This article originally published in Fun & Fit Life Magazine, March 2010

By Jodi Selander

The placenta is generally referred to as “after birth”, as though it were merely a remnant of the pregnancy. In this view, it completes its role of supporting the newborn baby and is rendered useless upon its birth. Simultaneously, over 80% of new mothers experience some form of postnatal mood disorder “after birth”. What if the placenta is exactly what the mother needs to help her through that initial birth recovery period?

By the time a mother is in her third trimester of pregnancy, she has up to three times the normal level of hormones in her bloodstream. The effect of this hormonal influx has been likened to taking a daily dose of Valium. The hypothalamus, the part of the brain that helps regulate these hormone levels, goes dormant during pregnancy since the baby and the placenta have such complete control over the endocrine system. However, the vast majority of those hormones disappear within the first five days of giving birth, and it takes the hypothalamus up to three weeks to regulate her system again. This hormonal fluctuation is considered a main contributing factor in the onset of the baby blues.

Symptoms of the baby blues include mood instability, weepiness, sadness and anxiety. Considering this, the time it takes for her system to regulate itself can seem like a lifetime to a new mother. It is also the precious first weeks of her baby’s life, and can be stressful and exhausting without the added complication of a mood disorder. These women suffer through their postpartum recovery, wondering what is wrong with them. It is easy to get trapped in a vicious cycle of negative feelings, and family members are often at a loss for ways to help. Our society has come to accept this scenario as a normal part of the childbirth cycle. Fortunately, Nature has provided an easy and natural solution.

Women who practice placentophagy (ingestion of the placenta) after the birth report overwhelmingly positive postpartum experiences, and placenta encapsulation offers a palatable means of ingestion. The process involves drying the placenta, grinding it and putting it into empty capsules. In this way, the mother merely takes a few capsules a day for the first weeks postpartum.

The placenta contains a variety of vitamins and minerals that a woman recovering from pregnancy and childbirth needs; some of these include iron, vitamin B6, and hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and prolactin. Individually, these components have been shown to help relieve various symptoms of the baby blues. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has used placenta medicinally for centuries, and fatigue is one of the ailments it is commonly used to treat. Women who ingest placenta often report an increase in energy, which could be due to the high iron content.

Research has shown a correlation between iron deficiency anemia, fatigue, and postpartum depression.

With supplementation, iron and energy levels improve and the incidence of postpartum depression decreases. Since placenta contains large stores of natural iron and successfully alleviates fatigue symptoms, placenta can therefore eliminate those factors which contribute to the manifestation of postpartum depression.

I have personally experienced the benefits of placenta for postpartum recovery. I began taking my second daughter’s placenta in capsule form when I was about three days postpartum. The results were nothing short of amazing. Not once did I feel weepy, sad or overwhelmed. Instead, I was happy, upbeat, and energetic. This was in stark contrast to my first postpartum recovery, which was much more difficult.

After taking her placenta as capsules, Las Vegas mother Sarah Jones said, “The difference between my first two postpartum periods and the third was simply amazing! I felt more in control than I had with my first babies and so much happier. My four-year old daughter began to call the capsules “Mommy’s happy pills.” Having experienced the ‘baby blues’ with the first births, it was wonderful to simply enjoy my brand new baby without the negative feelings of anger, paranoia, and desperation.”

Placentas are not useless upon their birth. The placenta’s first purpose is to nourish the baby and bring new life into the world. Its final purpose is to nourish the mother and help her recover from the pregnancy while easing her transition to motherhood. We are denying ourselves of the optimum postpartum experience when we discard the placenta and view it only as “after birth”. After birth there is a new beginning and a major life transition. Mothers need all the resources available during this transition, and the placenta is the most valuable resource of all.

PBi is pleased to announce that Karen Holmes is now a PBi-trained Placenta Encapsulation Specialist! She is thrilled to be serving several boroughs in the New York City area.

Karen’s professional career began with a BA in Music/Business and jobs in radio and publishing. In the early 90s, Karen was drawn to natural healing and became a family practitioner herbalist, BioAcoustic Research Associate, and studied flower essences, aromatherapy, and Native American traditions.

Karen is a DONA-trained postpartum doula (2003), a New York Licensed Massage Therapist (2004), and a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist (2008). She is also the mother of a wonderful daughter, born at home in 1993.

Her business, The Tree of Health, offers Massage Therapy, Ayurvedic Bodywork, Reflexology, Raw Food Classes, In-home Juicing Services, and Flower Essences for anyone looking for a healthier lifestyle. She is trained to perform Kripalu-style reflexology, she is a Reiki master, a Certified Living on Live Foods Chef and Instructor, and specializes in Ayurvedic Bodywork.

“Since much of my massage and bodywork practice is focused on supporting women, I am excited to bring this service to women to my area in a professional and nurturing way. My clients know they are valued and supported 100% when they are in my care. I offer a present-minded, non-invasive and supportive energy to all women who come to my practice. My gift to you is actively supporting and holding the space for you in your unique journey.”
~ Karen Holmes

Because of her desire to learn more about the benefits of placentas and her longing to help educate other women about this amazing gift, Karen turned to PBi to train her in PBi’s Method of Placenta Encapsulation. She hopes to help you to be the absolute best and healthiest mommy you can be and she looks forward to helping you to be supported and cared for during your joyful postpartum transition.

Placenta Benefits.info (PBi) has the best training program and network of resources available for those seeking a career in natural postpartum care. Clients can trust PBi Specialists to provide the highest quality placenta encapsulation services available, and know that we will take care of them quickly, safely and professionally.

PBi is happy to announce that Christina Gabbard is PBi’s Newest Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist and Mentor!

Certification takes commitment and hard work. To become certified, a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist must have completed scientific research and written response papers, acquired experience in placenta encapsulation services by preparing three placentas using PBi’s Method of Placenta Encapsulation, and completed additional food preparation safety certification to be in compliance with their state’s stringent health department protocols. Women in the Greater Charlotte, NC and the Piedmont, SC areas now have someone who can safely prepare and assist them in placenta encapsulation, following all OSHA and State Health Regulations and safety rules.

Christina has a background in nursing, is a Certified Breastfeeding Educator, graduate of South Carolina (SC) School of Midwifery, a SC Licensed Apprentice Midwife, and a Postpartum Doula. In her spare time she enjoys cycling, hiking, and gardening for fresh veggies and roses. She has been married for a decade now, and she is a proud homeschooling mom to her three daughters.

“I first saw the benefits of ingesting ones own placenta while apprenticing at a birth. The mother was hemorrhaging, the Primary Midwife did a sweep of the uterus to remove retained placental fragments. The mother continued to bleed. The midwife offered a small chunk of the removed placenta, and told her “put this in your cheek.” Within moments the bleeding stopped. I was impressed and intrigued.

I feel that placenta encapsulation adds a new dimension to the services that I offer my clients. I look forward to teaching women about the natural wellness that comes from encapsulated placenta.”
~  Christina Gabbard

Congratulations on your PBi Certification Christina!  We are so happy to have such a talented, committed, educated and passionate woman working with us!

Cynthia Mitchell, in her article The Afterlife of Afterbirth: Notes on eating human placenta, has a clever and humorous take on eating placenta. Apparently placenta was the hopeful entree for an Adventures in Dining group. Even though their plans were thwarted by formaldehyde, her curiosity is sparked and she decides to learn more about placentophagy.

Including my favorite part - when in doubt, call Mom.

Figuring the modern incarnation of this practice must have caught on in the 1970s, I called Jacqueline Darrigrand of San Francisco, a self-described feminist who wrote her master’s thesis on witches, did a back-to-the-land stint, and doesn’t flinch at organ meats.

“Hi Mom. Did you or any of your friends eat placenta?”

“What? I’m walking down the street. I can’t hear you very well.”

“PLA-CEN-TA. Did anyone you know eat placenta?”

“Oh! Ha! No one I know did it, but I heard about it happening. It’s supposed to be very nutritious.”
“Did you want to eat our placentas?”

“I can’t say that I was tempted, no. Anyway, I don’t think that was offered to me as an option.”
“Do you think it’s gross?”

“Nothing is grosser than giving birth.”

Read the whole article at meatpaper.

A big congratulations to Rebecca Lischke, PBi’s newest professional Placenta Encapsulation Specialist serving Greensboro, North Carolina!

Rebecca is a wife, mother of three, and expecting number four at the beginning of July 2010.  She’s a software development project manager with a degree in Political Science from James Madison University; she also has an immense interest in childbirth and motherhood.

After being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Rebecca quickly discovered that conventional medicine only masked the problems she was having.  She found a holistic practitioner who truly helped her enjoy life again . . . without conventional medication and its horrible side-effects.  Little did she know, her journey into natural approaches to common medical problems had only just begun.

She suffered the Baby Blues after the birth of her third child and rather than turn to conventional medicine, Rebecca searched for a more natural alternative.

“Here I had this beautiful, healthy, little girl and all I could do was sit in the glider and cry.  I couldn’t connect with her, I was miserable for no apparent reason, and I was exhausted.” ~ Rebecca Lischke

Sound familiar? Pretty much all of us here at PBi have been exactly where Rebecca was at one point.

We asked Rebecca why she decided to become a PBI-Trained Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, this is what she said:

“To support my own health after the birth of my fourth child, to offer a more natural, holistic approach to support other women in their postpartum recovery, and because I believe it will be incredibly rewarding to witness other women experience a more balanced, joyous postpartum period.” ~ Rebecca Lischke

Thank you, Rebecca for helping PBi spread the word that conventional medicine has nothing on Mother Nature! Placenta Encapsulation provides all that is needed for your own postpartum recovery!

Placenta Benefits.info (PBi) has the best training program and network of resources available for those seeking a career in natural postpartum care. Clients can trust PBi Specialists to provide the highest quality placenta encapsulation services available, and know that we will take care of them quickly, safely and professionally.

PBi is happy to announce that Bridget Hirata, PBi Placenta Encapsulation Specialist serving the Madison, WI area has now completed her certification and is now a CPES! Congratulations Bridget!

Certification takes commitment and hard work. To become certified, a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist must have completed scientific research and written response papers, acquired experience in placenta encapsulation services by preparing two placentas using PBi’s Method of Placenta Encapsulation, and completed additional food preparation safety certification to be in compliance with their state’s stringent health department protocols.

This means that women in Madison, Wisconsin and surrounding areas now have someone who safely prepares and assists you in encapsulating your placenta, following all OSHA and State Health Regulations and safety rules.

Bridget is the mother of two children, born in 2004 and 2009. As well as being a wife and mother she works part time as a chiropractic assistant, in a wellness clinic that specializes in chiropractic obstetrics and pediatrics.

“I wished that I would have found out about this (Placenta Encapsulation) six months sooner. Late in the summer I was showing my out of town guests the difference in the four plants and explaining what placenta encapsulation was, I came back in the house and went into the bathroom and cried. I wish I would have had that nutrition and the amazing energy that the bare root raspberry bushes had received from my placenta. I truly believe my experience would have been different if I would have received the benefits of placentophagy. I look forward to helping new moms get back their energy and nutrients, making the transition easier, allowing them to enjoy the special time with their precious baby.” - Bridget, read the full story on her web page.

Congratulations on your accomplishment on PBi Certification, Bridget! PBi is thrilled that you are working with us to ensure that more new mothers everywhere know of the benefits of placenta!

I had the privilege of speaking at the CAM conference this past weekend, held in Davis, CA on the campus of UC Davis. The California Association of Midwives has been working hard for mothers and midwives for years, and this conference has been their latest effort.

I presented Placenta for Postpartum Wellness, a presentation on the benefits of using placenta for postpartum recovery. Several of the attendees were aware of the potential of placenta in helping women recover more quickly from birth and pregnancy, but the hormonal component, and how it relates to a host of postnatal mood disorders seemed to be the topic of most interest.

While there, it was a real honor to meet Suzanne Arms. Suzanne has been an icon to the birth world, and an activist for change since 1975. Her contribution to the field of normal birth can not be overstated. She even signed a copy of her integral work, Immaculate Deception II!

I also got to talk chat a bit with Colleen Donovan-Batson, who was wo-manning the MANA booth at the conference. MANA’s next conference is this October in Nashville, TN!

I had to fly out the next morning, the day that Gail Hart was giving her presentation entitled 2010 CDC GBS Guidelines and Vaginal Health, so I was resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t see her. However, we had a chance encounter at the hotel! She had just arrived from a wonderful time at the Oregon Country Fair (I was totally jealous! I have always wanted to go to that). We talked placenta for a bit, and the hurdles that are still to be faced as placenta encapsulation becomes more popular. It was a sober reminder that we still have a long way to go, folks…

All in all, it was a great experience. I feel very blessed that I was able to be a part of it!

Kathy Reid, PBi Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist serving the Salt Lake City, UT area, was interviewed this week (live!) on the Good Things Utah morning show.

Kathy did a great job of presenting placenta encapsulation, and a wonderful job of representing PBi as well.

We’re working hard to promote all of our Placenta Encapsulation Specialists! Check out all the news coverage on our YouTube channel.

If you’re a birth professional, consider offering this service to your clients. If you already do, consider joining PBi’s group of wonderful people - we’d love to have your help in our mission of bringing placenta encapsulation mainstream! PBi offers a full Training Course and various membership options to help you promote your business when you’re finished!

I just received this press release from The Big Push for Midwives campaign.

I’m so shocked that the anti-home birth and anti-midwife spin machine is swinging into high gear now that we’re set to make some progress in protecting midwifery.
** sarcasm alert!**

International Expert Calls Study Deeply Flawed and Politically Motivated

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 7, 2010) – As New York and Massachusetts moved to pass pro-midwife bills in the final weeks of their legislative sessions, the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology fast-tracked publicity surrounding the results of an anti-home birth study that is not scheduled for publication until September. Described as unscientific and politically motivated, the study draws conclusions about home birth that stand in direct contradiction to the large body of research establishing the safety of home birth for low-risk women whose babies are delivered by professional midwives.

“Many of the studies from which the author’s conclusions are drawn are poor quality, out-of-date, and based on discredited methodology. Garbage in, garbage out.” said Michael C. Klein, MD, a University of British Columbia emeritus professor and senior scientist at The Child and Family Research Institute. “The conclusion that this study somehow confirms an increased risk for home birth is pure fiction. In fact, the study is so deeply flawed that the only real conclusion to draw is that the motive behind its publication has more to do with politics than with science.”

Advocates working to expand access to out-of-hospital maternity care questioned the timing of AJOG’s public relations efforts on behalf of a study that won’t be published until next fall.

“Given the fact that New York just passed a bill providing autonomous practice for all licensed midwives working in all settings, while Massachusetts is poised to do the same, the timing of this study could not be better for the physician groups that have been fighting so hard to defeat pro-midwife bills there and in other states,” said Susan M. Jenkins, Legal Counsel for The Big Push for Midwives Campaign. “Clearly the intent is to fuel fear-based myths about the safety of professional midwifery care in out-of-hospital settings. Their ultimate goal is obviously to defeat legislation that would both increase access to out-of-hospital maternity care for women and their families and increase competition for obstetricians.”

The United States recognizes two categories of midwives: Certified Nurse-Midwives, who are trained to practice in hospital settings and who also provide primary and well-woman care, and Certified Professional Midwives, who undergo specialized clinical training to provide maternity care in out-of-hospital settings. Research consistently shows that midwife outcomes in all settings are equivalent to those of physicians, but with far fewer costly and preventable interventions, including a significant reduction in pre-term and low birth weight births, and as much as a five-fold decrease in cesarean surgeries.

The Big Push for Midwives Campaign represents thousands of grassroots advocates in the United States who support expanding access to Certified Professional Midwives and out-of-hospital maternity care. The mission of The Big Push for Midwives includes educating state and national policymakers about the reduced costs and improved outcomes associated with births managed by CPMs in private homes and freestanding birth centers.

Media inquiries: Katherine Prown (414) 550-8025, katie@thebigpushformidwives.org

Postpartum Depression has only recently started garnering the proper attention it deserves. Now, after studying it, researchers are finding that mothers are not the only ones who suffer from it; dads get it too.

While women have a major hormonal fluctuation after giving birth, which frequently triggers the Baby Blues (moodiness, irritability, weepiness, anxiety), her system will generally regulate itself after 3 weeks and those symptoms will subside. Postpartum depression lasts longer, or has a later onset, and the symptoms are more severe.

Now they’re finding that men also experience postpartum depression. While men do not have the hormonal imbalance that women do in the immediate postpartum (though some studies have shown that their testosterone levels decrease with a simultaneous increase in estrogen), there are still many factors that can contribute to depression; sleep deprivation, loss of connection with partner, change of role in the family. New research conducted by James Paulson of Eastern Virginia Medical School, to be published in the May 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, has found that over 25% of U.S. fathers experience postpartum depression three to six months after the baby is born. This is higher than fathers in Europe, Australia, South America and China, the researchers found.

“Three months is when family leave runs out [in the United States], and I can’t help but wonder if that has something to do with it,” Paulson said. “But there is also a lot going on with the child by that time.”

Studies have shown that crying peaks after three months and the baby may be more demanding, having developed clear preferences for certain behaviors, such as being constantly held, he said.

Other causes of parental depression can be isolation from the outside world, sleep deprivation, changes in the couple’s relationship and adjustment to the change in one’s life role, Paulson said.

The United States has some of the worse maternity/paternity leave times of many developed nations. It stands to reason that if new parents were more adequately supported during this important life change, that it would create less stress and eliminate many of the contributing factors.

The research also found that if a mother has postpartum depression, it was more likely that her partner would experience it as well. It is difficult to take care of the mother, the baby, and the household, while also trying to hold down a job and keep the family intact. That is a lot of pressure for anyone to handle, letalone while sleep-deprived. If we can help new mothers avoid the risk factors for postpartum depression, we can also help the fathers.

Family support after the birth of a baby is absolutely essential. The U.S. is an isolationist country; we expect everyone to just take care of themselves. But if we had more support, our children would be better off. A 2008 study published in The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that children of depressed men were more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems by 3.5 years old and more likely to have a psychiatric disorder by the age of 7.

It’s also not surprising that divorce rates are higher within the first year of the birth of a child as well.

So, moms and dads - take care of each other while you take care of the baby. Make time for each other, make time for yourselves, and don’t feel guilty when you need to let someone else take care of the baby once in a while. Parenting is a marathon, and you need to keep yourself in shape for it. And, here it is: use the placenta! Don’t throw it away after the baby is born. The capsules are valuable, and can help avoid some of the risk factors. If you can’t use your own baby’s placenta, try placenta capsules from another source. It’s worth a try!

There were a couple of other articles written about this research, for your reading pleasure:
Yahoo News LiveScience
GlobeLife: Health & Fitness