Every Placenta Encapsulation Specialists Biggest Fear

I’ve been processing placentas for new parents since February of 2012, and I’ve safely turned nearly 1,500 placentas into pills since then. Over the years, I have seen many moms lose their placentas due to uninformed care providers, improper storage, or infection. But it was never my fault, until recently.

So here’s how this whole thing went down

I have a separate workspace within my home that is dedicated to placenta processing. In that workspace, I have a mini fridge where I store labeled placentas until I'm able to process them. When I got home with this placenta, I placed it in my placenta-specific fridge until I would be able to work with it. But when I returned to process the placenta the next morning, I discovered that a breaker had tripped. The placenta had not been stored at the required temperature for food safety. (I’ve since ordered Smart Outlets to ensure that this never happens again, but that doesn't help this particular mama.)

I was heartbroken when I realized that I could not provide this particular mama with her placenta capsules. I spent nearly an hour speaking with her, suggesting other ways that she could support herself nutritionally and emotionally, and offering to prepare as many keepsakes for her as I could. I refunded her deposit and canceled her invoice. But I know that these offerings can never replace her placenta.

I am still heartbroken for her. 

The world of birth is unpredictable, and things don't always go as planned. Infertility, spontaneous abortions, unplanned births, and postpartum struggles are just some of the challenges that mothers face. Birth is risky, and life is fragile. I know this firsthand, as I lost my first baby at 22 weeks and have struggled with my own birth-related challenges, including infertility and postpartum anxiety.

Birth is risky, no matter how we look at it. Life is fragile. So many things need to go right from conception to postpartum. And it's a damn miracle that any of us is here. 

But the main point I need to make here is that placenta pills are not magic. They are simply one possible tool to include in your postpartum toolkit. Many women have had success with consuming their placentas, and many have experienced nothing at all.

I am passionate about helping new mothers navigate the often-overlooked fourth trimester. To support you in this journey, I’ve created a free guide called "F*ck the Basics: A Radical Self-Care Guide for the Fourth Trimester (and Beyond)." It's packed with valuable information and resources to help you prepare and feel empowered during this transformative time. Be sure to download it below.