Freezing placenta to consume?

[rwhite]

So I have been considering doing this as an alternative to placenta encapsulation, just wondering if anybody else has done this and how they found it?

If I do go this route, I would plan to cut the placenta in to small swallowable chunks (I'm fine with swallowing big pills for e.g., so chunks wouldn't bother me) and freezing them in a snap lock bag to take out and swallow with juice or something.

If you have done this, how did you wash the placenta first, just with water or something else? And was it easy to separate from the membranes etc? I would plan to prepare it within 24hrs of giving birth hopefully, or have my partner do so if he'd be so kind

Thanks

 

[MindUtopia]

I haven't done this personally, but I do placenta encapsulation so I can tell you what I'd recommend if it's what a client wanted me to do for them. Yes, you definitely can freeze the placenta and consume it that way instead of dehydrating and putting into capsules. From a safety point of view, I would just make sure that your placenta goes into a clean container with a lid and into the fridge or cool bag/box (with lots of very cold ice packs - like 4 of them) within 30 minutes of the cord being cut, then transferred to a fridge as quickly as possible if you are using a freezer bag (if you're having a hospital birth, ask if someone, doula, friend, family member can take it home for you after the birth and put it in your fridge) and then I would make a real effort to have it frozen within 12 hours if you can. 24 hours is okay if you've really been good about keeping it properly cool until then, but the sooner the better.

I would give it a good wash in the sink under running cold water, wearing gloves or at least with very clean hands until you've rinsed the blood and any clots off well. This might take about 5 minutes or so of just rubbing your hands over it and turning it around to rinse everywhere. They are usually left with the cord and membranes intact. If you are just eating it raw, I would cut off the cord and probably the membranes as well (they pull apart pretty easily), so you are just left with the placenta itself. Then place it on a plate or other clean surface and pat dry with kitchen towels. Depending on how small you want the pieces to be, you can just tear off pieces (usually they'll be able the size of your thumb or a small plum). If you want smaller pieces, a sharp knife or good sharp pair of tailoring scissors might be easier to use.

Are you thinking of swallowing them whole or blending into a smoothie as you need them? If you can, I'd think about maybe making smoothies and blending the pieces up will probably be more easy to absorb, if you don't mind the extra cleaning and such.

I haven't done this in the past, but I actually plan to save some placenta exactly like this to make into smoothies the first week pp next time. I had my placenta encapsulated last time and I will definitely do that again (either myself or have someone do it for me, depending on if I feel up to it), but I only had one raw smoothie right after birth. I'd like to have more next time as they're really great for you and gave me lots of energy.

 

[rwhite]

Thanks, that was a great detailed reply I am hoping to have a homebirth, so will try and get on to preparing it as soon as possible, but will make sure I keep it super cold if I can't get to it right away.

I have considered placenta encapsulation, but for one the lady who does it has not responded to my messages and because it's pricy (she charges $200), I'm a little unsure.

I will probably just freeze and swallow but wouldn't be averse to making smoothies - I'd just be a bit concerned about any possible taste?!

 

[jeanyern123]

I too will be freezing and consuming my placenta. The woman in my family have done it this way;

Cut off the sack, the cord and any blood clots.
Wash with warm water and dry it off with a clean tea towel.
Lightly salt the placenta. This will help to pull out excess blood.
Let the salted placenta oxidise for an hour in a bowl, in a cool place using a clean tea towel (or paper towels) in the bowl to soak up the excess blood. Also cover the bowl with a tea towel so no bugs get in.
Give it another light wash to clean off blood and salt.
Freeze it and break off a bit to eat or lightly fry a bit to eat.

Some women blitz it, pour it into ice trays and freeze it. Eating small ice-blocks that way.
Some women cook the whole thing, mincing it to make a meatloaf that will last the week.

I'll only be eating mine for a few days, just until I feel good and my milk flow is good. After that I will bury it in the garden with a new little memorial flower seedling on top.
Good luck!

 

[Popples1]

I second the smoothie suggestion. I has placenta pills (TCM ones) and three raw placenta smoothies. They were mixed with berries and banana and so I couldn't see or taste anything 'unusual'! I think the smoothies were the more effective of the two - I had bags of energy despite almost zero sleep.