Why Placenta Encapsulation is becoming so popular

Gone are the days where you have to eat a raw placenta or placenta pie to gain the benefits this wonderful organ offers, unless of course that is what you want to do, the raw placenta has much stronger benefits than anything, although everything I do I make sure the temperature is as low as possible to not kill many of the nutrients. 

What benefits does Placenta Encapsulation have?
~ reduced postpartum bleeding
~ increased energy
~ hormones rebalanced
~ increase in milk supply
~ uterus returns quicker to pre pregnancy state
~ reduces postpartum pain and discomfort
~ reduces risks of postpartum depression

These are just some of the wonderful things the placenta does after the birth of a child.

What is the difference between the raw method and the TCM method?
Traditional Chinese Medicine Method - The oldest method there is and also the most commonly used. The process of labour is considered Yin which means cold, it is believed the process of labour and birth leaves a lot of open, empty space. This process is Yang which means warm because of the spices, herbs and steaming involved in the encapsulation process. By adding this warm energy it is thought to aid postpartum healing further and for longer since some believe that since the raw method is considered cold it isn't suitable for longer term use (when period return, menopause etc)
We use ingredients such as lemongrass (or lemon when this is not available), ginger and peppers to add warm energy then steam the placenta, the steamed placenta is then dehydrated, ground and placed into capsules, the result is an energetically balanced placenta remedy that is nourishing, warming and tonifying.
Raw Method - This method is based on the more modern beliefs that heat destroys vital enzymes. When using this method I do not go above 50°C as many believe that the heat would kill lots of nutrients and the hormones we are trying to add back to the body. The placenta is then sliced and dehydrated (after being washed and vessels and membranes removed) then ground and put in capsules.

How would you like the placenta to be ground?
I can also do two different methods for this depending on your beliefs. Most commonly I use an electric grinder, however some people believe that this can add a bad energy to the pills a metal, frantic or anxious energy so to avoid this for those clients a mortar and pestle is used.

What is a tincture?
Placenta Tincture is made from a piece of the mother’s own raw placenta after birth, steeping in alcohol making a strong remedy over 6 weeks. It is said that placenta tincture is used for emotional, mental and psychological instability and may also be very beneficial for treating PMS and menopause. - IPEN

What is placenta balm??
Encapsulated placenta has many benefits including topical use. A placenta capsule can be opened and mixed with a natural oil to be applied directly to the skin. It is great for nappy/diaper rash, eczema, dry skin, bruises and many other skin problems. As with placenta capsule ingestion, placenta should not be used topically on any virus or bacterial infections. - Placenta Peace

How long does it take?
The absolute latest you will have your placenta capsules will be the 3rd day postpartum though I aim to have them back by the 2nd day, it is important I am notified as soon as possible after the birth so I can pick it up and return it sooner.

See our fees for Placenta Encapsulation

Breastfeeding a premature baby

I've just started volunteering my time to an amazing Facebook page and have been writing articles for them so I thought why not share them here too. If you'd like to join the Facebook page you can find it here - Bumps, Boobs & Beyond

We always picture our pregnancy going to 40 weeks but what happens when you deliver at 25 weeks, 35 weeks or any other earlier than expected gestation, can you still breastfeed?

Yes you can! Not directly at first as many prems have what is called a Nasal Gastric Tube which is inserted  into the nose or mouth and your pumped colostrum and then breastmilk is fed via this tube until baby is stable enough and strong enough to learn to suck.

I read a lot of articles about breastfeeding prems written by people who have never had prems and some of the information is so incorrect that many parents maybe misinformed.

Feeding my son expressed breastmilk through his NGT

The photos in this post are of my own children and our experiences with breastfeeding premature babies. Above my son is being fed my expressed milk via his NGT.

Normally with a term baby you would hold off on expressing and pumping to let baby establish your supply for you, here you can't so it is important to start expressing as soon as you can, a nurse will usually help you hand express into a syringe and take the colostrum to your baby or babies.

Having to pump can often leave you feel very deflated (I know that's how I felt!) you're using this machine to feed your baby not holding them and nursing them as you had always pictured, not to mention constantly looking at how many oz or ml your are pumping and worrying about that. Many women myself included found it hard at first to establish a relationship with the pump and struggled with my letdown. Ways of overcoming this are:

♥ Pumping with a photo of your baby or whilst touching your baby

♥ If baby is able to wear clothes holding and smelling some he/she has worn

♥ Closing your eyes, forgetting the pump and imagining your baby feeding from your breast

♥ Nipple stimulation before pumping

♥ Hand express to get your milk flowing first (some women respond to human touch better than a pump)

♥Massage your breasts with your hand as you pump

My premature son (twin A) on CPAP to help him breathe. An example of a NGT inserted via the mouth instead of nose

It is never easy leaving the hospital without your babies, I have left without 4 so far and no matter the circumstance neither was easier than the other.

I strongly recommend finding a good hospital grade breastpump (I found the double electric by Medela amazing), many places hire out breastpumps so you don't have to worry about spending hundreds on a pump that doesn't suit you,  spend the time to find one that does work for you.

Many lactation consultants will recommend pumping every 2 hours  including overnight (overnight can be spaced out to 3-4 hours if you wish) whilst you are in NICU or until your milk is established for 20 minutes at a time to a) establish your supply and b) build a good stockpile for your baby.

Kangaroo Care

If baby is stable enough for Kangaroo Care this is something that is beneficial to you, your milk supply and your baby. Kangaroo care is where your baby is undressed down to his/her diaper and placed on your bare chest with a blanket over the baby to keep them warm. It is great for bonding and has also been proven to help babies breathe better independently, gain weight and regulate temperatures better. Having this skin to skin contact will also be great for increasing milk supply because of the hormones released as you hold your baby.

Breastfeeding a prem baby is no easy road, babies do not even have a suck reflex until around 32 weeks and many will be fed via a NGT for quite some time before you can even attempt breastfeeding but when you do attempt it for the first time and baby latches you will have the most overwhelming sense of joy fill your whole body.

One of our first breastfeeds in Special Care Nursery

The main thing is to relax! Nobody plans a prem baby but it does happen and that does not mean you cannot breastfeed. With support and determination you can give your baby the best start to life possible.

Before long you will be counting how many suck feeds per 24 hours and shortly after that counting how many days you haven't had to use the nasal gastric tube.

One thing to make note of with a premature baby is that they are very sleepy babies which can also make breastfeeding harder but again not impossible baby will eventually become more awake and willing to feed.

Having 3 premature babies myself and still here to tell the tale and share my premature twins breastfeeding photos is amazing and proof it can be done, these boys were on ventilators and at one point Twin A was on life support yet when we left the hospital as a family we were fully breastfed and loving it!

If you have any questions please do ask me. We will have more posts coming about premature babies and feeding and care so your questions will help me know what you want to know.

Our first 24 hours with no feeds from the NGT just breast