

Placenta preparation provides you with a variety of options for processing your placenta for short and long-term use including placenta encapsulation, placenta smoothies, placenta tinctures and more.  Your baby’s blood can be typed from the blood in the placenta at the time of processes and artistic keepsakes are available.

For home birth clients, you are routinely shown your placenta for educational purposes and you may provide all your own smoothie ingredients or thick water color paper for printing and the placenta can be cut up into pieces for the fridge or freezer for raw smoothie consumption and you can be shown how to process your own placenta during a regular prenatal visit at no extra cost.  If you want all of these services provided for you professionally, details are on this page.

Consuming your placenta provides you with:

  • Adrenaline
  • Oxytocin
  • Progesterone
  • Iron
  • Protein
  • Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone

For some mothers, placenta consumption helps:

  • Prevent Postpartum Depression
  • Remedy Postpartum Depression
  • Increase Milk Supply
  • Increase Energy Levels

Placenta prep is available for midwifery or doula clients as an add-on service.  If you are not a current client, I am happy to hold a class for you to learn to do this on your own or connect you with others that could provide this service for you as it is too difficult for me to be on call for my birth clients and for placenta clients at the same time.

Placenta Preparation includes taking your placenta home after doula care, or coming to your house within the first week after birth for processing and basic postpartum care.  For most preparation, the placenta is tinctured or powdered for encapsulation (using traditional, steaming, methods).

Due to the high amounts of adrenaline in the placenta, and many options to improve milk supply and prevent/remedy postpartum depression, all mothers interested in placentophagy should read THIS POST that covers the known pros and cons of placenta consumption as well as how to process your own placenta to help you best decide if this service is right for you.

Ask About Placenta Prep

Prep Your Own

$50

Prior to birth, learn to process your own placenta with a variety of methods.  We will cover the aspects of choosing placenta consumption, cover the supply lists & help you pre-order anything you may need, and educate about various methods of placenta preparation in the comfort of your own home.  Great for clients birthing at the hospital or with another midwife.

*These sessions are best scheduled at least 4 weeks prior to your 40 week date in case any additional herbs need ordered (from quality sources) or oils need to begin infusion.

Basic Placenta Prep

$300

Cord Keepsake

Small amount of raw placenta for consumption during processing if desired (recommended)

Powder (with encapsulation) OR Tincture

Full Placenta Prep

$350

Cord Keepsake

Placenta Print

Raw Placenta Fruit & Herb Smoothie

Small amount of raw placenta for consumption during processing

Powder (with encapsulation) OR Tincture

Add-ons

The following options can be added to your powder or tincture, or can be made from the powders created during processes.

+$50 – Combined Tincture & Encapsulation

+$25 – Esali Thrive *Herbal Powders

+$25 – Chocolate Placenta Truffles

+$25 – *Herbal Placenta Salve – 1 oz.

+$30 – Baby’s Blood Typing

Contact for custom herbal blends

*Herbal add on options require 3-4 weeks to purchase herbs, so may not be available for last minute placenta preparation clients.  Please contact with any questions.

How Placenta Preparation Works

How do I get the placenta to you?

If you are a midwifery or labor doula client, I will take your placenta home with me after your birth (if in a hospital) or begin processing immediately (for home birth).   I will make you a raw placenta smoothie immediately, depending on your birth location.

I no longer process placentas for clients that are not birthing with me as it is too difficult for me to provide adequate care to my birth clients while being on call to collect and process a placenta for someone that is not birthing with me.  If you are not birthing with me, a class to teach you how to do this can be scheduled.

How is the placenta processed?

For most processing, this is done in your home, though I provide all the equipment and ingredients.  The placenta, membranes, and cord are rinsed under cool water.  We make a print (on water color paper) with the placenta and the cord as a “Tree of Life” keepsake.  The cord is cut and shaped for dehydrating as a keepsake as well.

For tincturing, the placenta is diced and placed into glass jars and covered with brandy (or liquor of your choice – 80-100 proof).  Herbs can be added at this time.  This can remain with you and in two weeks you can start consuming.  Typically, however, I bring the jars home with me to complete the two week processing, strain, and bottle into dropper bottles then shipped back to you.

For powdering, the placenta is sliced then steamed (unless you prefer that it not be steamed) and then dehydrated over the next 24 hours.  I then come back the following day and the dehydrated placenta is powdered to sprinkle in yogurt or make in to truffles or energy balls or can be encapsulated which is completed at that time.  If salves are to be made, some of the powder will come home with me to finish the salves and then shipped back to you when complete which can take 1-2 weeks.