Placenta Encapsulation FAQ

FAQ'S



If I have a medicated birth or a  cesarean section can I still go ahead.
Yes !  you can still use your placenta encapsulated 

If you are on any other type of medication during your pregnancy we ask you to seek advice from your or doctor consultant  before deciding on placenta encapsulation. 

What if I am Strep-B positive or have an infection and need antibiotics, will I still be able to use my placenta?
Strep-B, GBS or any other vaginal infection requires you request only TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) capsules only.  What does this mean......? we will steam your placenta before encapsulation to ensure the bacteria from your infection is killed before dehydrating your placenta. This is also backed up with our microbial study. 

What if I give birth prematurely?
Yes !   As long as your placenta is realised to you and not sent to pathology there is no problem 

I want to donate my baby’s cord blood. Will I still be able to have my placenta made into capsules?
Yes ! you can do both.  We advise parents to bring two separate containers with them to hospital and ensure their midwife or doctor knows that they wish to have both services.
The placenta should be put into the placenta container after birth and stored safely in the cooler bag. The umbilical cord should then be stored  in a separate container awaiting collection from the company of choice.

Are there any circumstances when it would not be possible to use the placenta for encapsulation or other placenta remedies?
Yes, if your placenta has been sent to pathology in hospital for any reason we cannot make your placenta into capsules because it may have been contaminated while in the pathology department.  There are also some medical conditions where we do not encapsulate but in this instance the hospital also would not release  the placenta to you. 

**We also do not recommend using your placenta for encapsulation if your placenta has not been stored properly after birth.  **

How do I store my placenta safely after birth?
Your placenta should be put into a clean leak proof container after birth and stored in a cooler bag on ice or in a safe refrigerator at home.  You should contact your placenta specialist soon after your birth to ensure your placenta is collected within 48 hours.

Can I do delayed cord clamping if using my placenta for placenta encapsulation?
YES ! we  highly recommend all mothers to choose delayed cord clamping for the benefit of their newborn.  Delayed cord clamping involves leaving the umbilical cord intact for at least 3-10 minutes after birth, longer if possible.  
During this time the cord is still pumping up to 150ml of iron and stem cell rich blood to your baby which has been scientifically proven to have lifelong benefits to your baby.  Delayed cord clamping does not affect placenta encapsulation in any way.

I’ve heard the placenta is full of waste and may contain toxins, is this true?
Your placenta acted as the life supply for your baby during pregnancy and if it were full of toxins this would make a very dangerous organ for your baby to be fed from so in fact it is not possible for the placenta to be ‘full of waste’. 
The placenta acted as a gateway for nutrient supply to your baby and waste from your baby to be passed back to your body to be filtered through your organs.  

There are small amounts of heavy metals in the placenta however scientifically proven these levels are no grater than normal levels of heavy metals found the body and in mothers colostrum and breast milk.  Source 1   Source 2

How long can I store my placenta in the fridge or freezer for before using it?
Placentas can be stored in the fridge for up to 72hours.  If for some reason you don't meet this time frame then it can be  transferred to the home freezer. The placenta should be thawed thoroughly in the fridge only for 24-36 hours before encapsulating.

As soon as I have given birth can I keep my placenta and decide to have it encapsulated later?
Yes of course I can sometimes accommodate last min bookings !

Keep your placenta between 0-8 degrees C after birth using ice packs and cooler bag and transfer the placenta to a safe refrigerator as soon as possible. You can also store your placenta in the freezer for up to a year.

How is the placenta prepared for placenta pills?
  1. IPEN trained placenta specialists like myself, prepare placenta capsules from your placenta with no added ingredients
  2. The placenta is steamed with lemon, ginger and green chilli (added to the water only) according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recipes (Raw capsules skip this process)
  3. The placenta is dehydrated using a food dehydrator or oven for 8-20 hours until completely dry
  4. The dried placenta is ground into a powder and put into empty vegetable capsules

What is the difference between raw dried and TCM placenta capsules?
Unlike the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) preparation of the placenta, when processing a placenta raw we do not steam the placenta during the process. We simply skip the steaming process. This method follows the general “Raw Foods” rule that nothing should be heated beyond 40 degrees C (118 degrees F) where enzymes may be destroyed.  


Aren’t the hormones contained in the placenta actually destroyed during the cooking process used when preparing TCM capsules?
To some extent the heat process when preparing TCM capsules may affect the stem cells, hormones and B vitamins but to what degree is unknown.  Minerals such as iron are not damaged by heat and there may be minimal damage to other nutrients found in the placenta.  

Placenta pills give a new mother the chance to benefit from her placenta for months after birth and have shown to have incredible benefits to energy levels and breast milk supply.  There is currently no scientific evidence to suggest the placenta pills are or are not beneficial.

 Placenta encapsulation specialists rely on personal experiences, anecdotal evidence and testimonials from new mothers who reveal placenta encapsulation was the key to their speedy recovery 


How can you be sure the placenta capsules are from YOUR placenta?
We highly recommend you book your placenta services from a reputable placenta specialist, someone who is certified and licensed to provide your placenta services, like myself. 
Finding a placenta specialist you can trust and who can show you photos of their work space is very important   




 What other ingredients are in the placenta capsules and are they suitable for me as I’m a vegetarian?
WE do not include any other ingredients when preparing placenta capsules.  When preparing Traditional Chinese Medicine style capsules we do steam the placenta with lemon (for grounding), ginger (for circulation) and chilli (for heat) which are added to the water when steaming.  We only use vegetarian capsules for encapsulation.

How can taking placenta capsules boost my milk supply or help keep the ‘baby blues’ at bay?
We recommend taking 1-3 capsules a day for as long as needed after birth.  In our experience placenta capsules have supported many of our clients through many months of successful breastfeeding.  
In some cases some mothers have still struggled with their breast milk supply however there were other problems involved that may have caused the reduced milk supply.  

We cannot guarantee any effects from placenta capsules on breastfeeding however many of our clients notice their milk ‘comes in’ much quicker than expected and remains consistent without problems for weeks post-birth.

Those who are choosing placenta encapsulation to help prevent the baby blues should contact their local placenta specialist during their pregnancy to ensure a specialist is available to encapsulate hours after birth to ensure you get your capsules before the 3-5 day baby blues !

Do the capsules smell or taste of anything?
Placenta capsules may have a slight taste of meat however if swallowed quickly most clients will not notice any taste or smell.  If you find your capsules begin to smell or taste unusually bad we recommend you stop taking your capsules and contact your local placenta specialist who can advise you on storage guidelines and how to proceed.

How should I store my placenta capsules?
TCM placenta capsules can be stored in the jar provided in a cold, dark place for 6 months  OR  transferred to a freezer for later use.

It is very important that raw dried placenta capsules are consumed within 6 months 
We highly advise all clients to wash their hands before handling their placenta capsules.

How big are the capsules and how long will they last?
We use size ’0′ capsules when preparing placenta pills.  These measure roughly 2cm in length and 0.7cm in width.


How many capsules will my placenta make?
Placentas make between 90-300 capsules depending on the type of method you choose and the size of your placenta.

Can my family members take my placenta capsules too?
We do not recommend anyone consumes placenta capsules other than the mother who made the placenta however there will be no harm to immediate family members if the mother chooses to share her placenta capsules.

How safe is the procedure meaning how clean/sterile, etc?
At placenta encapsulation cork we work under a tailor made food safety management system in our purpose built units ensuring your placenta is handled and processed in the highest standards possible 

Will I experience any side effects when taking my placenta capsules?
We cannot guarantee results with placenta capsules or any other placenta remedy.   
We highly recommend you follow the care instructions given by us.  Storing your placenta capsules properly, avoiding TCM capsules when ill and not taking over the recommended dose will reduce your chances of experiencing any side effect.  

Very rarely, less than 2% of our client have reported some side effects when taking their placenta capsules. We have listed these below for your benefit.

  • Mild headaches (reported 3 times – we believe a lower dose is recommended to solve this problem)
  • Stomach cramping or abdominal pain (reported once – was the result of improper storage of capsules)
  • Stomach cramping for those also taking iron supplements (we recommend not taking iron supplements and placenta capsules at the same time)
  • PUPPPs rash returning after 3 days of consuming capsules (reported once)
  • Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) sufferers feel less relief (we believe this is due to the high level of relaxin hormone in the placenta, which is the cause of PGP)
  • Unexplained lack of milk production (reported from 4 women over the last 5 years)
  • Emotional symptoms similar to PMS (reported twice)



How long should I take my placenta capsules for?
You can take your placenta capsules for as long as you feel you need them.

I’m not so sure my placenta capsules are working, how do I know?  
This question gets asked a lot by first time mom's and I always say you will just know !!! If you skip a day or forget to take them you will  know the difference