Placental Encapsulation

Alexis - posted on 03/17/2011

i think if i did it, we would do it at home too. hubs was a li'l freaked out by the idea when i originally told him about it before our 8mo old was born, but i promised him he wouldn't have to see or touch anything, so he warmed up to the idea. baby#2 is due on august 25 (also my b'day!) and we are going to use the hypnobabies method this time and hopefully have a peaceful, uncomplicated birth. i guess i should go ahead and inquire with the hospital about procuring my placenta, but i truly do foresee it being an issue in our tiny hospital LOL. (i worked there for years). if it's not meant to be, then i'll just have to accept it, but i'd love the opportunity to try the encapsulation (i also had troubles with the issues that it has been shown to help). either way though, i feel more confident this time that things will work out as they should. we were going to do the Bradley method at home with baby#1 (hubs wasn't thrilled about this), but i ended up at the hospital at 8cm and got an epidural at 9cm. i felt bummed that i made it so far and gave up, but (proving my hubs right haha) it was good we went to the hospital after all, since the baby had a serious nuchal cord and i also hemorrhaged a bit. God was guiding us and happily all was well in the end! :)
i can't believe that some hospitals sell the placentas! why on earth would they do such a thing?! you are so right - horrific!
and thanks so much for the link; the pics don't bother me - i worked for years in trauma surgery before becoming a SAHmom (which is my greatest job yet)!
if you think about it and get the chance after your #4 comes along, maybe drop a line back here and let me know how the encapsulation process went for you? of course, i comPLETEly understand if you don't ... i'm certain you will have your hands quite happily full ;)
pax & blessings ~ alexis

Bailey - posted on 03/16/2011

Thank you so much! I will pray for you in your pregnancy as well. When is your baby due?

I had very much wanted to have a home birth, but our insurance wouldn't cover any of the midwives in our area that provide that service, and my regular doctor is out of the country at this time (he would have done it). Luckily I live within reasonable driving distance from a birth center. I'm sorry to hear that you don't! A hospital birth doesn't mean that you can't have the birth that you want though. As long as you have a caring supportive doc or midwife that respects your wishes, and a good L/D nurse, things can go exactly your way. I've had 3 babies in the hospital. The twins' delivery didn't go like I wanted, but my daughter's birth was great!

I think it is becoming more and more common nowadays for people to take their placenta with them when they go, so I think you should let them know that that is what you want to do. They can't deny your request, and it is none of their business what you plan to do with it, after all it is yours. Some hospitals even sell them, which to me is horrific.

As for the encapsulation, I am doing it myself rather than hiring someone else to do it for me. It doesn't look like a very difficult process, although it will be time consuming. My mom is going to help. Here is a website with instructions. There are pictures though, just so you know. :)

http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/157...

Alexis - posted on 03/16/2011

that is great news! i tend to be more traditional than a lot of others i know too, so it's good to hear this from other conservative Catholics. i'd like to look into trying it with my current pregnancy. hopefully we can work it out this time; we live in a small town that isn't very natural-birth (and related things) friendly. planned homebirth with a midwife is considered "a-legal" and there are no birth centers within a reasonable distance. are you planning to have a homebirth, or have you worked out getting your placenta with your hospital?
congrats on getting to meet your baby soon! my prayers that you have exactly the birth experience you want, and that it is joyful no matter what! :)

Bailey - posted on 03/16/2011

Thanks for your input! :) I never did ask my priest, but a friend of mine asked a priest from another parish. He said the sin would lie in the intent, and since the intent here is not to harm then it would not be considered sinful.

We are traditional Catholic, and our parish is very conservative, so even after hearing that I still wasn't sure it would fly with them. I asked around and found a couple of ladies from our parish who had done it. They assured me that it could not be considered immoral in any way. My baby is due on the 27th and I plan to go ahead with the encapsulation. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

Alexis - posted on 03/15/2011

i did a lot of research about doing this with my first birth. it never came to fruition for us, but it also never occurred to us that it might be against the Church. i wouldn't be embarrassed to ask my confessor, but i would definitely go prepared with some info printed out for him to read. i don't think it can be considered cannibalistic, since it is from your own body and it's not being consumed as food. there are other medical treatments that are derived from human tissues/substances. the Church isn't against blood transfusion and organ transplants or human insulin. if your confessor doesn't seem to know for sure, ask him to follow up with your bishop or archbishop. if i come up with anything else, i'll let you know. keep me posted with what you find out too, please? :)