DU moms: did you eat the placenta?

Seriously, I was just reading that some people do that. Not just in other cultures.

Ew!!

Supposedly it is a good way to ofset postnatal depression.

Did you?

http://www.mothers35plus.co.uk/placenta.htm

Damn. The placenta in my fridge has been there for a while.

some of that hospital food is pretty nasty.

:rofl:mao:rofl:mao:rofl:mao

:scared:

Never heard of anyone eating placenta! Ewwwww! No, I didn't eat mine. :puke:

but apparently these are real (WEIRD but real)

http://www.mothers35plus.co.uk/plac_rec.htm

:puke:

no.

for you!!!!

:)

But animals do - though they say it's because of nutritional value, I've always felt it was a way of removing a temptation for predators.

But I've read about people who have, here in the USA...

Some counter-culture types did that in the 1970's and 1980's.......

:shrug:

that's weird.

And so do I.... :-)

The Amazing Placenta

Then comes the practice of placentophagia, eating the placenta, is also practiced in some parts of the world. There are even meal like recipes for cooking placentas, including placenta stew, placenta lasagna, power drinks with blended placenta and others. Though some mothers have been reported to eat placenta raw.

There are many reasons listed for eating the placenta, including it helping stem postpartum depression and it supposedly helps to contract the uterus after the birth. We know that many animals eat their own placenta, including as a means to hide the scent from predators.

In our modern world this may seem barbaric and some have even said that this could spread HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis. While this is very true if people other than the mother consume the placenta, normally it is only the mother partaking of the placenta.

In Chinese Medicine, the placenta is known as a great life force and is highly respected in terms of its medicinal value. However, in this field it is not cook, but rather usually dried. To dry a placenta you would simply dehydrate it in the oven, then using a mortar and pestle grind it up. From there you can mix it with food or ingest it within capsules. I have actually known one mother who did this drying technique. It is my only personal experience with placentophagia.

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/placentas/a/placenta.htm


Is there really such a thing as ... placenta stew?
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_104.html

Medicinal Uses of the Placenta
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/eatplcnt.html

had a running joke, whenever a fresh placenta would come in someone would yell "fire up the grill".

We were a bunch of sick fuckers.

It's supposed to be good juju. I've also heard about burying it, although I can't exactly remember what that's supposed to represent.

Nope, eating my placenta just wasn't my thing.... To each their own, I guess. Whatever.

Shine
:hi:

But, like you, it's not my thing.

However, if I'd been bleeding to death after birth, I might have considered it!

Luckily, I didn't have to make that decision either time and have never tasted placenta.

Good for the colon, no doubt.

KFP.

with the placenta placed under the tree, to fertilize and bless it.

and I know one woman who ceremonially ate a small piece of her placentas after giving birth.

I don't know what I will do, but I don't judge those that choose to do something. Many cultures would find it strange that our placentas are routinely treated like they are toxic and are sent to labs for dissection, inspection, and disposal.

Apparently, it's a good idea, as it contains vital nutrients for soon-to-be-nursing mammal moms.

Planted apple trees for my two sons. Both trees died. Boys are ok, though.

They do need to be "inspected" if torn or part left behind (inside) could cause serious infection/bleeding.

My brother and I both have very large shrubs in our backyard! :)

It is a good idea to save core blood (stem cells)

Fry it up in a frying pan like a big slice of ham?

:puke:

i decided against it.

Hey, babies cost a fortune. might as well get a free meal.

but i'd consider it. i'm all for embracing basic animalistic tendencies. If all the other mammals are doing it why shouldn't we?

I should have tried?

UGH

I can't imagine it.

None for me, thanks. But more power to ya, if you want to!

Screw all those silly religious rituals. They stole most of them from the 'pagans' and previous tradition anyhow.

I liked the planting a tree with the placenta idea as well!

wonder what they would have said if I had asked... considering all the research that goes on at the hosp. where I gave birth.

If it protects from Post-partum depression, it might be worth a shot.

I have to say though that the umbilical was something to see, and I would not have eaten that, either. ;)

Thanks, CanuckAmok!

after delivery. A nurse carried it over to me in a cardboard box - "here's the placenta!!!". Groovy, now let me see my boy!!