What is a placenta/how does it function?

The placenta is a truly extortionary organ. It is the only “one-time-use” organ that is expelled from the body after delivery and regrows with every subsequent pregnancy. The placenta provides the developing baby with blood, nutrients, oxygen, minerals and hormones via the umbilical cord. It is responsible for 100% of baby’s hormone production and takes over the vast majority of the mother’s hormone production, which significantly downregulates her hypothalamus. When the placenta is delivered, most of the mother’s hormones are retained in the placenta which can result in feeling

• hot

• cold

• shaky

• irritable

• sweating

• sleep disturbances

• elaborate dreams

• postpartum depression (PPD), postpartum anxiety (PPA), Postpartum rage (PPR)
  

What are the benefits of placenta encapsulation?

Although it is a relatively new concept here in the western world, the practice of consuming one’s placenta has been common in many cultures around the world, for centuries. Encapsulation is the most modern form of placenta consumption. As more women seek out a placenta specialist and new providers, with a wide range of skillsets, enter the placenta encapsulation space, it is proving to be a rapidly growing field. The reported benefits women have experienced after encapsulating their placentas include (but are not limited to):

• Increased Energy- this is one of the most commonly reported benefits. Due to the retained nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, B6, B12 & iron, retained in the placenta, by consuming it in, you are supplementing your body’s re-regulation process with the aforementioned.

• Decreased PPD/PPA/PPR- as we have already mentioned, some 80% of women experience mild to severe instances of postpartum mood disorders such as depression, anxiety and/or rage. Most clients who have experienced these before (or who know someone who has), the number one driver behind encapsulating their placenta is to prevent entirely or lessen the severity of PPD/PPA/PPR.

• Help Fight Infection- gamma globulin and interferon are two substances found retained in placenta capsules that assist the mother’s body to fight infection as she heals from the significant wound the placenta leaves inside her womb (about the size of a dinner plate!!).

• Stimulate Milk Production- oxytocin and prolactin help to stimulate milk production. Studies have shown a significant increase in the speed in which a mother’s milk comes in and her ability to maintain a healthy milk supply.

• Assist in the Reinstatement of the Uterus- Oxytocin (the “love hormone”) assists the body in shrinking the uterus back to its normal size.

• Decrease Instances of Postpartum Hemorrhage- another amazing effect of Oxytocin.

• Decrease in Pain & Swelling-hormones such as prostaglandins from fatty acids decrease swelling in the body and effects the pain signals being sent to the brain.

• Decreased Stress & Regulate Sleep- an increase in CRH (Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone) helps to relieve stress and promotes more quality sleep.

Are there negative effects with encapsulation?

The most common negative side effect reported is women getting “the shakes”, similar to having had too much caffeine. This is typically an easy fix, by adjusting the number of capsules and/or the frequency in which they are consumed. That being said, everybody is different, so there is no way to know how your capsules will affect you until you’ve consumed them. Some women have underlying health conditions or disorders that may cause unpleasant side-effects, such as the onset or worsening of PPD, PPA, PPR. You should ALWAYS stop taking your capsules and consult with your care provider if you develop new or worsening symptoms of PPD/PPA/PPR or any other negative side-effects.

Can I encapsulate if I am positive for GBS?

You absolutely can! Group B Strep, STI’s, or meconium present at birth does not preclude you from encapsulation. We ask that you divulge that information, as a professional courtesy, to our placenta encapsulation specialist. In instances of a microbial concern, the placenta will be given a double apple cider vinegar bath prior to the preparation process. We strongly encourage the TCM preparation for clients whom these situations are applicable, but is not mandatory.

What prevents me from encapsulating?

The only circumstances in which we cannot encapsulate a placenta is in instances of confirmed infection. Typically, a mother will run a very high fever during labor that can continue postpartum. The hospital will typically send a portion of the placenta off for pathology to determine if there is an infection in the placenta. It is impossible to know that there is an infection without pathology, so if your care provider is claiming there is in an infection in the placenta, we strongly encourage you to press for pathology to confirm. DO NOT allow the entire placenta to go to lab. We cannot guarantee the chain of custody nor that the placenta wasn’t cross contaminated while there. Far too often a placenta has been sent to the lab for pathology, and we never see it again. If your placenta requires testing, the lab tech can come to your room, take a sample from the mother’s side of the placenta and that will give them more than enough tissue to run the tests.

How do I properly store my Placenta?

Your placenta must be put on ice or into a refrigerator no more than 4 hours postpartum. You will need to take the following with you to your birthing facility:

• 2 one-gallon sized Ziploc baggies

• a small DISPOSABLE cooler (from Dollar Tree)

• Either a marker to label your cooler or ask for a label from your nurse to put on the cooler and the first Ziploc

For sanitary reasons, we cannot return any hard sided cooler to you once it has been used to transport a placenta. It is imperative to use a disposable cooler. Dollar Tree has the perfect size cooler for placentas and most locations carry them all year. Some facilities will put the placenta into a plastic tub with a lid, others do not provide any receptacle for it, so it is important to bring the baggies as a backup plan.

Make sure to double-bag the placenta in the one-gallon Ziplocs in order to prevent leaking. Once the placenta is in its container, put at least 2” of ice in the bottom of the cooler, place the placenta on top, and then bury it in another 2” of ice. Replenish the ice every 4-6 hours or as needed, for up to 72 hours. After 72 hours, the placenta needs to be removed from the cooler or refrigerator, placed into the two one-gallon Ziploc bags (if it isn’t already) and put deep into the freezer (not in the door but as close to the back of the freezer as possible) for up to one year.

Once the placenta is SECURED (meaning in the Ziplocs/container, in the disposable cooler, buried in ice and safely in your possession), you or your support person will need to CALL Kelli (not just a text) to notify her the placenta is ready for transport.

Can I let the hospital store my placenta for me?

We strongly encourage you to NOT let your placenta out of your possession, for any reason. Unfortunately, many times, once the placenta is separated from the client, we will never see it again. Many hospitals sell placentas for a large amount of money, so unfortunately, not all facilities are supportive of mother’s keeping their placentas for personal use.

Do I tell my doctor I am encapsulating my placenta?

Depending on your relationship with your doctor, that is absolutely up to you. We encourage mothers to simple say “just so you know, I am keeping my placenta”. Utilizing a statement of fact is a much more successful tactic of conveying this information than asking them for permission. Once you arrive at the hospital, tell your nurse “I am keeping my placenta, will you add that to my chart please?”. Having the information added to your chart makes it part of a legal document and reduces instances of placentas “going missing”. If you receive any pushback from an individual, you have access to Kelli Stone, via phone, 24/7/365, call her immediately and she will walk you through advocating for yourself.

Can I encapsulate a placenta after a lotus birth?

Unfortunately, due sanitary purposes prevent us from encapsulating a placenta after a lotus birth.

Do you offer payment plans?

A $75 non-refundable deposit is due at the time you submit your order form. You will receive the final payment request, via the same platform you paid your deposit with, on the day you deliver, once we have confirmation the placenta is secured and ready for transport. After we receive your order form and deposit, an itemized invoice will be sent to you. We strongly recommend submitting that to your private insurance company for possible reimbursement for the cost of encapsulation.

Payment plans are available throughout the duration of your pregnancy and can be broken down into 2, 4 or 6 payments. Any remaining balance is due at the time of delivery. Upon request, we will set up a payment plan for the remainder of your pregnancy. You will receive payment requests, via your choice of payment platform, on a schedule we establish with you on the time you secure services. The final request for any remaining balance will be sent on the day of delivery.

We do offer a 5% discount for all military veterans, active duty military members, first responders and Medicaid recipients. There is a place on the order form to upload your current identification and status. Once that is completed, the discount code will appear. Be sure to enter that in the coupon code box at the end of the order form. We encourage any mother in a difficult financial position to reach out to Kelli Stone directly at (940)-230-6690 to see what can be worked out to secure services for you. The following are the most accepted payment platforms

• Zelle

• Cash App

• Apple Cash

We do have the ability to accept credit cards using the Square app, but be advised, a $10 fee will be added to the total balanced owed to cover the processing fees. The same goes for anyone using

• PayPal

• Venmo

What is your service area?

We are located in the heart of the Ozarks in Mountain View, Arkansas. Our current service radius is clients within 100 miles or 2 hours from Mountain View. Anyone outside of the service area is welcome to contact us and we will work out a plan to get your placenta to us. In May 2025, we will be launching our nationwide shipping program that will allow us to serve all 50 states!