Frequently Asked Questions about Placenta Encapsulation
(It’s a good idea to *PRINT* this page for easy reference)
Can you explain the method of honoring/encapsulation that is used?
The process of placenta encapsulation that we offer is based on the Traditional Chinese Method (which promotes bringing warm & cool qualities into harmony) but we also include a blend of intuitive & ancestral ceremonial practices. We begin the ceremony by clearing our own energy (usually using sacred/herbal smoke), then blessing your placenta with gratitude & honoring the vital, life-giving work it has done in utero. We ask your placenta permission to work with it & that it continue to nourish you, your baby & your whole family in this new chapter of your lives. If you have requested a special intention or blessing, we infuse it into the ceremony at this point as well. A strong spiritual focus is placed on restoring valuable Chi, or life force energy, that is lost in childbirth (the postpartum period is considered cold).
The process of warming begins by preparing your placenta to be steamed with fresh organic lemon, ginger & jalapeños (if you are allergic to any of these ingredients, please indicate that on the reservation form). Afterward, your placenta is sliced into thin pieces that will be dehydrated for about 6-8 hours, depending on its thickness & size. When your placenta is completely dehydrated, those pieces are ground into a fine powder & put into vegan capsules by hand, for you to ingest (dosage suggestion below).
If you have decided (for personal or medical reasons), that you would not like to ingest your placenta but still want to honor the arrival of this magical organ; we do not add the elements of warmth (lemon, ginger & jalapeño). Instead, we steam the placenta on its own, dehydrate & grind it into a fine powder that is mixed with dried herbs, flowers & tobacco as a burial/prayer keepsake. It will be contained in a biodegradeable bag & beautiful glass jar so it is ready for your own purpose/s.
We adhere to OSHA & EPA guidelines regarding blood-borne pathogen transmission & safe food handling. Placenta encapsulation is considered a food-handling process. All disposable equipment & supplies are eliminated. Non-disposable equipment is thoroughly sterilized between each use.
What is your fee & what is included?
We ask $395 for our placenta honoring & encapsulation service, which includes the following:
Monetary reparation to a local nonprofit or mutual aid fund (see the list here).
Personalized placenta honoring ceremony
Collection of your placenta within 24 hours from notifiation (in a 20-mile radius of 98125 zip code) *extra travel fee beyond this range
Fully dehydrated placenta capsules
OR placenta powder mixed with a blend of dried herbs & flowers (NO CAPSULES) contained in a beautiful glass jar ready for your own purpose/s (if for some reason you are unable or do not feel called to ingest your placenta)
Digital photos of your placenta
Placenta Advocacy mini-course, know your rights & be prepared
Text support until your capsules run out
Delivery by UPS Ground 2-3 day delivery (usually arrives next day)
If this fee is a barrier for you or your family to access, please reach out for a community rate
When/how do I reserve your services?
It is ideal to reserve our services BEFORE you go into labor, the best time is around 36 weeks gestation because that way we can arrange our on-call schedule around your EDD (estimated due date) & can guarantee a quick turnaround time (24-48 hours). If you do not reserve our services by 36 weeks, the turnaround time could take up to 72 hours. You do not have to wait until 36 weeks, you can reserve this medicine by clicking this link to reserve services
If you have already birthed your baby, feel free to order through the purchase page &/or give us a call/text (preferred) at 206.432.6420 to arrange logistics & confirm availability.
How long does the placenta honoring/encapsulation process take?
Typically, we begin preparing your placenta the day we pick it up (depending on pick-up time) & the usual turnaround is within 24-48 hours (usually the next day). The sooner you reserve your placenta-honoring services, the sooner we ship you the final product (*shipping is not available on Sundays).
How should my placenta be stored/transported?
*YOUR PLACENTA SHOULD ALWAYS REMAIN IN YOUR POSSESSION *unless an alternative plan has been confirmed with Erin
*Please DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PLACENTA AT YOUR PLACE OF BIRTH
*DO NOT freeze your placenta *unless the encapsulation process will take place MORE than 3 days after birth.
Please be prepared to take your placenta home with you (just in case), for this reason, we recommend you bring:
a smaller sized cooler (beverage cooler or insulated grocery bag also works great)
(2) gallon sized ziplock freezer bags to *double bag the placenta to minimize spillage
ice packs (not necessary for hospital births as they will have plenty of ice)
Please note that we have our own sanitized coolers & ice packs for transport, so please plan to keep yours when we come for pick-up.
IMPORTANT INFO FOR PICK-UP LOGISTICS:
We will pick up your placenta within 24 hours of your notification that birth has occurred, either at the place of birth (if you are still there) OR your home DEPENDING ON the TIME OF DAY & other variables.
Please appoint someone who can be your contact person/logistics coordinator to communivate with me for pick up. I do not leave for pick up until time & location have been confirmed via text.
We do not pay for parking & go into the hospital, therefore, it’s helpful if a friend, doula, or partner can meet us outside the main entrance (formal plan will be made day of/prior to pick-up with logistics person). Many people fret about this but I assure you it all goes very smoothly :)
We do not do middle-of-the-night pick-ups. So, if you give birth in the wee hours of the early morning, we will come ASAP, starting from 7/8am, either to the place of birth or to your home.
FOR HOME OR BIRTH CENTER BIRTHS:
We recommend you bring 2 ziplock freezer bags (or a Tupperware container) & a small cooler with ice packs to the birthing location. The placenta should go into the bags & directly into the cooler within 2 hours of birth (the sooner the better) & be kept on ice as soon as possible. Change the ice every 3-4 hours to keep placenta cold until pick up is arranged or you get home. Once home, put it in the refrigerator or keep on ice packs/fresh ice (changing ice every 3-4 hours) until pick up occurs.
FOR HOSPITAL BIRTHS:
Same recommendations as above as many hospitals have changed their policies around placentas, please confirm with your hospital what their policies are. Calling L&D & talking to the charge nurse will usually get you the information you need. SOMETIMES the nursing staff can store it in a fridge for you with no issues. Just remind your nurses before & after your labor that you want to take your placenta home with you, there may be a release that you need to sign. Hospital births are usually very easy to coordinate (UW Montlake & Swedish First Hill & others have new(er) rules around placentas, please see below).
*PLEASE NOTE THAT THE UW & SWEDISH NO LONGER HOLD PLACENTAS FOR THEIR CLIENTS. In this case, you will need to bring your own cooler & they can provide you with fresh ice. You will need to store the cooler in your car (they don’t allow placentas on their postpartum floors). This means you have about 2 hours to get your placenta on ice & into the trunk of your car (if middle of night OR if Erin will be more than 2 hours for pick up). Please also, see the instructions for HOME & BIRTH CENTER BIRTHS above for details.
What if I end up transferring care?
If you end up giving birth in a different location other than your intended place of birth then please let me know ASAP via text message as this could change the logistics for pick-up of your placenta. If this is for an emergent issue, then please don’t fret about letting me know beforehand, but as soon as you you think of it/when you can. Usually, if you transfer from an out-of-hospital into a hospital for care, there is no issue on our end. *However, many hospitals now have strict policies around placentas, therefore if you transfer, it is my recommendation that you be prepared with a cooler in your car (they can always provide you with ice).
What if you are out of town/do you have a backup?
Erin & Gea work together & usually do not leave town. Therefore, we are able to pick up your placenta within 48 hours from the time that you let us know your baby has been born. On the off chance that one of us is out of town, we have created a call schedule so that one of us will always be available for your needs. Erin will email & text you to let you know if you need to contact Gea, otherwise assume Erin is performing everything & her contact is listed above.
When/how do I contact you?
PLEASE REACH OUT VIA TEXT *BEFORE
YOU BIRTH YOUR BABY
Primary on-call: Erin- (206) 432-6420
After you alert us that labor has begun, please also let us know when birth has occurred, so that we can better plan for the exact logistics of transportation & the process of encapsulating (it’s ok to text in the middle of the night! We turn our sound off but upon waking will see the important info).
Much of the logistics have to do with the day & time that your birth occurs as well as the location where you give birth.
*We do not do middle-of-the-night pick-ups. If you give birth in the wee hours of the night, we will come the next day, either to the place of birth or to your home.
How do we minimize contamination or infection in our practices & final products?
We follow OSHA blood-borne pathogens protocol & WA State Safe Food Handling methods. We use sterilized surfaces & utensils that are reused & also employ single-use items in our preparation process. We steam the placenta before we dehydrate it, as humid heat is much more efficient at killing live bacteria or viruses because it raises overall temperature much higher & more quickly than a dry heat method (dehydration alone). For this reason, in our practices, we do not use the “Raw Start” method of encapsulation. If you have more questions about our specific process, feel free to reach out via our contact page below.
What if I live more than 20 miles away from you?
If you think you live more than 20 miles from the 98125 zip code, please get in touch via the Contact Page & we can give you a quote for your specific fee. We use Google Maps to determine how far away you live & charge $3/mile for each mile over the included 20-mile radius. Once you sign up, we will send you a separate invoice for this fee.
Example: You live 25 miles from me, we charge $3 per mile outside the radius (25 total miles-20 mile radius =5 extra miles) for a total of (5 extra miles x $3/mile=) $15 mileage fee.
Our travel limit is 40 miles.
Why do we charge an extra travel fee?
Each placenta that is honored, requires round-trip travel. For example, if you live 30 miles from the 98125 zip code (30 miles x 2), we end up driving a total of 60 total miles, as well as time spent in traffic. This fee offsets the cost of gas & our time.
Please note, if you live beyond 20 miles of 98125 & ask for the community rate, we ask that you still contribute to the transportation fee of $3/mile over 20 miles up to 40 miles.
If you live beyond 40 miles please reach out via the Contact Page.
Travel that includes a ferry will be quoted on an individual basis.
What about COVID-19?
We do not prepare your placenta if we (or anyone in our household) are feeling unwell. We wear proper protective gear & masks while preparing your placenta.
If you have had COVID-19 during your pregnancy, it is a personal choice to encapsulate or not. I believe that if you have a healthy baby, you have a healthy placenta. I also believe that placentas are inherently benevolent organs, they are even thought to have originated from a virus. Our bodies have amazing abilities to adapt to changes, with that said, I trust that you will do your own research & come to a decision that is in alignment with your personal values & truth- I am here to support you in any way that I can.
We still offer placenta honoring ceremonies for those who do not want to consume their placentas. Please reach out for more information about our burial bundle service.
What about the shipping info?
We use UPS ground as our courier (cannot send to PO BOXES- if you have a PO BOX please double check with us) & as soon as your package has been shipped, we will send you a copy of the receipt with the tracking number. The package usually arrives within 24-48 hours. Please note, we are unable to ship on Sundays
How do I store my capsules (or placenta powder)?
Please store your capsules/or placenta powder in the provided airtight jar & keep it in a cool, dry place. Treat as you would any other vitamin or supplement.
They do not need to be refrigerated as they are fully dehydrated.
What is the shelf-life of my capsules?
The yield will easily last 3-6 months depending on amount of capsules/size of placenta. It has been said the capsules can be kept & used during menopause, however, we recommend storing your capsules in the freezer if you plan on saving them for a long time. The potency will be expected to decrease as time passes.
Do you issue refunds?
The short answer is no, we do not offer refunds. You may change your service from encapsulation for ingesting to placenta burial bundle (not for ingesting)- if for some reason you change your mind about ingesting your placenta (or someone has deemed that it is not fit for consumption), however, there are no refunds.
Our services are for people who are 100% committed to the process of honoring their placenta & advocating for this, even in the face of judgment or adversity.
*IF YOUR PROVIDER SAYS YOU HAVE AN INFECTION OR YOUR PLACENTA IS “UNFIT” FOR CONSUMPTION
If it is being recommended that your placenta needs to be sent to pathology (it’s rare that this is a medical necessity, even in the case of chorioamnionitis or an intrauterine infection), I always advise that YOU REFUSE SENDING YOUR PLACENTA TO PATHOLOGY. This ensures that you can still honor & prepare your placenta in a burial bundle. Remember that this sacred organ is YOURS & no one can force you to do something with it that you do not give your consent to. Once your placenta goes to pathology, you will not see it again.
If you are suspected to have an infection, they will treat you for the infection regardless of sending your placenta to pathology. *THIS IS MY OBSERVATION OVER A DECADE + & IS NOT INTENDED AS MEDICAL ADVICE, PLEASE ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS, ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF & DO NOT GIVE CONSENT FOR THINGS THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
However, if your baby has a suspected genetic anomoly- it may make sense to send *A FEW SMALL PORTIONS for pathological testing. If any part of your placenta or the entire organ goes to pathology, you will not see your placenta again. This is why I recommend you only send a piece (or small pieces) of it, if you’d still like to honor your placenta.
Please note, it IS still an option to ingest your placenta if: you are Group B Strep +, have an induction or if meconium is present (it is sterile), or if you have a virus (HSV/HPV), or have had COVID-19. None of these are immediate contraindications for ingesting your placenta.
How many capsules do I take?
The typical placenta yields 80-150 capsules using size “0” vegan, GF, Kosher capsules.
We will send you a separate link to the dosage guidelines when we ship your capsules to you. These are just dosage guidelines, we really encourage you to use your intuition & listen to your body! You can take the capsules with or without food & hydration is always a good thing!
With that said, we recommend taking a strong dose, to begin with:
The first week: 1-3 capsules, 3 times a day (especially at 72 hrs postpartum, I recommend a stronger dose or, if you had a particularly traumatic birthing or postpartum experience or lost a lot of blood take the larger dose).
The second week: 1-2 capsules, 3 times a day.
The third week: 1 capsule, 3 times a day.
The fourth week: 1 capsule, twice a day.
The fifth week & beyond: 1 capsule, 1-2 times a day or as needed until they are gone.
If you have any remaining capsules, they can be kept in the freezer for future use (including for menopause).
What is in the herbal sitz bath & how do I prepare it?
This healing herbal sitz bath is hand-crafted by Courtney Smith, LM/CPM.
The blend includes the dried herbs of:
lavender, comfrey, calendula, oat straw & chamomile.
The instructions are as follows:
Boil 32 ounces of water, and steep the entire bag for at least 20 minutes or overnight. Fill 1/2 peri bottle with tea & the other 1/2 with water or add tea directly to bath water. Compost the entire bag & its contents when done.
What are flower essences & how do they work?
Flower essences are super diluted potions made from the energetic essence of flower blossoms soaked in natural spring water that is infused with sun/moonlight, in an apple cider vinegar base. They have been used to restore spiritual, emotional, mental, behavioral & physical balance for ages. They don’t contain any plant material, have no fragrance (other than apple cider vinegar) & work on an energetic level (similar to homeopathics) which makes them safe for anyone to use! I enjoy them because they are subtle, you are in control of how much you take & when, depending on your desired outcome.
*Please store the flower essence in the fridge so that it will keep longer!
Recommended dosage instructions: 4 drops, 4 times a day or as needed, place drops directly onto the tongue or mix in your water/favorite beverage.
The postpartum blend that Erin intuitively created is all wild-crafted from the natural environment around her. She has included the flower essences of:
yarrow -for protection, safety, containment & healthy boundaries
camellia -for groundedness, patience, & serenity as well as for feeling strong & supported
quince -for integrating initiating/nurturing qualities & feminine/masculine energy balance
chamomile -to support emotional balance & healthy release
buttercup -to help transform self-deprecating thoughts/behavior into confidence & inner sunshine