Why Your Placenta Provides Post Pregnancy Benefits

I was shocked when I first heard about this the other day? I don't like the looks of cooked liver; I could not fathom eating my own placenta after giving birth. It seems there are women out there doing this because it helps with blood loss due to delivery, it slows down post-pardum for new moms and it helps with breast milk production. If you asked me 15 years ago about this i would have revolted..let alone even think about it. For westerners it sounds barbaric. The Chinese have been doing this for centuries as a means to increase milk production. The medical term is called Placentophagia. Studies have shown that eating your placenta releases Oxytocin into the blood stream and while that is happening it enables the uterus to heal & shrink back to Its pre-pregnancy condition. Animals practice placentophagia by instinct.

The placenta is filled with high levels of B-6. In the third trimester women release this hormone called CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone). It is a stress reducer hormone. It is after-birth, that women lack this CHR when they need it most. Placentophagia replaces the nutrients lost from delivery.When you think about it, a woman's body get's put on hold those 9 months. All her nutrients go to the baby. It is no wonder we are exhausted after giving birth.

There are other alternatives, but if If you are like me, and do not like the looks of cooked placenta, You can purchase dried placenta in a capsule. I would locate a Chinese traditional herb practitioner, check with your midwife and or health care professional to purchase capsules. If you want to tackle this job on your own, I would preheat oven at 175 degrees, wash the placenta, place placenta on cutting board and slice 1/4" slices, then lay the slices on a non-stick,cookie sheet and bake for 3 hours. You want the slices to be dry enough to use in a mortar to crush into a powder. If the slices are not dry after 3 hours, set your timer and check it every half hour until it is done. Do not rush the process. You don't want to burn away the precious vitamins. After it is in powder form, place in a labeled jar,"Mommy's Potion." You can then sprinkle it on all your meals. Click here to read more on cooking placenta.

I think it is worth noting that after child birth, we are exhausted and our bodies are so vitamin deficient. I can see why animals do this naturally.