Placenta Services

Placenta Encapsulation is a centuries-old practice, most often seen in Chinese medicine. In short, it involves the practice of ingesting the placenta after it has been steamed, dehydrated, ground, and placed into pills. Traditionally, this is taken by the birth giver and is believed to impart numerous health benefits. It is frequently taken shortly after giving birth, during the first menstrual period post delivery, or during menopause with the belief that it helps counter some of the symptoms of menopause.

Essential Encapsulation Package

A complete service for postpartum support.

What’s Included:
- Professional pickup and delivery (Home, Hospital, or Birth Center).

The Process:
- Traditional steaming and dehydration using vegetarian capsules.
The Keepsake: A simple, natural cord keepsake.

Storage:
- Uv-protected amber bottle with a silica gel packet and detailed storage and dosage instructions.

Investment: $375 – $400 (Sliding Scale)

Custom Add-Ons

Enhance your encapsulation package with these specialized options.

Placenta Tincture:
- A shelf-stable liquid extract in an amber bottle for long-term use. Includes clear instructions for use. $50

Placenta Print:
- A unique, artistic "Tree of Life" print of your placenta on high-quality paper. $40

Specialty Cord Keepsakes:
- Sculpted: The cord is preserved in a meaningful shape, such as a heart or spiral. $25
- Artistic: The cord is preserved, painted or tinted with resin, and specially sealed for long-term display or storage. $50

Standalone Services

For families who prefer specific services without full encapsulation.

Return to Earth Preparation:
- For those wishing to plant their placenta or return it to the soil. We professionally dehydrate and prepare the placenta (either whole or powdered) for safe burial or planting. Includes pickup, delivery, and specialized storage. $200

Standalone Placenta Tincture:
- Includes pickup, preparation of the tincture, and delivery with instructions. $125 – $175 (Sliding Scale)

Standalone Placenta Print:
- A basic artistic print prepared and delivered to your home. $100

The Traditional Method & Process

We honor the Traditional Chinese Method of encapsulation, a practice that focuses on bringing warmth and balance back to the body during the postpartum period.

The Process:

Preparation: The placenta is gently cleaned and steamed with warming aromatics (such as ginger and lemon) before being thinly sliced.
Dehydration: The slices are carefully dehydrated at a precise temperature to preserve their properties.
Encapsulation: Once fully dried, the placenta is ground into a fine powder and placed into vegetarian capsules to ensure they are suitable for all dietary needs and preferences.

What to Expect:

Yield: The number of capsules varies depending on the size of the placenta, typically ranging from 60 to 150 capsules.
Storage: Your capsules are provided in a UV-protected amber glass bottle to maintain freshness and potency.
Care: Each bottle includes a food-grade silica gel packet to protect against moisture and ensure the longevity of your capsules.

Placenta Tincture

A placenta tincture is created by steeping a small portion of the placenta in high-grade, six-times distilled alcohol for six weeks. This process creates a potent liquid extract that is shelf-stable and can last for many years.

Why choose this: While capsules are used for the immediate postpartum period, the tincture is often kept for times of hormonal transition, high stress, or later return of the menstrual cycle.

Placenta Print

Before the encapsulation process begins, we create a one-of-a-kind "Tree of Life" print. We carefully lay the placenta on high-quality, acid-free paper, using its natural blood as the medium to capture the unique architecture of the veins and the umbilical cord.

Note: This is a beautiful, organic piece of art that serves as a lasting visual memory of the organ that sustained your baby.

Cord Keepsakes

The umbilical cord is a symbol of the physical connection between you and your baby. After it is cleaned, we dehydrate it to preserve it permanently.

Simple Keepsake: The cord is dehydrated in its natural shape or a simple circle.
Specialty Shapes: We can carefully sculpt the cord into a heart, spiral, or other meaningful shape before dehydration.
Artistic Finish: For a more decorative piece, we can color the cord with resin or paint it to protect and seal it for a lifetime of storage.

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How to Secure Your Placenta After Birth:

To ensure your placenta is preserved for encapsulation, please inform your midwife, OB-GYN, and birthing team of your plans well in advance.

Birth Plan: Explicitly list "Placenta Release" in your written birth plan.
Communication: Reiterate your wishes to your nurse and family upon arrival at your birthing location.
Storage: While many hospitals provide temporary storage, we recommend bringing a small, labeled cooler and a couple of zip-lock bags to ensure it is kept chilled until we arrive for pickup.

Placenta Storage Guidelines:

To ensure your placenta remains safe for encapsulation, it must be kept chilled. Proper storage begins as soon as the cord is cut.

Temperature: Your placenta should be stored in a refrigerator below 46°F (8°C).
Hospital Storage: Not all hospitals allow the use of their clinical refrigerators. Please be prepared with a small cooler and two large zip-lock bags.
Immediate Care (First 30 Minutes): If a refrigerator is not immediately available, double-bag the placenta and place it in a leak-proof container or a clean cooler filled with ice.
The 6-Hour Rule: A placenta can stay in a cooler with fresh ice for up to 6 hours. After 6 hours, it must be moved to a refrigerator.
Timing:
- Up to 3 Days: Refrigeration is perfect for our 48-hour processing window.
- 3+ Days: If processing is delayed for any reason, the placenta must be moved to a freezer, where it will remain preserved until we are ready to begin.

Coordinating Your Placenta Pickup:

We make the transition from birth to encapsulation as seamless as possible. We provide pickup services directly from your home, hospital, or birthing center.

Before Birth: Upon booking, we note your estimated due date (EDD) and will reach out as your date approaches to ensure you have your storage supplies ready.
During Labor: Please send us a text when you are in established labor so we can place your specialist on standby.
After Birth: Once your baby has arrived, send a final text to notify us. We will then coordinate directly with you or a designated family member to arrange a prompt pickup, typically within 24–48 hours.

Are there reasons a hospital might keep my placenta?

While it is rare, a hospital may withhold a placenta if there are significant abnormalities that require further examination. In these cases, the healthcare team may send the placenta to pathology. The most common reason a placenta isn't released is simply a lack of communication—ensure your provider and birthing team are aware of your plans well in advance.

When is encapsulation not advised?

The safety of your capsules is our top priority. There are specific circumstances where we cannot process a placenta for consumption:

Pathology: If the placenta has been sent to a pathology lab for testing.
Infection: Presence of a uterine infection or chorioamnionitis during labor.
Improper Storage: If the placenta has sat at room temperature for more than 4–5 hours post-birth, or has been refrigerated for more than 4 days without being frozen.
Medical Concerns: Cases of choriocarcinoma (cancer of the placenta).
Exposure: If there was heavy drug usage or smoking during pregnancy.