By Amy Richardson | Doula & Former Midwife
The post-birth period is sacred. It marks your profound transition into parenthood- a monumental transformation of your identity, your body, and your spirit. Proper postnatal care is not a luxury. It is a vital investment in how you feel, rest, and bond during those precious early weeks and beyond.
Placenta remedies offer a traditional way to honour your body's journey. Many parents choose remedies to support their personal sense of balance and mindfulness during the early postpartum transition. Your remedies can also carry the symbolic power of your birth story forward as a lasting source of comfort, accompanying you through future seasons of change, honouring life’s milestones and major transitions.
When considering placenta remedies, it is helpful to look at both the rich history of traditional use and what current scientific literature tells us.
Anecdotal Benefits & Motivations: For centuries, and across many cultures, parents have practiced placentophagy (consuming the placenta). Many parents who choose encapsulation and liquid remedies report powerful, positive personal experiences. In a comprehensive survey of self-reported experiences published in Ecology of Food and Nutrition (Selander et al., 2013), parents frequently cited motivations such as a smoother postpartum recovery, enhanced daily energy, balanced moods, and support with lactation as key drivers for their choice.
The Scientific Landscape & Clinical Reviews: Formal clinical research on human placenta encapsulation remains limited. Comprehensive medical reviews, such as the analysis published by Farr et al.(2018), emphasise that robust randomised controlled trials demonstrating definitive clinical benefits in humans are lacking. These reviews also underscore the importance of strict hygiene and awareness of health agency guidance regarding potential microbiological risks if preparation standards are compromised.
Other Key Scientific Studies:
Safety: in The Jena Study (2018), researchers evaluated the effects of steaming and dehydration on hormone, metal, and bacterial content in placental tissue, providing vital data on thermal processing standards.
Biochemical & Mineral Analyses: Studies such as those published in Nutrition Research (Gryder et al., 2016) have analysed trace minerals and hormone profiles found in processed placenta capsules.
Randomised Trials on Iron Status & Hormones: Controlled pilot studies, such as Gryder et al.’s double-blind trial published in the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health and hormone/mood evaluations published in Women and Birth (Young et al., 2016), have explored maternal postpartum iron status and circulating hormone concentrations following encapsulation.
Informed Choice: Because formal research is scarce, viewing placenta remedies as a traditional, holistic form of self-care and postpartum ritual- rather than a guaranteed medical treatment- allows you to make a fully informed, empowered choice that aligns with your personal values.
Every remedy and keepsake is thoughtfully prepared using strict HACCP hygiene protocols and dedicated equipment in a sanitised space.
Purpose & Benefits: Designed to accompany your early weeks after birth, offering traditional postpartum comfort and a mindful way to support your personal sense of balance, energy, and well-being.
Process: The fresh placenta is carefully cleaned, prepared and dehydrated (and sometimes gently steamed if required) at controlled high temperatures to ensure pathogen reduction, and ground into a fine powder before being placed into vegetable capsules.
Purpose & Benefits: Provides an immediate, nutrient-dense boost using a small portion of the fresh placenta shortly after birth, designed to support early recovery and hormone balancing.
Process: A small, fresh piece of the placenta is prepared hygienically on-site or at your home, blended into a custom postpartum smoothie with fresh fruits and nutrient-rich ingredients, and consumed immediately following birth.
Purpose & Benefits: Designed to provide a sense of emotional grounding and stability during the early, tender weeks of the postpartum transition.
Process: Created using a specialised water-infusion method shortly after birth, capturing the energetic essence of the placenta in a pure liquid form for gentle, short-term support.
Purpose & Benefits: Carefully preserved to accompany you through future life transitions, providing a source of comfort across future rites of passage.
Process: Brewed by steeping a small piece of the placenta in high-grade alcohol over several weeks, straining out a concentrated liquid remedy designed for long-term storage.
Purpose & Benefits: A unique, beautiful, and symbolic way to honour your birth story and preserve the physical beauty of your placenta as a lasting memento.
Process: Using natural blood or safe, non-toxic plant-based pigments, the placenta is gently pressed onto heavy archival paper to create a detailed, one-of-a-kind Tree of Life print. The umbilical cord can be carefully shaped, dehydrated and painted to create a physical symbol of the unique connection between parent and baby during pregnancy.
At Around 37 Weeks: You will receive a specialised cooler kit and clear, step-by-step instructions for you and your birth team. From this moment on, I am on call 24/7, ready whenever you are.
Following the Birth: Once your baby is born and your placenta is birthed, your birth partner or midwife places it securely into the cooler bag with the ice packs provided. Send me a quick text- there's no need to worry about anything else while you rest and bond.
Safe Collection: I will collect your placenta directly from your home or birthplace, usually within 12 hours.
Processing & Delivery: Your remedies are thoughtfully prepared using strict hygiene protocols and dedicated equipment. As soon as they're ready, your remedies and handcrafted keepsakes are delivered back to you, complete with full dosage and storage guides.
I combine clinical professional standards with holistic, trauma-informed support to ensure your postpartum recovery is safe, nurturing, and deeply personalised.
My practice is anchored by years of experience as a former qualified midwife and an active doula. This dual perspective means I understand both the clinical complexities of birth and the profound need for gentle, holistic support during the postpartum transition.
To provide the highest standard of remedy preparation, I am fully accredited through PRISM Placenta Training. My practice is built on rigorous safety foundations:
HACCP Hygiene Standards: I employ strict Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point protocols, utilising dedicated, medical-grade equipment for every client.
Infection Control: My training includes advanced bloodborne pathogen management and industry-leading sanitation procedures to ensure your remedies are prepared in a controlled, safe environment.
Q: When should I book my placenta preparation?
A: It is best to book during your second or early third trimester to secure your space in my calendar, as I take on a limited number of clients per month to ensure dedicated, high-standard processing. However, last-minute requests are accommodated whenever capacity allows.
Q: How do I store my placenta safely immediately after birth?
A: Your placenta should be placed into your provided cooler bag with ice packs within 30 minutes of birth (or refrigerated if you are at home). It should remain chilled until collection.
Q: Is there any reason my placenta couldn't be processed?
A: Yes, client safety is always the absolute priority. Following strict protocols, a placenta cannot be processed if certain risk factors are present, including:
Clinical Signs of Infection: If there is evidence of infection such as maternal sepsis or chorioamnionitis, the placenta should be swabbed. If infection is confirmed and the placenta is affected, it will not be able to be processed.
Pathology or Medical Holds: If the placenta is sent to hospital pathology for testing or if certain pharmaceutical medications cross the placental barrier contraindicating consumption.
Improper Storage: If the placenta has not been stored or chilled safely following delivery according to food-safety guidelines.
During our initial consultation, we will review your health history and birth plan to ensure your placenta meets all safety criteria for processing. We will review this continually up to the point of processing as things change.
Q: How many capsules/tablets do I get from encapsulation?
A: The total yield varies depending on the size and weight of your placenta (typically ranging from roughly 80 to 200 capsules). During your preparation, every piece is processed with care, and you will receive your complete individual yield back.
Q: What are the potential risks?
A: The primary risks associated with placenta consumption involve bacterial contamination, and improper handling if processing standards are compromised. Medical reviews (such as Farr et al., 2018) highlight these concerns alongside a lack of formal clinical regulation. To mitigate these variables, I am trained through PRISM Placenta Training and adhere strictly to professional HACCP hygiene protocols, rigorous bloodborne pathogen management, and precise thermal processing standards to ensure your remedies are prepared with uncompromising safety.
Q: What are the possible side effects?
A: Most parents tolerate remedies well, but reported minor side effects in studies and surveys can include mild gastrointestinal upset, headaches, or jitteriness due to hormone concentrations. If any adverse effects occur, use can simply be discontinued.
Q: How long do my remedies last?
A: Proper storage ensures longevity. Capsules typically remain potent for several months if kept cool, dry, and away from direct sunlight. Smoothies are made for immediate consumption right after birth, and should remain chilled and consumed within 24 hours. Essences should be stored in a cool, dark place out of direct sunlight and are intended to be used within the first 6 weeks following birth. Alcohol-based tinctures can be preserved indefinitely for future life transitions. All remedies come labelled with safe storage instructions.
Q: Can anyone else take my placenta capsules?
A: In accordance with safety, hygiene, and ethical tissue-handling protocols, all placenta remedies are strictly for the individual parent who birthed the placenta and should not be shared or transferred.
Chat placentas with me!
If you’re curious about placenta remedies and want to know more, contact me to arrange a free chat. I always want to talk placentas.