and I have had a quicker recovery and easier time with breastfeeding because of it. After I gave birth to my son I had a really rough recovery. I was so swollen in my legs and feet that it hurt to walk, It took 5 weeks before the swelling went away. I was exhausted and spent days on end just lying in bed with him until he was about 8 months. I know you are suppose to be tired but this was really not normal. I had major issues with milk supply and battled for 12 weeks to up my supply enough that he did not need formula top ups. We were able to get away from all but one bottle of formula a day. In the end I nursed him until I was pregnant with my daughter and he weaned himself.
So I started researching how to prevent this with my second pregnancy and all the arrows pointed in one direction. I needed to eat my placenta. I was a little thrown off by this at first but as I read more and more information it all started to make sense. I figured what the heck I might as well give it a try. I decided that I couldn't eat it raw but that encapsulation was the way to go for me. I found an encapsulation specialist a couple hours from where I lived and made arrangements with her to dehydrate and encapsulate my placenta.
After the birth of my daughter we put my placenta in a bag and had it frozen in the freezer on the maternity unit at the hospital. The next day when we were discharged home we took it with us. It was about a week and half after she was born that I shipped it off to the encapsulation specialist. Within a few days I had the capsules back and started taking two three times a day. Within a couple days I started to notice a difference in my milk supply and how much energy I had. I would recommend to all pregnant women to at least research this option and see if this is something that would work for them. It made a difference for me and it might really make a difference for you.
Ingesting your placenta after the birth of your child can help to prevent PPD, increase your milk supply, increase your energy levels, increase your iron stores, and balance your hormones. There is a lot of information available as well as DIY instructions. You can also seek out an encapsulation specialist in your area. Ask your midwife or doula for information as well they may be able to get you in touch with an encapsulation specialist in your area.
