Therapeutic Massage & Energy Work
Placenta Services
A Natural Approach to Post Partum Healing
Why is the placenta so good for me?
Your placenta carries numerous health benefits and is full of beneficial hormones and nutrients which are vital to postpartum healing and restoration. Ingesting it helps your body to regulate and transition back to your normal physiology, as well as conferring very important benefits to your baby. Clients report an increase in energy and milk production along with a decrease in postpartum depression symptoms, recovery time, and postpartum bleeding.
Methods of placenta encapsulation
The Sweet Sage offers multiple ways to prepare your placenta for consumption. Our methods include capsules, tinctures, salve, Gentle Method (traditional Chinese medicine inspired), RAW, and balanced.
RAW Capsule Preparation Method
Placenta is NOT steamed prior to dehydration.
Placenta fully dehydrated at 118 degrees. Dehydration takes approx. 14-24 hours.
The RAW method is the most potent. It offers the highest iron content and the biggest energy boost. You will get the highest yield of capsules using this method.
This method is contraindicated for those with anxiety/depression (unrelated to pregnancy and postpartum) or who have a strong reaction/sensitivity to caffeine and other stimulants.
Balanced Method
Placenta is NOT steamed prior to dehydration.
Placenta fully dehydrated at 160 degrees. Dehydration takes approx. 8-14 hours.
The Balanced method offers a more moderate flow of energy and hormones. Due to the high dehydration temperature, there is greater protection against bacteria.
Gentle Method (Traditional Chinese Medicine-inspired)
Placenta is lightly steamed prior to dehydration with herbs, fresh ginger, lemon, and cayenne peppers (optional).
Placenta fully dehydrated at 145 degrees. Dehydration takes approx. 6-9 hours.
The Gentle method offers a very gradual energy and hormone release. This method yields the least number of capsules due to steaming beforehand. Due to the high dehydration temperature, there is greater protection against bacteria.
Additional Preparation Options
Tinctures
Tinctures are meant for energy, transition, stress, hormone stabilization and are therefore great for returning cycles and menopause. They can be given to a baby, 6 months or older for teething and transition. Tinctures can also be used by the biological mother and daughter during hormone changes (menopause, menstrual cycles).
The tincture is made from a small piece of raw placenta and 100-150 proof vodka or brandy (you choose!!!), aged for 6 weeks postpartum and then strained. It is stored in an amber glass dropper bottle. Gluten free alcohol available upon request.
Placenta Salve Uses
Salves are used to heal C-section incisions after the wound has closed. They also lessen scarring, itching and discomfort. Salves can be used postpartum for hemorrhoids, tearing, burns, eczema, diaper rash, sun burns, and skin irritation. They’re safe for all ages.
Placenta Print Art
A lovely art print of your placenta will be a cherished reminder of the wonder and magic of life.
The placenta is known for its Tree of Life imagery, and the unique beauty of your life sustaining placenta will be preserved as frameable art. The print may be done in food safe color palette of your preference or naturally, for a minimalist style print.
Placenta Services Bundles
* A $75 nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve your spot on the schedule. Remaining fees due before placenta is encapsulated.
*Placenta pick up and delivery is included for those in the Cookeville and Livingston areas. For more than 25 miles from Cookeville or Livingston TN there will be a travel fee of $40 added to the final total. Meeting in Cookeville or Livingston is also an option for those outside of our travel area.
The Sweet Contentment
Your choice of encapsulation method
Placenta Art Print
Umbilical cord Keepsake
$290
The Bundle of Joy
Your choice of encapsulation method
Umbilical cord keepsake
Tincture
Placenta print art
$310
The Total Bliss
Your choice of encapsulation method
Umbilical cord Keepsake
Tincture
Placenta print art
Choice of 60 minute massage (prenatal or postpartum), or a private infant massage class.
$395
Why Should I Have a Plan for My Placenta?
What’s in the placenta and how will encapsulation help me?
Your placenta is full of good hormones and nutrients which are vital to postpartum healing and restoration. Ingesting it helps your body to regulate and transition after you’ve delivered your baby. Clients report an increase in energy and milk production along with a decrease in postpartum depression symptoms, recovery time, and postpartum bleeding. Take a look at many of the hormones and nutrients that are in your placenta and what each one does.
Oxytocin: Released from the anterior pituitary, this very important hormone is released during breastfeeding and promotes healthy bonding between mother and infant. It also stimulates uterine contractions, helping the uterus to return to pre-pregnancy size more quickly.
Estrogen: A reproductive hormone that helps prevent depression while performing its numerous other functions.
Human Placental Lactogen (HPL): Stimulates mammary gland function and milk production.
Cortisone: An adrenal hormone that provides energy and helps decrease stress.
Gamma globulin: protects body from infection by stimulating the immune system.
Hemoglobin: A molecule that transports much-needed iron to the body which was lost during labor and delivery. Helps your body combat anemia.
Interferon: Protects body from infection by stimulating the immune system.
Iron: Often deficient in pregnant and nursing women, this important nutrient helps deliver oxygen to the body, helping to combat exhaustion and reverse anemia.
Vitamin B6: this vitamin plays a role in healthy metabolism, strong immune system, and mood stabilization and reduction of depression symptoms.
Placental Opioid-Enhancing Factor (POEF): Stimulates production of natural opioids which reduce pain and increase well-being.
Prolactin: A hormone released from the anterior pituitary that facilitates and promotes lactation.
Prostaglandins: Very important hormones that help combat swelling and inflammation.
Thyroid stimulating hormone: Energy booster so mom can recover from labor and delivery.
Urokinase inhibiting factor and factor XIII: Assists body to heal any wounds and stop bleeding.
84%
Markedly Increased Milk Production with Placenta Consumption.
“Powdered Placenta Hominis was used for 57 cases of insufficient lactation. Within 4 days, 48 women had markedly increased milk production, with the remainder following suit over the next three days.”
Bensky/Gamble. 1997. Materia Medica, Eastland Press, 549
“Giving…placenta to a new mother following birth has become standard protocol among a growing number of midwives in the United States. By nourishing the blood and fluids, endocrine glands and organs, Placenta will …reduce or stop postpartum bleeding, speed up recovery, boost energy and relieve postpartum blues.”
Homes, Peter. 1993. Jade Remedies, Snow Lotus Press, 352
“It has been shown that the feeding of desiccated placenta to women during the first eleven days after parturition causes an increase in the protein and lactose percent of the milk… All the mothers were receiving the same diet, and to the second set 0.6mg of desiccated placenta was fed three times a day throughout the period. Certain definite differences in the progress of growth of the two sets of infants are to be observed. It is evident that the recovery from the postnatal decline in weight is hastened by the consumption of milk produced under the influence of maternally ingested placenta.”
McNeile, Lyle G. 1918. The American journal of obstetrics and diseases of women and children, 77. W.A. Townsend & Adams, original press: University of Michigan
“All patients were given desiccated placenta prepared as previously described (C.A. II, 2492) in doses of 10 grains in a capsule 3 times a day. Only those mothers were chosen for the study whose parturition was normal and only the weights of those infants were recorded whose soul source of nourishment was mothers milk. The growth of 177 infants was studied. The rate of growth is increased by the ingestion of placenta by the mother… the maternal ingestion of dried placenta tissue so stimulates the tissues of the infants feeding on the milk produced during this time, that unit weight is able to add on greater increments of matter, from day to day, than can unit weight of infants feeding on milk from mothers not ingesting this substance.”
Hammett, Frederick. S. 1918. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 36. American Society of Biological Chemists, Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, original press: Harvard University.
Placenta Services FAQ
Why is the placenta so good for me?
Your placenta carries numerous health benefits and is full of beneficial hormones and nutrients which are vital to postpartum healing and restoration. Ingesting it helps your body to regulate and transition back to your normal physiology, as well as conferring very important benefits to your baby. Clients report an increase in energy and milk production along with a decrease in postpartum depression symptoms, recovery time, and postpartum bleeding.
Which method of encapsulation is right for me?
Regardless of which type of method you choose, all of them are beneficial. My experience shows that consuming the RAW and Balanced Methods confers the greatest benefits; both in the number of capsules available for consumption, as well as the increased availability of needed hormone supplements. The Gentle Method is more beneficial to those who are sensitive to iron or hormone supplements and want a gentler effect.
Are there any negative side effects or risks?
Placenta encapsulation is completely safe so long as it’s done by a trained, skilled, and certified specialist. Additionally, ensuring that proper sanitation and disinfection procedures are followed is a crucial part of encapsulating your placenta. For this reason, it is imperative that you use ONLY a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist.
What if I’m GBS positive?
No problem! GBS is a surface bacteria and is very common in women. If prepared properly and with the necessary precautions, utilizing a steamed preparation method there is absolutely no risk to mom or baby.
What do I do with my placenta before it’s encapsulated?
You can put it in a zip-top bag (double bagged is preferred) and refrigerate it or put it in a cooler on ice within 4 hours of delivery.
Can you encapsulate my placenta if it’s frozen?
Absolutely! I will encapsulate a frozen placenta up to 12 months after birth. The encapsulated placenta can still be beneficial for a mom struggling with postpartum depression, energy, or milk supply. It can also be tinctured and saved for use during menstrual cycles and even menopause.
Do you offer Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) preparation?
Yes, I do offer TCM inspired preparation, but I call it my Gentle Method. There are several recommendations on the proper way to prepare the placenta via TCM as there isn’t an agreed-upon method of encapsulation. Some of the considerations include whether or not to steam the placenta, whether herbs should be added to the finished product or not, and what the optimal temperature should be to dehydrate. Each method has its pros and cons. Using my Gentle Method, I lightly steam the placenta with ginger, lemon, herbs, and peppers, to add their healing benefits prior to dehydrating it. The result of steaming beforehand is a loss in mass, so yield is diminished, and the effects of the capsules are more subtle due to loss of iron and some hormones. If you do decide to have your placenta encapsulated this way, be sure to let me know ahead of time.
Do you offer payment plans?
I am very flexible and will accept payments if it’s financially easier for my clients. However, I do require that all services are paid for in full when I pick up your placenta.
Is there scientific research to support the ingestion of the placenta?
Although fairly new to the United States, many countries support and endorse feeding the placenta to the postpartum mother because of its health benefits, not only for the mother but also for the newborn. In studies done to date, there are only positive findings related to ingestion of placenta including increased milk production, increase of protein and lactose found in mothers milk, healthier weight gain for baby, reduction in postpartum bleeding, increased recovery, and fewer incidences of postpartum depression.
Should I inform my doctor or midwife I intend to encapsulate my placenta?
Yes! It is always important to keep your doctor, midwife, and all persons that will be present during your birth that you intend to keep your placenta. You do not have to inform them what your plans are to do with your placenta, however it may help prevent contamination or loss of your placenta by informing them. I recommend including it in writing as part of your birth plan as well as verbally instructing them of your wishes. It is crucial in a hospital birth setting that the placenta is not taken to the pathology lab to be examined as is sometimes routine. If your doctor wishes to have the placenta examined, it is absolutely your right to insist it be examined in the room with you or that only a small section be cut off and sent to pathology. Any placentas taken to the hospital lab are no longer eligible for consumption due to the risk of contamination while in the lab. The placenta should remain in room with the mother, iced until the placenta can be picked up by your placenta encapsulation specialist, or a support person can transport the placenta to your placenta encapsulation specialist.
Can the hospital refuse to let me keep my placenta?
No. The hospital has no rights to your placenta. The placenta is a part of your person, and they have no right to it unless you give them permission. Therefore, clear communication is so important before and after birth. It is best that the placenta stays with the mother or support person until retrieved by the placenta encapsulation specialist.
Placenta encapsulation and other services have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA or Unites States Government. As with all natural supplements, it is up to the individual to research and decide what is best for their body and health.
Rebekah Sweet Reiland, is a Placenta Specialist Certified through Brilliant Birth Academy, as well as Certified with OSHA for blood borne pathogens and holds a Tennessee food handlers' certificate. Dedication to high standards of cleanliness, service to the family, and respect for the placenta is maintained from the time of placenta pickup to delivery and beyond.