You Say Polenta, I Say Placenta

What the heck is a placenta and why do people eat it?

The placenta is essentially the organ that connects you to the baby. It gives the baby oxygen, blood and other nutrients to grow in the uterus. The placenta is attached to the uterine wall and the umbilical cord is the pathway from the placenta to the baby. 

A big thing that most people don’t know or think about is after giving birth to your baby, you have to give birth to the placenta too! It can take up to 30 minutes for the placenta to come out and sometimes you have to push it out. For most, it’s not a big deal but some people have said that it hurts like giving birth to another baby. 

Another thing to note is that the umbilical cord can be very short or very long. They may put the baby on your stomach instead of high on your chest because it’s short. So just keep in mind to listen to the people caring for you and don’t pull the baby up higher until the cord is cut. We do this because we don’t want the cord to break on its own. 

Some people believe that consuming the placenta will help the mother somehow in postpartum, usually for the hormonal properties, decrease postpartum depression and it may give you more energy.  I’m not confirming whether these claims are true or not. There’s not a lot of research to support these claims. I don’t really believe that most of these claims are true in my own personal opinion, but you do you. I will advise you though you consult your provider before doing so. 

Some of the more popular ways the placenta is consumed is by encapsulation or eating it raw in a smoothie or drink form. Encapsulation is a process where someone who knows what they are doingdehydrates it, grinds it up, and puts the contents in gel capsules. 

Some cultures have practices where they bury the placenta. Some people like to take pictures of it. Some make art out of it by placing it on a piece of paper to paint on the tree of life. Most people want absolutely nothing to do with it all. They don’t even want to look at it. I don’t blame them. It’s pretty gross, unless you’re fascinated by such a thing like myself.