The Magical Placenta

Another Guest post from the lovely 2 Doulas on a Mission. Thanks ladies!!! If this sounds like something you need to be a part of, email the PLF at placentaliberationfront (at) gmail (dot) com and get on our list. As soon as we have 4 interested people ready to go, we will hold another class.

Yet another magical experience playing with a magical placenta. Danielle recently attended a brilliant and beautiful home birth. She happened to have slept over at my house the night before the got called to the birth. The next morning I heard her banging around in the kitchen, I looked at the clock and it was 6am. My first thought was “Dammit! If I had known she was gonna get up at 6 I would’ve told her to sleep at her own house! Then a half second later it occured to me that the only reason she’d be up this early was for a birth And sure enough – she was.

The afternoon following the birth I went to her house to hear all about it, and we ended up back at my house to process the placenta. Danielle had made the mama a smoothie immediately after birth with a raw chunk in it. Now we were going to take the rest and make capsules and our first tincture.

The first thing that both of us noticed was how different this placenta was, compared to some others we had done. It was bright red, full of thick blood vessels and very sturdy. The energy we felt while preparing this particular placenta was much different as well. It was light, pure and beautiful. We tossed around ideas….Was it the mothers excellent health? The fact that it was at home? Unmedicated? Whatever the reason, we were honored to be preparing it.

Beautiful, thick, healthy vessels

Placenta and membrane from the amniotic sac

Umbilical cord and placenta ready to be dehydrated

Placenta Print - The Tree of Life

Print # 2

Print # 3

Two doulas proud of their work!

Placenta capsules

Making tincture water

Tincture supplies

Next Class in July

We've scheduled the next class for July 14th from 10-12-ish. Can you come? All you need to do is:


Gather your supplies.
Send in your registration and deposit.

Hope to see you there!

Placenta Medicine Story

I am so excited to share our first guest post written from the perspective of Danielle Haines and Katie DiBenedetto – birth & postpartum doula partners. They can be reached at: http://danielleh11.wordpress.com/.

Mammals eat their placenta as soon as it is born.  When did we stop eating it?

Before we go into the medicine of Placenta and you just can't get over consuming your own beautiful organ your body created, let us just express the experience we had.

There is a mama we are working with.  She has a history of postpartum depression after giving birth.  So we had talked about her using her placenta when this baby is born so that she gets all the benefits from the placenta and reduces the likelihood of depression after birth.  She was willing to do anything she could to ensure her bonding and connection with her 3rd baby.

I'd like to point out that this is a much more severe situation and history than perhaps the average mama, or is it?  It's a ''taboo" topic in this society to talk about depressed, dark feelings after giving birth.

We had processed the placenta 24 hours after the baby was born.  To see all the details on how we processed this placenta click here: http://danielleh11.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/placenta-processing/

The baby is now 2 days old.  We walk into the house thinking we are just going to be delivering 4 smoothies.  When we walked in the dad said he was really glad that we were there.  He said his wife really needed some help.  The apartment was dark, and dreary.  The mama was laying on the bed staring at the wall.  The dad was holding the fully clothed baby.  I asked the mama what was going on.  She said she was in a lot of pain, and so she couldn’t hold her baby.  She was aware that this meant she wasn’t bonding with her baby.  She honestly said she was ready to leave that day.  Ready to leave the baby and the dad and never return.  She felt they were good without her.

We talked about her emotions, and thoughts.  She cried and was heard.  Then we sat her up, gave her some Traumeel (homeopathic formula for trauma, pain etc…), we doused maxi pads in Witch Hazel and put them in the freezer so she could put them on her stitches once they were cold.  We filled up her water bottle.  Then we encouraged her to hold the baby.  We asked her to get skin to skin with her baby.  That means her shirt was to completely come off and the baby was to be naked down to his diaper.  We explained to her that her baby’s body releases hormones from the top of his head.  It is important for a new mama to smell those hormones.  It is important for baby to smell mama, hear her heart beat, feel her warmth and breath. In nature the only reason you would be pregnant, give birth and not be nursing is if they baby had died.  We explained to her that since she hadn’t held or nursed the baby since he was born, her body was having a similar hormonal response as it would if her baby had died. Her body was grieving the death of her child even though he was alive in dad’s arms right next to her.  Her mind knew he was alive, her body believed he was dead.

After about two minutes of skin to skin she was uncomfortable and wanted someone to take the baby from her. We acknowledged her feelings and told her should could do it. She ended up changing positions and laying on her side with the baby simply laying next to her. This seemed to be easier for her than sitting up in bed holding him in her arms.

THEN we busted out with the placenta medicine. We handed her a raw placenta smoothie, she took the lid off and put it up to her nose to smell. She immediately started smelling her baby as well. She sat up in bed and took him back in her arms. About 20 minutes after that she put the baby to her breast and started successfully nursing. After the baby latched she remarked that she got a chill up her spine. She was laughing and smiling at this point. She started guzzling water. She took some more Traumeel. She hadn’t eaten much and was being nourished by her placenta smoothie. She continued processing her feelings out loud.

The scene when we left was much different than the scene when we arrived. The windows were open. Light was coming in. She was holding and nursing her baby, drinking her smoothie and her water, she had her favorite music on. This had a big impact on us and is a true testament to the power of the placenta, as well as other very simple things – homeopathic formulas, sunlight, hydration, support in breastfeeding, connecting with your baby, connecting with women. It was amazing to see how, even though her husband had been her partner for years, he was lost at how to support her during this time.

As a final thought: It is normal and natural to consume your placenta. To not consume your placenta is to intervene with natures process and invite complications. To read more about the power of placenta medicine, the science behind it, other uses for it, and recipes, check out this website: http://www.moondragon.org/parenting/placentadisposalrituals.html

If you have a story to share about crafting or using placenta medicine, please contact us at placentaliberationfront@gmail.com

This Shiver

The energetic refers to the state of mind and heart.
When I hold a placenta, I am beholding the tree of my life- for surely as babies have slid past my thighs THIS placenta holds the story of my ancient grandmother.
Genetically speaking we only have to go back 10,000 (only) and we have a common mother.
And the egg that made this placenta? Oh- it was made by the grandmother.
Yes, this is my Grandmother.
And this woman?
This is my sister.
And this babe?
This is my child.
And this shiver and this cringe and this delight?
These are my with-holdings. My learnings.
And this work?
This work helps me to remember.

~Shell Walker,  October 2010

Free Placenta Encapsulation Training

In October of 2010 I posted the following note to my facebook page:

Energetic & Steam Method (AKA Traditional Chinese Medicine)

With Shell Walker

Free of charge!

Deposit of $50 is needed to reserve your space but will be returned to you at the class.

Registration closes when 8 participants have been approved or on December 8th, whichever comes first.

Tuesday, January 26th 2011

10am-7pm (or until finished.  Breaks as needed)

Must be able to purchase all supplies needed for the encapsulation process. ($150- $350.  A list will be provided when your application has been accepted)

Must be able to obtain a placenta.  This is one of the reasons that the date is being placed so far in advanced- so that there is time to find a placenta. It is preferred that you use a placenta that was not wanted by it's family (I wouldn't want a woman who desired her placenta to be deprived of fresh encapsulation.  More instructions upon registration.)

Must be willing to commit to providing 5 free placenta encapsulations over the next year.

Must be willing to take a refresher class (free; after the 5 encapsulations).

After the 5 encapsulations and the refresher class, must be willing to train at least one other person in placenta encapsulation  within a years time.

Those who complete the class will have their name listed (free) on a placenta info and referral website.

If we have time we will also explore homeopathic and other placenta preparations.  

Class limited to 8 attendees who have had no prior experience.

Sisters who are experienced in energetic/steam/TCM placenta encapsulation who would like to come and share wisdom are HeartFully welcome to join us.

I know the requirements are not small- Given that, if you would like to reserve your space please answer the following and send to: placentaliberationfront@gmail.com

1. Name
2. Phone Number
3. Are you able to agree to the above requests?
4. Why do you want to learn placenta encapsulation?
5. Given your situation, how likely is it that you will obtain the needed supplies?
6. Given your schedule, how likely is it that you will show up for class?
7. How much do you think placenta encapsulation should cost?

Honestly, I thought that I would be lucky to get 4 registrants for the class.  As it turns out, we have 10 confirmed first timers, 5 who are experienced and 6 more first timers who want to come as soon as they can purchase all of the needed supplies.

This means that over the course of the next 24 months, AT LEAST 100 placentas will be encapsulated free of charge!

I know that there are many websites that offer free information about encapsulation and other placenta treatments and I think that this is a very good thing.  The information SHOULD be shared and should be easily accessible.

My one and only concern with online instructions is that I have not yet found one that speaks to the subtle essence of placenta crafting:

When are the hands better than a knife?

When are bare hands better than gloves?

When is mortar and pestle better than an electric grinder?

And what of our intentions, our thoughts, our connections, our sacred breath and their contribution to the process?

For these reasons and more, I would love to see the art and soul of placenta crafting preserved and passed from hand to hand.  Live and in person. 

This is my contribution to that end

100 newly trained placenta crafters by the end of 2012

Free of commerce 

Free of discrimination

Free of territories

Free of market control 

Free of price setting

Full  of knowledge

Full  of care

Full  of consideration

Full  of love

Yours,

Shell

Join the Front!

Are you a Placenta Crafter? We'd love to have you join the Front! Please take a moment to read what the PLF is about. If our manifesto aligns with your work, send the following information to our email address at:
placentaliberationfront@gmail.com.


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Thank you for the work you do. We look forward to hearing from you!