Village Birth and Babies Placenta Services

Placenta Encapsulation is the process of dehydrating, grinding and encapsulating your placenta once your baby has been born. Fee for basic encapsulation is $300, please contact me to discuss pricing for tinctures, salves and other preparation methods. Pick up and delivery fees may also apply.

Despite centuries of safe placenta use, the information in this entry have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The services we offer are not clinical, pharmaceutical, or intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Families who choose to utilize any such services take full responsibility for researching and using the remedies.

It is the clients responsibility to contact me at the start of labor and within 24hrs of birth once the placenta has been released by the facility where you deliver. Arrangements must be made within 24hr for a drop off or pick up of your placenta. Failure to do so may result in delayed placenta preparation and encapsulation and may cause spoilage of the placenta which would render it unusable for encapsulation. It is your responsibility to discuss release of your placenta from the hospital where you give birth (or backup hospital for home births) and to ensure proper labelling and storage of your placenta in a refrigerator or cooler with the placenta placed on ice until it can be picked up or delivered for preparation and encapsulation. Your placenta must not be treated with alcohol, formalin, or any other preservative. *Placentas sent to pathology cannot be accepted*. **You should contact the hospital directly, not just your doctor or midwife, before the birth to find out their policy on releasing your placenta.**

Whether birthing at home or in a hospital, please ensure that your placenta is kept fresh. It can remain at room temperature for 3-4 hours following the birth. After that it should be refrigerated or otherwise kept cool. If you are practicing some form of delayed cord cutting or lotus birth, ice packs may be wrapped up with the placenta to prevent spoilage. If it is going to be more than 4 or 5 days before the placenta can be prepared, it should be frozen. (A frozen placenta will take somewhat longer to prepare since I prefer to gently defrost it prior to preparation.) You can prepare your placenta for transport by placing it in a couple of large, freezer strength ziplock bags or in a large plastic tupperware, yogurt or ice cream container, or glass casserole with lid, then into a cooler with ice packs or into a refrigerator. It is important to note that there may be circumstances under which your placenta can not be used. Significant abnormalities of the placenta may necessitate your doctor or midwife sending your placenta to Pathology for further examination. Other conditions, such as signs of infection during labour, may mean that consuming your placenta will not be beneficial to you. If in doubt I will consult with you before proceeding. It should be possible to claim your placenta after Caesarean surgery. If you are not able to obtain and use your placenta for any reason, I will return your deposit and provide you with some other ideas to support your postpartum recovery. Please let me know if you have any health concerns which may affect the health of your placenta or the health and safety of anyone who may come into contact with your placenta.

There are two main methods of placenta preparation. The Raw method involves dehydrating the raw placenta. *THIS IS MY PREFERRED METHOD OF PREPARATION, and here's why: The Raw method is often used for clients who adhere to a Raw diet, which is based around the idea that heat destroys vital enzymes in food. All food preparation is restricted to temperatures less than 118 degrees F. In the case of placenta, some argue that the Raw method also yields a medicine with more hormones and nutrients than other cooked methods. In the Traditional method the placenta is gently steamed with lemon, ginger and hot peppers before dehydration. These herbs are not included in the capsules. Please allow extra time for this preparation method and note there will be an additional charge. There are many other things you can do beside encapsulation. If you have something else you'd like to try, please feel free to discuss it with me and we'll see what we can work out.

Along with your placenta pills I can also provide you with a print made with natural food based coloring (beets and spirulina) upon request at an additional charge. No guarantees that it will turn out pretty! The tincture is made by soaking a small piece of fresh placenta in strong alcohol; it may be used after your capsules are gone by placing drops in a glass of water, similar to an herbal tincture. Price is an additional $50.00 **Please note that this process take 6 weeks to complete.** Please confirm that you would like all of these components. If you leave any box unchecked I will take that to mean that you *do not want* that service.

Please keep in mind that I am also a birth and postpartum doula. In the event that I am called to a birth there may be a delay of 24hrs or more in preparing your placenta. If you are delivering in a hospital it is also your responsibility to have a friend/family member on stand by to pick up your placenta in the event that I am unable to do so. There will be an extra travel fee if I am called to pick up your placenta in the middle of the night and/or if you deliver outside of the medical center. It's easier for both of us if you have someone pick up the placenta for safe keeping until I am able to either take delivery or pick it up.

Fees include the preparation and encapsulation of the placenta, a storage container, written instructions for storage and handling, and guidelines for taking your capsules.