Would You Eat Your Placenta?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 6:09PM
On today’s show, Anderson finds out that the headline he read New York magazine is true; new moms are eating their placenta.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains to Anderson it’s called placentophagia, and there are theoretical effects that say eating one’s placenta is a good source of different nutrients and may help with postpartum depression.
In this show clip, Anderson meets a placenta preparer...
How do you take your placenta? In a shake? A multi-vitamin? Would you eat yours?
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains to Anderson it’s called placentophagia, and there are theoretical effects that say eating one’s placenta is a good source of different nutrients and may help with postpartum depression.
In this show clip, Anderson meets a placenta preparer...
How do you take your placenta? In a shake? A multi-vitamin? Would you eat yours?
Filed Under: As Seen On The Show
Comments
I watched this show over the weekend, the twins were adorable!
As for the placenta, I have heard of aboriginal people in northern Canada doing this for centuries, they cook and eat it.
As for me, had I known this could have prevented the nightmare of post-partum depression I had after the birth of both my children, I would have eaten it in any form!!
Hi Anderson! First time I herd about the use of placenta.This is new for me and I don't fell good about it I just know my stomach hurts. I'm 54 years old had 3 children how come never heard about this. Anderson you're awesome.
South korea TV says it's no proof science, illegality,unclean..
Now we have many good medicine so we don't need to eat.
Ate mine in fruit smoothies for the first two weeks post-partum.
Hi, I am a Midwife as well as a mother. I have prepared placenta capsules for a client as well as consumed my own in capsule form. It was an incredible help to me after baby number 2. So much so my husband could tell if I missed a dose in the early months. I encourage women everywhere to embrace what God has given us as a benefit to our bodies before reaching for pharmaceuticals!
I took mine in pill form. A professional prepared it and it helped tremendouly with weaning my daughter and hormone balancing.
I would eat a placenta if it was going to help the baby. I wonder if saving cord blood can help should a child become ill whether saving the placenta for the CHILD to eat would be.
We are currently hoping to address the benefits of eating your placenta on season 2 of PREGNANT IN HEELS. If anyone knows of any espectant Moms in the New York City area who would be interested in exploring this, we'd love to hear from them. IT could be a great way to get national exposure to the post natal benefits of it. Anyone interested can email me at pregnantinheels@vpetalent.com
This is great! I really appreciate the exposure that Placentophagia is getting and I appreciate the non-judgemental (and quite comical) approach to this topic. As a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialists, and mommy of 2, I have witnessed the incredible benefits of taking placenta pills, many times over again! No, it's not for everybody but, to all moms-to-be, if you can find a way to get past the "ew factor" (have them prepared for you by a local professional), you'll discover just how satisfying postpartum recovery can actually be, as you spend time loving your newborn instead of crying, sleeping and wondering "what's happening to me"!
~Jereka Hunt, Wombmart.com (Charlotte Placenta Encapsulation)
I just wanted to say kudos, Anderson Cooper for keeping an open mind and not ridiculing women who do this. I love how openly this was discussed, and I love that so many women who practice this feel safe to come and comment here. Thanks for the respectfulness.
After having PPD twice, I would stand on my head and juggle chainsaws with my feet if it had half a chance of making the postpartum a happier time.
So yeah, I'm planning on having my placenta encapsulated, and will probably have a small amount of it fresh shortly after the birth.
The first birth I ever saw was a cat giving birth to kittens. After the kittens were out and clean, she ate the whole thing.
I've seen people eat stranger things.
I encapsulated my placenta after the birth of my 3rd child over 2 years ago. Definitely doing it again. It made a huge difference in PPD, milk production & reduction of lochia.
If you eat your placenta can you still freeze it?
The idea never occurred to me until I had a homebirth. After seeing all of the benefits, I can't think of any reason not to ingest it. Especially if it's encapsulated, it's just like taking any other vitamin or supplement.
I consumed my placenta twice! After my homebirths. It is my first meal after I birth...take some raw and add *healthy* smoothie ingredients (fruit, plain yogurt, hemp, raw honey, etc). I dry out the rest (saved a few raw pieces for smoothies to eat the next day or later that day, etc)in a food dehydrator or oven. Grind up in blender (vitamix works best, imo) and encapsulated it myself. Easy and so good for you! :) Go ahead and think what you want...but after I birth I have energy, a MUCH better mood, and far less PP problems b/c of it. To each her own!