Can you customize my package?

Yes!  Please don't be afraid to ask us for any customized options.  We promise we have heard it all and it is our desire that you are receiving what you want.
We are here to serve you!

Want to save a piece of your placenta to plant? YES!
You would like a picture of your placenta prior to processing? Yes!
Want to try 1/2 pills 1/2 powder? Yes!

I couldn't encapsulate my placenta...now what?

IF for some reason you choose not to encapsulate OR if you CAN'T encapsulate due to infection or Pathology contamination, there are other safe, natural, alternative remedies that can be helpful in this postpartum transition in lieu of placenta remedies.  Although nothing will replace the benefits of the placenta, we very strongly believe in the benefits of essential oils for mom, baby and the entire family! In fact, 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils improve overall health and are a great ADDITION to placenta remedies.
Research has found that using essential oils such as Lavender can save significant improvement for women at risk for postpartum anxiety and depression. (See the pilot study here.) 
Or even that Lavender taken orally can be just as effective as Lorazepam for GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) (See study here)
Or this study that found that essential oils  have a beneficial effect on insomnia and depression in women!

Seriously!  Check it out for yourself!  If you go to PubMed.com one of the most respected online medical journal websites and type in essential oils you will get over 13,000 studies and articles to review!

There are many oils that can be used to boost energy, increase relaxation, prevent sickness, calm a fussy baby and more.
Here are a few of our postpartum favorites  :

For depression and anxiety try diffusing or applying Lavender, Joy, or Lemon Essential Oil.
For sleeplessness try Lavender, Peace and Calming or Valor diffused or applied topically
For abdominal/uterine pain try a warm wet or dry compress with several drops of PanAway
For a difficult birth or just a difficult day try Stress Away Essential Oil diffused or topically
For a fussy baby try Peace and Calming Essential Oil diluted on the bottoms of baby's feet or during infant massage
For increasing your milk supply try Fennel Essential Oil
For keeping common colds and flus at bay diffuse Thieves and Purification Essential Oil
Do you have a cesearan scar? try Frankincense !

If you are new to essential oils we have the perfect kit to get you started.!

It is called the Premium Starter Kit and it has everything you need to help aid you through pregnancy, labor and motherhood.  In fact it has ALL of the oils mentioned above PLUS a diffuser and a couple samples to share with your other new moms.  To be more specific you get 11 of the most loved oils and a a Home Diffuser for $150 dollars... an incredible value! The possibilities with these 11 oils are endless...and more importantly...they work!

Important: We only recommend Young Living %100 pure therapeutic grade essential oils.  Don't buy non-therapetic grade essential oils and expect therapeutic results. Young Living Oils are backed by their 20 year Seed to Seal promise.  A promise from Young Living that you are getting the upmost quality in every step of the production process including seed, cultivate, distill, test and seal. A process that is learned over 20 years. A promise that can only be given by Young Living.


Additional Young Living Essential Oils and Products we recommend:

For increasing your milk supply try Fennel Essential Oil
For everyday oil for mom and baby to promote bonding, feelings of peace and even to help with skin issues such as stretch marks and diaper rash try Gentle Baby Essential Oil.
For perineum care and episiotomy try ClaraDerm (Essential Oil) Spray

All of the suggestions in this post are from these three books. 
Essential Oils Pocket Reference by Gary Young - 5th Edition
Reference Guida for Essential Oils by Connie and Alan Higley- 2013 Edition
Gentle Babies by Debra Raybern- 5th Edition

If you are ready to continue your journey of safe, natural remedies for you and your growing family and are ready to purchase a Premium Starter Kit follow this link for a step-by-step post signing up today!

Looking for more information on essential oils for pregnancy, birth or babies please contact us at : lebouquet@yahoo.com or check out our Facebook page here.

Why can't I encapsulate my placenta?

There are only two reasons why your placenta can NOT be encapsulated. 

1. INFECTION- 

If mom has a temperature/ infection PRIOR to birth it is assumed that the placenta is infected as well. (Please note that if mom or baby have a temperature/infection AFTER birth the placenta is still safe to encapsulate.) It is our policy not to encapsulate a potentially infectious placenta, however, you can still take you placenta home and make placenta prints, dry the umbilical cord as a keepsake, and even plant the placenta as suggested here.

2. PATHOLOGY-

If the placenta is TESTED in Pathology for ANY reason it is no longer safe to encapsulate as the placenta is likely treated with Formalin/Formaldehyde. 

According to Wikipedia :

"Formaldehyde is highly toxic to all animals, regardless of method of intake."

You can read more about these dangerous chemicals at the Wikipedia link above. 

In some situations the hospital staff may ask that the placenta be "held" or even "looked at" in Pathology.  Even if your nurse and doctor assure you that the placenta will not be treated with chemicals in Pathology having it "held" or "looked at" in Pathology is NOT ideal and strongly discouraged. We can NOT vouch for the cleanliness of hospital Pathology.  We do not know if hospital pathology is sanitized and we do not know if your placenta is in fact being stored properly.  If you choose to have the placenta stored in Pathology it is at your own risk. 

We DO encourage you to bring your own cooler for storage OR ask for a basin of ice so that the placenta can remain chilled in your room until we arrive for placenta pick up and preparation begins.

These situations are RARE and can be discussed further on a case by case basis.

Photo by Fruit of the Womb client placenta pick-up 12/2013

Gentle Baby

On April 14, 2008 my husband and I welcomed our third precious baby boy. It was a perfect homebirth just as we planned and hoped for. He was exactly two weeks past due and a 'giant' 9 1/2 pounds! Emotions overwhelmed us as we stared in awe of our newest blessing. I watched my husband measure and weigh him. It was then I saw my midwife do something very unique and special. She touched the top of his head and massaged the bottoms of his feet with Young Living Gentle Baby. Almost instantly an aroma if peace filled the room. My sweet baby immediately began nursing and our bonding had begun. As the hours past I couldn't help but to see how calm everything was. The scent of Rosewood and Geranium, Jasmine and Lemon had filled our home and brought us comfort. As the scent faded, I noticed subtle irritability with my new baby. In an effort to retrieve our state of peace we began regular baby massage adding a drop or two of Gentle Baby each time. It was a moment the whole family looked forward to. This oil and placenta encapsulation was amazing for me in recovering from birth and adapting during the postpartum transition. Gentle Baby also promoted calmness and soothed not only my newborn but all my children. Today, my 'baby' is 6 years old! We keep Gentle Baby on hand to encourage relaxation, to heal our dry winter skin and to remember the moment our son was born!
For more information on Gentle Baby and all Young Living Essential Oils visit :
Www.facebook.com/lebouquetessentialoils

Expectant Mother's Guide to Denver

We were asked by Expectant Mother's Guide to Denver- Digital 'Magazine' to write an article educating moms and families on Placenta Education.  We are featured this month and are very excited on how the entire article turned out!
Check us out:
http://www.expectantmothersguide.com/denver/articles/placenta-encapsulation.htm

The results are in!

Our ‘Placenta Encapsulation International Data Collection’ has officially closed and the results to this preliminary study have been calculated.  Although the sample size to this study is small and varied the results are nonetheless exciting, expected and valuable.

Here are a few of the findings we found most interesting:

*81% of the mothers in this study have a history of Depression and/or Postpartum Depression

*92% of moms had encapsulated for the first time! (help us keep spreading the word!)

*94% of moms stated that their milk supply was perfect or ‘high’ for their baby’s needs

*89% of moms overall felt better than expected

*100% of moms are glad they choose to encapsulate!

*100% of moms would recommend placenta encapsulation to others!

Although we fully realize that these statistics are not scientific and that there is no placebo, etc.  Our goal and desire is that one day our culture will embrace placenta remedies as a norm and an essential element to postpartum recovery!  Thank you to all whom advocated and participated in our survey!

If you are interested in viewing the full results of this survey please email us at : placentapills@yahoo.com

Placenta Encapsulation International Data Collection

We are excited to announce our official launch of the Placenta Encapsulation International Data Collection! We look forward to the collaborative efforts needed to start collecting anecdotal evidence in Placentophagy. Please know that this is the first of many exciting things to come. We understand there are other projects in the works on more concrete research and we look forward to when those are available. In the meantime, we invite you to share this link with your clients. If you are a former client of Fruit of the Womb, we ask for a few moments of your time to help with our research. Although we desire and expect a range of answers, ideally mothers will be receiving the Data Collection Form at 8 weeks postpartum and beyond. It is our goal to continually evaluate the information given and send out statistics biannually. We will be doing data updates on our Facebook page so stay tuned! We look forward to sharing this valuable information!
Link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dEk3aHNVejk1RENodFl4RWdOZ3l0b0E6MQ

Celebrating 2 Years!

Fruit of the Womb has just celebrated its 2 year Anniversary! Tamara and Kate have passionately been serving new mothers and their families in the Denver/Boulder area and are excited to continue to give the gift of postpartum wellness! As our gift to you, we will be including a FREE tincture package (value $25) with any paid Placenta Package (value$225) for mamas delivering before 1-1-2012!

{Fruit of the Womb Tincture Package includes a Raw tincture and a TCM inspired Powdered Tincture*}

If you are not delivering before 1-1-2012, but would still like to receive a free tincture package, simply pre-pay for the Placenta Encapsulation Package at Paypal using account email: placentapills@yahoo.com

before 1-1-2012 and we will include both fresh and raw placenta tinctures* with your package whenever you deliver.

*Placenta tinctures are very similar to herbal tinctures. Placenta tinctures take about 6 weeks to reach a perfect potency, which happens to be right about when most mamas are running low on pills. By making a raw tincture (very potent) or a TCM inspired powder tincture (less potent but still effective) moms have another remedy available to continue to use, save, or even offer to child.

Local NEWS Story and Article!

Last month we were asked to do an interview for 7 News 'The Denver Channel" for a series called Expecting Baby. The story aired and we couldn't be more happy with the video.

Click here to watch.

Ana Cabrera at 7 NEWS also wrote an article called

Placenta Pills To Beat Baby Blues?

That you can read here.

We are so happy for the opportunity to continue to spread the word!

OUR FIRST TWINS!

Here are some pictures of our first twin placenta(s)! They were beautiful fraternal twin girls born to wonderful first time parents.

don't take our word for it....

some of our mama's call us while they are in labor :)
some mama's call us 9 months in advance :)

and then we have some that call us a couple days after delivery.

in these cases we know it is extra important that they receive the pills as soon as possible. as we all know how important it is to start taking them right away.

last thursday we received a call from a mama who had delivered a couple days earlier. and needed placenta pills pronto!!
she called us in the morning explaining that her placenta was in franktown. and she was in denver. we were the lucky ladies for the job and were able to promptly rescue her placenta from her mom's refrigerator so that she could quickly experience the miraculous benefits...

this is her story.

And now for your local radio programming

Typically when I meet someone new the conversation may go something like this:
Q: "Hi, how are you?"
A: "Great! and you?"
Q: "Do you live around here?"
A: "Yes, I love it here!"
Q: "Do you have kids?"
A: "3 Adorable boys!"
Q: "Oh, what do you do?"
A: "I provide Placenta Services...."
HALT! WAIT! WHAT? Are you serious? Hummm... Gross! Weird! Intriguing! What does that mean exactly? Ohhhh... INTERESTING! How does that work? Makes sense! I know someone... Can I have your card? wink

Although this is a typical example, I am used to every type of reaction both good and bad. I have realized over time that many reactions to the services we provide come from lack of education. I don't mean this in a bad way, but reality is, once we start to explain to others about the "how's" and the "why's" you tend to get a much better understanding and acceptance.
We LOVE OUR JOB! And feel so extremely fortunate that so many families have chosen Fruit of the Womb for their placenta services. With that said, because what we do has not become the 'norm'...yet...we have to have some humor towards others reactions. A classic example would be a local radio show this week featuring...the placenta! I realize that these two men are not as appreciative as I wish they were, BUT I am excited that at least they are talking! Of course I would have loved for conversation to have been more informative and less of a joke, but again, at least they are talking. Something tells me that many women heard that show and didn't even realize that she had a choice! Perhaps, if anything, people realized that moms in Colorado CAN take their own placentas home and do with them as they wish!

Click here it listen!
{image via alice 105.9 website}

Placentophagy Research- Do your part!

If you have ever consumed your placenta, encapsulated or not, please take the time to participate in this study put on by UNLV! Your contribution in this research can make a difference!

Click here to take the survey now!

The official recruitment letter:
Greetings,

This is an invitation to participate in a survey about your experiences with placentophagy. This research is being conducted through the Anthropology department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The purpose of this survey is to collect information that can help us better understand women’s reasons for participating in placentophagy and what their experiences with placentophagy are.

Women who are over 18 years of age and who have participated in placentophagy (in any form: raw, cooked, encapsulated, etc.) are eligible to take the survey. If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to answer a series of questions including demographic information, your experiences with pregnancy and childbirth, and your experiences with placentophagy. This survey should take between 15 and 30 minutes to complete.

Although there may not be direct benefits to you for participating in our survey, the information we collect can help us better understand placentophagy, and possibly contribute to future research in this area.

To participate in this survey, please use the following link:
http://PlacentaSurvey.com

If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Dr. Daniel Benyshek at 702-895-2070, or email daniel.benyshek@unlv.edu.

Thank you!

Dr. Daniel C. Benyshek
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Thank you for your help in spreading the word about this!

Photo shoot!

We recently had an amazing photo shoot done to help spread the word about the many benefits of placenta encapsulation. We are excited to share the beautiful work of Jen Coet Photogragpy on our website very soon. In the meantime, here is a little taste of what's to come.

Placenta Smoothies and such...

The term Placentophagy literally means to eat the placenta. We realize that most women feel a little queasy at the thought of eating their placenta like a steak for dinner, which is precisely why we offer placenta encapsulation. There is obviously a continuum of those whom consume placenta. Perhaps on one side of the continuum would be the mothers that choose to eat their placenta raw and on the other would be the mother that chooses to have their placenta encapsulated. Where ever moms fall on this spectrum, we all have a common goal of desiring the many benefits the placenta has to offer. If you would like to try different forms of Placentophagy for yourself, please do not hesitate to ask us to customize a package suitable for you. For example, you may desire to have half of your placenta prepared ready to use for raw smoothies and the other half made into capsules. If this is already sounding over the top for you, check out this You Tube video that seems to make this a easy idea to swallow.

the priceless placenta: what is it worth to you?

there are things we, as americans, spend money on in hopes of "improving" our lives. good healthy food, education, living in a safe area. but money can only go so far. or do so much.
what would you pay to have a happy husband? a perfect marriage? to ensure your kids' health?
there are some things we cannot be in control of, but can help prevent. I am a full believer in the investment of things that relieve stress...a relaxing vacation, massages, yoga, counseling. these may not seem like necessities to some, but in my life a massage is much needed sometimes!
taking care of your family also means taking care of yourself. And its never to late to start. be the best mom, wife, friend you can be. if you are pregnant, tell the people around you how they can help! whether its cleaning your house or just watching the kids so you can take a nap or go on a date! there are ALWAYS ways you can improve your quality of life. your marriage. your family. BUT when it comes to your placenta there is a limited time to make this decision.
the cost is small but the benefits can be HUGE.
and lets face it, the worth and benefits of having a happy family...is priceless.

(note: placenta pills make great gifts! if you know someone who would be interested we happily provide gift certificates...contact us via email placentapills@yahoo.com for more information)

Bon appétit

{illustration by Emily L. Eibel}

If it is your desire to have a special dinner with your Placenta as the main course,you can do that! Please contact us for numerous recipes that we have for meals such as Lasagna, Stew, Pizza, Roast etc. If you would like to use part of your placenta as a meal and have the other part encapsulated we will honor this request. Simply let us know your wishes in advance so that we can provide you with recipes, return one portion of placenta, and encapsulate the other. Bon appétit!

Click here for a humorous article written by a woman that wanted to host a Placenta Dinner Party.
The Afterlife of Afterbirth
Notes on eating human placenta
story by Cynthia Mitchell

Become a Fan!

If you haven't already come join us on Facebook!
Simply follow the link below and click the "Like" button on the top of the Facebook page!

Click HERE to join us on Facebook

this one's for the boys...

my sister and i were...placentatizing. hehe :) i mean we were rinsing a fresh healthy placenta. it was abnormally healthy, as it should be because it was from a nutritionist. this made us wonder...

what makes a good, healthy placenta? eating right and staying active seem obvious. but are there certain foods? should moms be taking probiotics? are there certain yoga moves? what is this mom's secret?

so expecting a typical response from a nutritionist, we straight up asked her - "what do you do/eat?"

"well," she says, "i eat very healthy, all organic. i took good prenatal vitamins. and i have a loving husband."

wait - what! loving husband? what does that have to do with anything? (haha) i mean im sure that there are not many studies done and maybe we should start a study. add it to our questionnaire. it could go something like this...

do you have any known allergies? if so, what?
do you have a husband? if so, how loving is he?

despite there being any studies on the direct correlation between a healthy placenta and a loving husband, i of course, as a psychology major, believe there are things that make up a 'healthy lifestyle.' yes, it means eating right and exercising often and sleeping well. but to be depressed or stressed out all the time, whether it is hormonal or situational - can affect you physically in a negative way. to have a positive, supportive circle of family and friends is imperative. and yes a Loving Husband is ideal. understandably, this isnt always in your control, so....if a 'loving husband' does not fit into your 'story.' do NOT be discouraged :) having a baby and being a mom is hard work. and should not be done alone. and whatever you are going through you are NOT the only one. if you need any help finding a support group or any questions getting connected with other moms, my sister and i have some resources. you can also find some groups through the church we go to (flatironschurch.com).

and for you loving husbands out there...keep up the good work!!! you are much needed and appreciated ;)

Placenta Prints

Here are some examples of Placenta Prints we did this week.



This is an incredible piece of art made solely from your placenta, the Tree of Life.

Love

A photo shoot I did with a dear friend of mine whose baby girl and placenta are due this June!

Cord Cutting Options

As with all childbirth and child rearing decisions, families must become educated and make the decision that is best for their family. Another major decision that mother and family have is when to cut the umbilical cord. Yes, you have a choice and here are the three main choices.

(this image taken from an amazing blog called Birth Balance)
First, you may have the cord cut immediately. Some doctors believe that the cord needs to be cut immediately if the family desires to 'bank the cord blood', or if mother or child is in need of emergency attention. This is what is typically done in the hospital setting as doctors desire to check over the baby and finish up mom so that they can head over to the next birth. (OK that might be a little biased but in essence they simply don't have time for mother's to choose option number two).

Option number two is to practice delayed cord clamping. "Delayed" can be defined as a few minutes after child birth, after placenta birth, or until the placenta has stopped pulsating. Just because the baby and placenta have been birthed doesn't mean that the placentas job is anywhere near finished. There is still an abundant transfer of oxygen and blood volume going on between placenta and baby.

Third, is to never cut the cord and to allow it to detach naturally, called a Lotus Birth.
Here is a very basic video describing a Lotus Birth

I strongly prefer Delayed Cord Clamping and here are many reasons why.
First is this short video which covers some of the basics
Video on Delayed Cord Clamping via Metacafe
But here are a few other articles related to delayed cord clamping that might surprise you:
How the Cord Clamp Injures Your Baby’s Brain

Autism, ADD/ADHD, and Related Disorders - Is a Common Childbirth Practice to Blame?

Early or Late Cord Clamping at Natural Childbirth dot org

Academic OB/GYN Delayed Cord Clamping Should Be Standard Practice in Obstetrics

This decision is so simple and easy. All it requires is for you to speak up and ask the doctor to slow down. You are your child's biggest advocate!

Show and Tell

Awhile ago I wrote about when my love and interest for placentas first began. When I was 16 I was so amazed by the placenta that I decided to take my sister's placenta to school to share with my Biology class. Click here to read more about my Show and Tell experience on a post I wrote titled- My placenta Journey Begins
This week a local school and classroom gained media attention for doing the same thing. I give praise to the teacher, midwife and parents that saw this as an invaluable teaching opportunity!









Crunchy Domestic Goddess Blog Post - When does safety prevent learning?

CBS 4 Denver Video Clip

Pop Singer - KESHA

I am not in love with the song Tik Tok but it does get my foot tapping a little.
But, I do love a girl that shows appreciation for the placenta! Click here for the article and see how Kesha honors the placenta.

(Ansel Adams)

“Just as the rings of a cut tree can tell the story of the tree's life, so too the placenta can disclose the history of the pregnancy.”
~Harvey J. Kliman, M.D., Ph.D.

world view.

for christmas my sister gave me a cute little metal case to hold my ID, credit cards and our adorable new business cards :) i love it. i have actually never had an 'official' business card. after college, i volunteered with a non-profit and then became a flight attendant. ive never had a job that required one. and honestly i never thought i would have a business card that had the word "placenta" on it :)
when i was growing up all my dream jobs involved traveling. a national geographic photographer. a marine biologist. or how great would it be to be the person who goes through the amazon and test different plants to see if it could be a cure for AIDS? it intrigues me that there are places in brazil where they take the poison from a frog, put it on an arrow or something sharp and then they cut you so that the poison gets into your blood stream. and this is supposed to help with some sickness (i swear i saw it on the animal planet :). who comes up with these techniques and do they really work?
it seems as if every culture has their own methods or miracle drugs. I have had fish eat my dead skin cells in cambodia. i have bathed in a tea tree oil lake in australia. i have experienced 'reflexology' in thailand. did you know that in the Buddhist country of laos they believe in karma and that "being stressed" is bad for your karma? it is one of the most laid back cultures. i have been sick in almost every continent and as i travel, i observe, i experience, i embrace, i learn. and i continue to ask myself, when it comes to health....who knows best?
we know that what we do here at 'fruit of the womb' may seem foreign or uncommon or seem like a 'new' concept to many. when in reality the placenta has held a place of honor throughout the history of time. people honor the placenta differently depending on the culture of course, but the important thing is that we stop to recognize that this organ serves an important, sacred purpose in fostering new life.
regardless of where you live.

Iron Deficiency Anemia 101 - Pregnancy, Childbirth and Lactating Women

Anemia
Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood.

What is Iron Deficiency Anemia?

"Iron Deficiency Anemia (also called IDA) is a condition where a person has inadequate amounts of iron to meet body demands. It is a decrease in the amount of red cells in the blood caused by having too little iron. Iron deficiency anemia is usually caused by a diet insufficient in iron or from blood loss. Blood loss can be acute as in hemorrhage or trauma or long term as in heavy menstruation.

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia. About 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women, and 3% of men are iron deficient."
Quote from Mamas Health

Are you at risk?

According to Health Scout
"High-risk groups include:

-Women of child-bearing age who have blood loss through menstruation
-Pregnant or lactating women who have an increased requirement for iron
-Infants, children, and adolescents in rapid growth phases
-People with a poor dietary intake of iron"

Does blood loss cause anemia?

"When you lose blood, you lose iron. If you don’t have enough iron stored in your body to make up for the iron loss, you’ll develop iron-deficiency anemia.

In women, low iron levels may be due to blood loss from long or heavy menstrual periods or bleeding fibroids in the uterus. Blood loss that occurs during childbirth is another cause for low iron levels in women."
Quote from National Heart Lung and Blood Institute


High iron foods?

"Your body needs iron to produce hemoglobin. Iron found in meats is more easily absorbed into your blood than the iron found in vegetables and other foods. To treat your anemia, your doctor may recommend eating more meat – especially red meat such as beef and liver – as well as chicken, turkey, pork, fish, and shellfish."
Quote from The Internet Encyclopedia of Science

The placenta for nutrition?

Over and over you will find research journals state that:

"Transitional metals, especially iron, (are) particularly abundant in the placenta"

Here are a few to get you started:
The Journal of Nutrition
Sage Journals Online
Mitochondria Research


Review:

Your body needs more iron during pregnancy.
Your body needs more iron after blood loss and/or childbirth.
Your body has supplied you with an extremely iron-rich organ.
You should reintroduce this needed iron back into your body.
Increasing your intake of iron will help prevent anemia.
Your own placenta pills are your own natural iron supplement.

How are we different

At Fruit of the Womb we believe that woman and child come first. Childbirth will no doubt be the biggest transition any woman will go through physically, mentally, and emotionally which is exactly why mothers should be served after giving birth. We come directly to you and pick up the placenta to immediately start the placenta encapsulation process. Although highly educated and experienced, we are not Midwives, Doulas, yoga teachers, or childbirth educators our specialty lies solely in Placenta Education and Encapsulation and our time is set aside for you. Because placenta encapsulation is our specialty we have a faster turn around time which means you get your pills sooner. Don't get me wrong, this process cannot be rushed and the work is sacred but time is of the essence when it comes to a mother and child and their physical, mental and emotional well-being. We take the time to do things right. The placenta is gently steamed and dehydrated on a low heat so that the most amount of hormones, nutrients and vitamins are preserved. Sure, this takes longer but ultimately you receive the highest grade of pill. Finally, we will hand deliver your medicine straight to your front door. It is our goal that you receive your placenta pills no later than 2 to 3 days postpartum. Why? According to Dr. Sears official website and many others the Postpartum Blues "Usually start(ing) between the third and fifth day after delivery, feelings of mild depression, crying spells, anxiety, irritability, and mood swings occur in as many as 85% of women". If a mother begins to have any of these feelings she should be able to take her medicine. Mothers shouldn't have to coordinate who is taking the placenta. Nor should husbands and friends have to be leaving mother and baby's side to meet with someone. Even more importantly no one should have to wait for their placenta medicine to arrive in the mail! These are precious days and time that is being lost. It is our goal that every mother receives placenta education and encapsulation. Each woman and child deserves the highest quality placenta pills delivered in a timely manner. We believe that the services we provide are life changing and we are honored to be helping families in this way.

Let's get technical- Postpartum Blues, Depression, Psychosis, or PTS

On the Fruit of the Womb Website and Blog we often refer to terms that may need a bit more clarity. Below, we have attached a few of many resources to help explain the complicated topic of Postpartum Illnesses.

Baby blues aka Postpartum Blues or Maternity Blues- Latest statistics show that 80% of mothers will experience Postpartum Blues. According to An Introduction to Postpartum Illness
by Laurence Kruckman and Susan Smith (see below for the reference link). These symptoms include but are not limited to:

BABY BLUES
Physical Symptoms:
Lack of Sleep
No Energy
Food Cravings or Loss of Appetite
Feeling Tired Even after Sleeping

Mental States:
Anxiety and Excessive Worry
Confusion
Great Concern over Physical Changes
Confusion and Nervousness
Feeling, “I’m not myself; this isn’t me”
Lack of Confidence
Sadness
Feeling Overwhelmed

Behavioral Reactions:
Crying more than Usual
Hyperactivity or Excitability
Oversensitivity
Feelings Hurt Easily
Irritability
Lack of Feeling for the Baby

Click here to see Wikipedia's simple definition

PostPartum Depression (PPD)- Is a more severe form of "Baby Blues" with prevalence rates among women 5-25%. There are many resources for moms experiencing Postpartum Depression. However, it still is "unclear" as to what causes PPD.


{This is an awarness poster being given out by the Postpartum Support International}

Postpartum Psychosis- Is the most serious of the three Postpartum Illnesses. Postpartum Psychosis is a relatively rare disorder occurring on an average of 1 per 1000 births.

Most recently, there has been discussion of adding a 4th Postpartum Illness titled Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTS). More information on this overlooked aspect can be read about in the Center for Women's Mental Health article here.
Click here to read An Introduction to Postpartum Illness in which the author discusses the differences between Baby Blues, PPD and Postpartum Psychosis.

At Fruit of the Womb we encourage all women to take preventative measures for their personal health. With these illnesses being as common as they are, every woman is potentially at risk. Placenta Encapsulation is 100% natural made perfectly for you and baby, by your own body. We encourage women to research what is right for them and to explore the many benefits of placentophagy.

What does a London soccer star and the placenta have in common?

{image via arsenalcolumn.com}
Click here to see how Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie is using the placenta to assist in healing his major sport injury.

Shower Yourself

I love hosting baby showers and blessingways! I believe that all babies and mothers should be showered with love. It shouldn't matter if this is your 1st, 3rd, or 5th baby, they are each a gift! And every pregnancy and birth is unique and special.
It is amazing to me all the things we as mothers do to prepare for our little one. All of the visits to make sure mom and baby are healthy. The classes we can take to prepare for birth and breastfeeding. We even have this 'instinct' to prepare our home. The nursery bed is made. The tiny clothes are folded and organized. Everything is perfect. It seems as though we have thought of everything to welcome our baby and we would stop at nothing to make sure they are safe, healthy, and loved.
Once the baby has arrived you realize the simplicity of a baby's needs. Food, warmth, and love. Don't get me wrong those vibrating bouncy seats can do wonders (especially when you have multiple children). But when you really think about the true needs of the baby you realize...hum...maybe we could have done without this or that...at least for awhile.
If you are like 80% of other women you start to experience what is commonly known as "The Baby Blues." You have just delivered a baby and the 'pregnancy state' your body has been getting used to has significantly been altered in a matter of hours. Blood has been lost, hormones are fluctuating, your uterus is still working hard to contract down, your breast milk is being produced, just to name a few. Although you have been anticipating this day, and meeting your baby for the first time, you are trying to heal and are understandably exhausted and fatigued.
I encourage you research the many benefits, for both you and baby, of placentophagy. The opportunity for you to invest in your postpartum period is priceless. Once the placenta is thrown away your opportunity to have it encapsulated, and all of its benefits, are lost. This is a natural way to heal with no side effects because it was designed, from the very beginning, with only you and baby in mind.
So, as you prepare for your newborn with Classes and Gift Registry, give yourself the gift of a successful postpartum period and invest in Placenta Encapsulation for you and your child.

A "fruity" comparison

I was talking to a dear friend of mine about her pregnancy. As you can imagine, I heart pregnancy and everything that goes with it. As we were discussing her latest ultrasound she says, "The baby has grown SO MUCH it's like a little lemon now!" A 14-week-old ripe lemon! Ahh..so sweet.


"Bearing good fruit is the culmination of a long, delicate process of growth. It's a process that requires special conditions, a lot of hard work, and, some farmers would add, divine blessing."
(quote via Wondercafe)

Yesterday it was a grape, today a lemon, and tomorrow a watermelon!

"Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward."
~Psalm 127:3

You want me to eat what?

The thought of eating a placenta sounds horrible to me. I am not a sushi kind of girl so raw in general sort of makes me nauseous. However, given the situation, and if we are talking life or death there would be no question in my mind; I will do whatever needs to be done- and drink whatever I need to drink- to be well.
Following these traditional methods of placentophagy are amazing. The draw back to creating a "placenta cocktail" or actually cooking with a placenta is that it limits the time of consumption and therefore the amount of time you may benefit from its resources.
This is why placenta encapsulation is such a great alternative. You still get the many benefits of nutrients, hormones, etc. but it is carefully put in the highest grade of Vegetarian Capsules that have no preservatives, no animal products and are put in an easy to swallow size capsule.

We follow the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) guidelines of placenta encapsulation. This process includes steaming, drying, grinding and encapsulating the placenta. The preservation technique of dehydration simply refers to the removal of moisture from foods, in other words, drying. This method extends shelf life significantly because yeasts, molds and bacteria need moisture to survive. Therefore, as long as the capsules do not get wet, they are good for many years to come. And, when you have recovered from childbirth, you can freeze the capsules and save them for menopause.
So if you are one of the many women that can't "swallow" the idea of eating the placenta that is OK. Placenta encapsulation is the best choice to receive optimum benefits.

Birth Plan...Placenta Plan

Epidural...no epidural?
Episiotomy...no episiotomy?
Pitocin...no Pitocin?
There are so many things to think about while preparing for your birth. I loved the idea my Childbirth Class Educator while preparing for my first birth. The idea was to have a plan before walking into the hospital and the realization that I do have choices. I felt empowered by having a plan. I felt like I was prepared. I knew that I had done my research and made decisions that were right for me.
It was not until my second child that my Licensed Homebirth Midwife had asked me something I had never been questioned about before. She had asked me what my plan for the placenta was. I, like most women probably, was taken by surprise. A plan for my placenta? I suppose I didn't realize there was much to do with the placenta. I was in nursing school at the time. We had discussed during my Labor and Delivery rotation everything there was to know about pregnancy, birth and postpartum. NEVER had anyone told me that a mother had options in regards to the placenta. It made me sad to think that this amazing connection between my first born and I, a "lifeline" as I have heard it called before was simply thrown in the trash with hardly a second look. It seemed so unappreciated. I had heard of preserving cord blood before and all of the research that is going into it's benefits but never the placenta.
Because of my schooling I was well aware of what the placenta was for but had never been taught the benefits of a placenta once the baby was born. I liked the idea of honoring the placenta in some way maybe to bury it under a tree to represent the new life it had become.
Then my midwife mentioned eating it. Wait, what did you say... eating it!?!? Um, no. I mean somebody was going to have to pay me to do something totally gross like that. Sure, I wanted to be 'super natural' but I have to draw the line somewhere. I flippantly said, "Who would do that unless it was like life or death!?" My wonderful midwife smiled and laughed and sweetly told me stories of women whose life HAD been saved physically as a result of eating the placenta raw and other women whose life had been saved emotionally by eating it in pill form. Hummm... I thought...I'll think about it. Although I did eventually get the placenta encapsulated, which I am so grateful for, I still had many questions.
By baby number 3 I finally had a placenta plan! I did my research and had someone lined up to encapsulate the placenta. I was also aware of the benefits of traditional placentophagy and had told myself that if a situation arose I would remain open to a "placenta cocktail." Thank goodness I did not need to take it, for if I did, it may have came right back up. The point is I was aware. I knew my options and I had a plan. I had made educated decisions on what was best for me, my baby, and my family.
I have no idea what is right for you and your family. But, I do know, that traditionally mothers are never asked what their 'plan' is for the placenta. It is simply thrown in the trash. And although that is 100% a choice that you can make I encourage mothers to truly look at the many other options you have. Make it part of your birth plan and review it with your health care professionals.

FAQ

Why should I encapsulate the placenta?
Over 80% of mothers suffer from the “baby blues” starting in the first weeks after giving birth. Studies show that the placenta is extremely nutrient rich, high in iron, protein, vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6 and of course, your own natural hormones. Your placenta is perfectly made for you, by you. Experts agree that the placenta retains hormones, and thus reintroducing them to your system may ease hormonal fluctuations.
Placenta pills are believed to:
-diminish “baby blues”
-increase breast milk production
-help the uterus to contract down and therefore lessens postpartum bleeding
-ease fatigue
-contain your own natural hormones
-balance your system
-replenish nutrients lost during childbirth
-increase energy levels
-ease your postpartum transition

Although current formal research on human placentophagy does not exist, what we do know is that women who take placenta capsules report fewer emotional issues, have more energy and tend to enjoy a faster, more pleasant postpartum recovery. The first few days and weeks with your new baby are precious. Invest in you postpartum recovery with placenta capsules that are made perfectly for your body.

How does the process work?
Please let your heathcare providers know your wish to keep your placenta in advance. Most Colorado hospitals are aware of your rights to the placenta; however, if you anticipate a problem you can print a “Release of Placenta and Waiver Liability” form (attached herewith) For your convenience we will come and pick up your placenta immediately following delivery, ideally, within the first 24 hours. The placenta should be placed in a plastic bag or container (we suggest a Ziplock bag or a Tupperware container.) The placenta can be refrigerated during the first 48 hours but needs to be placed in the freezer if the 48-hour time frame has been exceeded. We can encapsulate the placenta up to a maximum of 6 months post birth if the placenta has been stored properly. The encapsulation process takes 24 to 48 hours at which point we will hand deliver your placenta capsules to you.

How are the capsules made?
This process includes steaming, drying, grinding and encapsulating the placenta. During this process we adhere to the utmost standards of cleanliness and use careful preparation techniques for consumption. We believe the placenta is made perfectly for you, by you; therefore, we do not add any additional herbs or spices to your placenta during the encapsulation process. We use only the highest grade of Vegetarian Capsules that have no preservatives, no animal products and come in an easy to swallow size capsule.

How many capsules will my placenta make?
Each placenta is different in size and substance so the amount of capsules it makes can vary from 50 to 200.

Who can benefit from placenta pills?
All mothers and babies can benefit from their own placenta medicine. We work with women delivering at home, birth centers or hospitals within the Denver/ Boulder Area. If you live out of state and desire the benefits of placenta medicine please contact us to coordinate special arrangements.
NOTE: Any pregnant mother that has positively been diagnosed with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS or has had a uterine infection during pregnancy cannot participate in placentophagy.

When should I take my placenta pills?
You should start taking your placenta capsules as soon as you receive it. The suggested dosage is 1- 3 capsules 1- 3 times per day for the first 1- 3 weeks of postpartum. At that point you may choose to continue taking the pills or you can taper off and use them when you are:
-feeling fatigued
-experiencing stress
-in a period of transition
-feeling sadness or depression


How should I store my placenta capsules?
The pills have been dehydrated so must be stored in a cool, dry place. The preservation technique of dehydration simply refers to the removal of moisture from foods, in other words, drying. This method extends shelf life significantly because yeasts, molds and bacteria need moisture to survive. Therefore, as long as the capsules do not get wet they are good for many years to come.

How does my baby benefit from placenta pills?
Your baby benefits from placenta pills as much as you do and all by simply breastfeeding! In addition to some of the health benefits outlined above, your baby may also experience an improved immune system. If you are taking your placenta pills on a regular basis your baby receives all of the same benefits of placenta encapsulation as the mother. If, for some reason, you are unable to breastfeed please contact us for other ways your baby can still benefit. Once your child has moved onto pureed food you can mix in the placenta powder of one capsule daily directly into their food. Remember, you and your baby shared this placenta and can both have shared benefit!