Eating the placenta?

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   kirstenblogposted 12 years ago

   I was watching a parenting show a few days back and one of the mom's on the show had a home business preparing placenta for eating, from making smoothies to pills the mother could take as needed.  The claims are at times a little hard to believe but at others reasonable, it containing iron and protein (both of which can drop dramatically after birth).
   Having grown up on a farm I know our animals ate the placenta after child birth, tho I as a kid found it totally disgusting. The thing is, it wouldn't surprise me if mother nature has given us a great 'package' to help mother and baby be healthier that us humans completely ignore (it would be typical of us LOL).
   So I guess I am wondering if others have heard about this, what do you think/feel about it? Disgusting? Irrelevant? Invaluable? Indifferent?

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      Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I watched a documentary some years ago about women who eat the placenta. one women fried hers with onions and garlic. I have no doubt that they're packed with nutrition, but I just couldn't bring myself to eat my placenta I'm afraid. Good luck to anyone who has the stomach for it, though.

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         Lisa HWposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Except in the case of women who don't live  they'd otherwise absolutely starve to death), it's pretty neurotically self-absorbed (kind of a pun type of thing there) to eat that for any nutrients.  a)  It's not like it's going to be available indefinitely and could be relied on forever (so, really, what's the point?), b) there are ways to get nutrients without doing something that gross, c) the world has had plenty of women who live to past their nineties without ever having eaten a placenta (which would suggest we can live to a long life without doing that), and d) there are a lot of people who are just too obsessed with the whole elements-of-childbirth thing, and who pay far too little to the whole child-development/baby's needs thing for it not to be a sign that they have some "issues".
         
         As far as the animals-eating-stuff thing goes, animals have been known to eat their own vomit (and worse), as well as the vomit (and worse) of other animals.  Just because animals do something it doesn't mean we ought to.    (Call me "judgmental".)  I think Nature gave us the brains that got us past a whole lot of (certainly not all) animal behavior.  No point  returning to some of it now. 

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      shea duaneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      i couldn't do it even if i wanted to

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      Brenda Durhamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Disgusting of course.  We're not animals.  Next thing we know, someone will advocate eating our vomit and feces too.  And some fools will probably follow that lead.

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         kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         There are people who drink their own urine
         I get the idea its for health reasons? Something like they want to make sure the urine is healthy? I think I would prefer placenta

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   recommend1posted 12 years ago

   It is totally normal to eat placenta in most parts of the world where it is also normal to eat the parts of animals that we turn our noses up at in the so-called developed world  -  although of course we get fed them anyway in sausages and other processed foods.
   
   In China it is highly regarded as having many nutrients that are otherwise hard to get, and good for the immune system.
   
   I personally would not touch it with a barge pole, any more than I would eat chicken feet that the missus is crunching on as I write !

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      Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Chicken feet are right up there with placentas as a no thank you, type meal!

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   Greek Oneposted 12 years ago

   I would rather have a slice of pizza

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      Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Would you like fried placenta on that?

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         Greek Oneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         depends.. does it cost extra?

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            Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            No, and I can also add chicken feet for good measure.

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      kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You sure?

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   awareposted 12 years ago

   ewww

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   Greek Oneposted 12 years ago

   why stop at the placenta??
   
   ***TOS-violating image snipped***

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      Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Ugh, there's no salad cream on that baby.

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         Greek Oneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         low calorie

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      shea duaneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      funny

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      couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Please tell me that is not a real baby.

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         Greek Oneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         the baby is real, but the lettuce is fake

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   MelissaBarrettposted 12 years ago

   Wow, I knew I shouldn't have opened this thread.
   
   The fact that I currently have a placenta mixed with it being before noon has just  ensure that there will be no breakfast for me this morning... maybe no lunch either.  And a smoothie is damn sure out of the question.

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      Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The dreaded morning sickness Melissa, that tends to last alllllllllllll day long ?? Congrats by the way.

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         MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thank ya hon I think it's the dreaded body in general saying "WTF?  Lady, I'm too old for this" I'm already miserable and I have MONTHS to go.

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            Greek Oneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            my wife is a week and a half away...
            
            I wish this whole pregnancy took 5 minutes.....
            
            just like the conception part

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               Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Way to go, Greekone is about to become a daddy! First time? Please don't put the newborn between two slices of bread, Greek.

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                  Greek Oneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  second time.. first one is 1 and 1/2....
                  
                  after this one, my tubs will be tied, cut, and burned

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                     Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Ahh, a little playmate for baby number 1.  Don't worry about the tubs, it can't be that bad or only one man would have followed  through with it. Congrats anyway, you'll have to post some pics. Not of the tubs, the baby! Just for clarification.

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                        Greek Oneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        the breast feeding is gonna hurt like hell!

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                           Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Buy a breast pump.

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                           WryLiltposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Milkmen: Fathers who Breastfeed
                           
                           I knew you were very avant garde, Greek!

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            Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            The first few months are always rotten IMO. Just think though, new play mate for LIlly. Instead of Mom having to provide all the attention she'll have a new little brother or sister to get into mischief with. There are advantages.

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               kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Unless the second child is the first childs' nemesis, and from what I can tell thats usually the case.

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            kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            You knocked up too then?
            I have been trying for over 3 years and while my doctors appt is friday I am still getting excited (I know I shouldn't, at least until I see a doctor and make sure its not a chemical 'fake' pregnancy or anything)
            I am finding there are a lot of weird sounding things that parents do and not always sure what to make of it all

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               MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               CONGRATS!  Chemical pregnancies are exceedingly rare, so I'm guessing you really have an acorn in there.  We are probably close to the same due date, let me know if you want to commiserate at any time
               
               As this is number 5, the whole nemesis thing has likely been worked out. (Although Lily is the only girl so far and another girl might cause a bit of jealousy)

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      anonimuzzposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Ohhhhhh, I like big bellies and babies. My weird way of saying it "Congrats, own it, rock it and love it", lol.

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   Muldaniaposted 12 years ago

   I feel quite, quite ill now.  I was just about to start preparing a curry for dinner, but I've gone off the idea.

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      Lisa HWposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thinking about eating placentas will do that to some people.   

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   Shesabutterflyposted 12 years ago

   My friend made her placenta into pills and she didn't suffer any postpartum depression and had a lot more energy after the birth of her second child than she did with her first. It worked wonders for her, however I don't think it's right for everyone. Others prefer to use medical help rather than all natural supplements. I on the other hand don't think I could bring myself to consume my placenta.

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      WryLiltposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I had SO much energy after the birth of my second child. And that was without eating the placenta. I think second pregnancies are much more draining because you've got another child to care for and you're usually bigger, too.

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      kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The lady on the show I watched made the pills and claimed it helped with energy, preventing the depression etc.
      She even went so far as to saying that the pills could help with as much as menopause, that seemed like quite a claim!
      
      I do remember hearing years ago that some rich women were able to have the umbilical cord frozen and that the stem cells in it could then be used if the child ever fell ill and needed their own stem cells. That seemed interesting and the recent show with women eating their placenta sorta reminded me of that older story.

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         WryLiltposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Kirsten, collecting and storing the cord blood is becoming quite a common practice. What they don't tell you is that doing so reduces the natural iron and blood that baby is meant to receive from the placenta:
         
         http://midwifethinking.com/2011/02/10/c … e-midwife/
         
         I delayed with both of my girls.

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   ALURposted 12 years ago

   I had once seen a similar show. I don't know if I want back what comes out. That's all I'm saying...lol!

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    janesixposted 12 years ago

    That's gross beyond words.

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       kirstenblogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       that does seem to be the consensus

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    Pearldiverposted 12 years ago

    Oh Wow... That's Great and Congrats on your acorn Kirsty! 
    I've heard somewhere that you should never lie down with Oak Trees!

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    Disturbiaposted 12 years ago

    I'm sure there might have been a time in mankind's early history when eating the placenta had some health or nutritional benefit, but I think I'd rather take a supplement.

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