Medicine

Medicinal Uses of the Placenta

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I find it so sad that people throw placentas away without a second thought. Attending hospital births I see them treated as bio hazards. Without it, there would be no baby. I have been to a few placenta planting parties. It's heartwarming to pay homage to the miraculous placenta!



The placenta is an invaluable part of postpartum healing process for both mother & child. For thousands of years, the Chinese have revered this powerful substance in their Materia Medica as regenerative to the essence and the breath. Full of Qi (life force), the placenta aids in the recovery from childbirth, restoring lost hormones, augmenting lactation, shortening bleeding time, preventing mood jags, and ultimately helping your child in this vital time of bonding and nurturance. The placenta is prepared fresh - freezing is not recommended - with rice wine, precious herbs and fresh ginger to disperse the medicine deeply into the body. It is cleaned, steamed, and cut into very thin slices, then placed in a dehydrator until thoroughly dry. Then it is ground finely and encapsulated. It is believed that the state of mind one carries while working with the placenta will be absorbed into the medicine, so the healing focus is maintained throughout. The whole process takes 12 to 16 hours, definitely a labor of love! The typical dosage is two capsules three times a day for the first two to three weeks or until strength has been restored.


German midwife named Cornelia Enning explains how German mothers make placenta butter after the birth. They first make a "ghee" (clarified butter), then pour off the foam. They add two Tablespoons of powdered dry placenta to this and then reheat it. This mixture is poured in little jars and kept in case the baby gets eczema or other skin ailments. It clears it up quick, apparently.

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