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Original poster

I want to eat my placenta

40 replies

pinkkat37 · 25/03/2017 08:57

Hello All.

I mentioned this at work the other day and my collegues faces were of shock and horror!.

I am having a home birth and wondered if anyone has done this?.

Any advice on storage.. recipes and if the midwives will even let you keep it would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Kathryn x

OP posts:
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Angell78 · 25/03/2017 10:13

11 years ago I did attempt it. At that point the midwife said it was mine but that I would need to dispose of it properly if I didn't eat it. My mum had to leave the kitchen gagging as I was 'frying it up'. As a vegetarian at that time I considered it completely ethical meat so was willing to give it a go. Hmmm it was like eating something what 'liver smells like' .... with gristle. Any how I have since found out from my friend that she manage some of her first placenta which was like stewing steak and her second she didn't' because it was 'like offal' (she was also veggie) but my point is that each one can taste very different. Needless to say mine ended up in the food recycling bin! Good luck with recipes but don't be disappointed if the result isn't to your taste, it becomes a great conversation piece if nothing else! :) x

user1490123259 · 25/03/2017 10:17

you do know it isn't part of you, it is genetically your baby's don't you?

TheSpottedZebra · 25/03/2017 10:17

Maybe just buy a big bit of liver?

Universitychallenging · 25/03/2017 10:17

Is this really a thing now?

Bluntness100 · 25/03/2017 10:19

Honestly even the thought of it makes me want to heave. I don't know how you can want to do that.

BakerBear · 25/03/2017 10:19

Disgusting.

I'm donating mine

MumBod · 25/03/2017 10:19

You crack on, love.

I'm having a KitKat.

derxa · 25/03/2017 10:20

Sheep eat their placentas raw. We don't need to.

SookiesSocks · 25/03/2017 10:22

I had toast and tea in hospital after giving birth. I thought that was pretty standard! Wink

NeonGod73 · 25/03/2017 10:26

It's disgusting and laughable. Just eat normal, nutritious food. What's next? You wanna eat your baby?

welshweasel · 25/03/2017 10:28

Why do you want to do this? Genuinely interested in your reasoning. Not sure what benefit there is that you wouldn't get from a large steak.

ToneDeafHamster · 25/03/2017 10:31

I got mine encapsulated and also had a smoothie an hour after giving birth and one again the next day. I didn't get the baby blues and felt fantastic. I had a home birth so my doula took the placenta back with her to encapsulate.

I highly recommend doing it. Don't listen to the naysayers.

DaisyChainsForever · 25/03/2017 10:32

I've heard of people having it made into tablets to take every day (it's a celeb thing) but never anyone actually eating it! Am interested to know what it's like if you go through with it.

SookiesSocks · 25/03/2017 10:33

I didnt get the baby blues and felt fantastic after giving birth....I didnt eat my placenta so I don't get your point Tone Confused

Bluntness100 · 25/03/2017 10:33

I didn't get the baby blues either, plenty of women don't, but we don't eat the placenta ffs.

Haint · 25/03/2017 10:33

I know someone who encapsulates them. Can send you a pm if you like

IrregularCommentary · 25/03/2017 10:34

GrinGrin at mumbod

SleepFreeZone · 25/03/2017 10:35

It's the kind of thing you think you want to do when you've never gone through labour before and the oxytocin during pregnancy is messing with your logic. Once you get spat out the other side of childbirth the last thing you want to do is eat your placenta. Toast yes. Tea yes. Blitzed up body tissue mixed with some Chia seed and Goji berries, fuck off with that!

Coverup890 · 25/03/2017 10:39

I donated mine. With my first i was just shocked at the shear size of it. Not something i would want to eat ill just stick to liver.

brickinitIam · 25/03/2017 10:42

Concentrate on your beautiful baby, not on some disgusting waste product.
Once the placenta has left the body that's what it is. Waste.

Why not fry up some poo while you're at it?
Cup of wee?

If you're worried about the baby blues or depression, bundle the baby up warm, stick him or her in the buggy and walk walk walk - no matter what the weather.
Do that every day, even if you don't feel like it.
It will do wonders for your mood and is good for your baby. It will also help get off any pregnancy weight which will also improve your mood.

If that fails, there is always your health visitor or GP to consult. There's no need to resort to eating what is basically a sickening fad.

Thissameearth · 25/03/2017 10:44

I haven't and wouldn't. There hasn't been much research on this as it's a new phenomenon. I wouldn't assume natural = good or at least not harmful. There's a very fair and balanced article here on the current scientific research of benefits v risks.

www.sciencenews.org/blog/growth-curve/should-you-eat-your-baby’s-placenta

Essentially it is unknown whether it has any benefits or whether those benefits would survive cooking/freezing/powdering/digestion. On the harm side, there is the concern that the placenta is an organ which keeps harmful substances away from the foetus such as mercury/cadmium/lead which you want to avoid if breastfeeding to avoid passing back to your baby. likely it also contains bacteria from the birthing process so needs to be carefully cooked. The author concludes she would not eat until further research is done as the benefits are hazy and it is not without risk to breastfeeding babies.

Original poster
pinkkat37 · 25/03/2017 15:17

My subject term I think made me sound like a nutcase... I really was just interested in feedback on people that had tried it or had experience on it.. not people telling me how disgusting it is!. Or telling me I would want to eat my baby!!. I will make an informed choice in the next couple of weeks. This is my first child and I am new to alot of stuff.. chances are I will not be coming back here for answers!. Too many people with too much time on their hands for judging and criticising. Thanks to the guys woth serious offerings though.. and that article is interesting.. i am now swaying toward not going ahead with it. Xxx

OP posts:
Haint · 25/03/2017 19:23

Here you go OP, if you still want to go ahead once you've done your research have s look on here for someone in your area placentaremediesnetwork.org/placenta-remedy-specialists/

Shallishanti · 25/03/2017 19:39

I don't know why people think it's so disgusting- I'm assuming all these people are also disgusted at the idea of eating meat? It's very common (maybe universal) for animals to eat their placentas so I doubt there's any great harm to come to us from doing it. Placentas aren't disgusting waste, they are amazing quite beautiful in a way and have just done an amazing job. I wouldn't eat one myself, but then I don't eat meat of any sort. However please don't anyone just chuck it if the food recycling as an unexplained human placenta is a very worrying thing to find.

lottieandmia · 25/03/2017 19:42

2/3 of my placentas were described as 'past sell by date' ewwww.

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