Placenta encapsulation Step by Step guide.

I have encapsulated my first placenta.  I have not attended any trainings and do not have any certifications.  So if you are on this page to learn how to encapsulate, please take my journey with a grain of salt and take into consideration I am not yet a professional.  I took my closest friend's placenta knowing her medical history and with the assurance that if I screwed the whole thing up she wouldn't hate me.  So here is my journey encapsulating, step by step, with photos.

Materials:
Dehydrater, ziploc bags, cutting board, ice chest, ice, strainer, bowl, bucket, wash rag, towels, ginger, lemon, clove, knife, steamer tray, large pot, tongs, coffee grinder, funnel, capsules, mason jar, straw, small bowl, good music and incense.



If this is a hospital birth, call the hospital before hand and check with their policies on collecting the placenta.  The hospital I collected this one from had a time limit after  the birth of how long they were allowed to keep the placenta on the premises.  The also asked that I brought an ice chest and ice.  They had the placenta in a container with a lid already but just in case I'd bring a ziploc or some sort of container that will stay sealed.


Step 1:  Thaw & Wash

In a clean sink, put the thawed placenta in a strainer.  Thoroughly wash the placenta until all the blood and clots are off.  Cut the sac and the cord off.  Squeeze the cord free of the blood and set aside if you are planning on making a cord keep sake.  Throw out the sac.  Appreciate the beautiful tree of life.  Place the placenta on a cutting board and cut it into thirds.  I did not do this and I regret it.  It did not properly fit on the steamer, took a long time, and just wasn't working the way I wanted it to.

Step 2:  Steam

This is the time of the process when lighting incense or candles is highly recommended if you are at all squeamish about this whole placenta business.  And get some good music going to get 
your mind off of what is actually happening in your
kitchen.  Fill a large pot with a few inches of water with lemon slices, powdered ginger, and cloves.  Place the large placenta pieces on a vegetable steamer inside the pot. Bring water to a boil and watch the placenta begin to brown.  After 20 minutes or so flip the placenta over with tongs.  Let steam until no juices are coming from it when poked.

Step 3:  Slice

I did not cut into thin enough slices.  So, bring the placenta to a cutting board and slice into the thinnest slices as you can.  This is also a good time to shape your umbilical cord if you chose to make a keep sake.  I made a heart.

Step 4:  Dehydrate

You can also do this in your oven, but I chose to 
use a dehydrator.  Line each tray with wax paper. 
 Place the umbilical cord on the top tray.  When I 
put the slices on the wax paper, I spaced them so 
they were fairly spread out.  I read online that they only need to dehydrate for 6-8 hours, but because of the thickness of my pieces it took more like 12-15.  Check on it often and flip pieces if needed.

After they are finished, check on the hardness of 
the pieces.  They should not be soft, squishy, or anything of the like.  Break into pieces small 
enough to fit into your coffee grinder.


 Step 5:  Grind

So now that you have some placenta jerky all ready to go, grab a small bowl, a coffee grinder, and a straw.  Cut the straws end at a triangular angle to make scooping easier.  Some 
choose to use a funnel instead but I liked the 
straw.
Put a few small chunks in the coffee grinder and 
grind into a fine powders.  Some small chunks are
ok as long as they will fit into the capsules.  I used
00 gauge capsules and purchased on amazon.
Pour the powder into a small bowl that will be easy to scoop from.
Carefully pull apart the capsules and use the straw to scoop the powder into the capsules.  It's not recommended to mix the placenta with any herbs in case there is any allergic reaction.  Fill the large end of the capsules all the way to the top and then cap them.  They will stay closed on their own.  Then fill your mason jar with the pills.  Refridgeration is not required, but recommended. 

Step 6:  Deliver or Consume.

Fancy up your jar, and either consume or deliver.  Placenta pills are great to help your lochia, your milk supply, give you more energy, and to help prevent post partum depression.  You can take them all back to back or save them for times when you need it.  I've even heard of women saving them for menopause.

Dear Elliott

1 Samuel 1:27      For this child I have prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him.

Dear Elliott,

In the wee hours of this morning you came Earth side.  I know, for as long as your mother lives, you will hear your birth story.  She will repeat the treasured details to you when you need to feel loved, to put you to sleep, or to remind you how dedicated she is to you.  I'm writing you this letter to give you a glimpse of your birth day from my eyes.  You see, when you were born the world around your mother stood still.  Nothing else but you and her mattered.  For me, time was going too slow.  I was sitting at home watching my phone.  I was so anticipating you.

Finally, I was awoken and I could feel the love and pride in your mother's voice through the phone.  You did it.  You both did it together.  My eyes swelled with tears.  I immediately got dressed and jumped in the car.  Your mom and I began our pregnancy journeys together only 12 weeks apart, and here I was, with Forest in the back, making the trek to you.  The moon was so big and bright and my windshield was covered in small raindrops.  Such a strange morning for June.  I began my drive praising God that he protected you and your mom and kept you healthy.  I was in absolute awe of your role here on Earth already.

I rushed into see you and the first thing I saw was your mom nursing you.  You were trying so hard to latch and seeing you discover your world melted my heart to a puddle.  I know that you will never fully appreciate what your mom did for you until you see the birth of your own child, but trust me when I say that the complete exhaustion in your moms body couldn't even be seen through the pure love on her face.  She grew you for 40 long weeks and her job is not done.  Her body will continue to nourish yours for months to come and she will guide you, encourage you, and cherish you for the rest of her life.

You have a perfect nose and look so much like your daddy.

As I made my drive home the sun was rising.  The sky was pale blue and grey and the sun was a soft yellow as it creeped it's way over the mountains.  Cars sped by me rushing to wherever and I just couldn't imagine what could be so important.  These people were missing out on the most peaceful morning.  The sound of the road kept me company while I let my thoughts dwell on the beauty of your life.

You have come into a beautiful world.  It's important that you know that you were loved even before you arrived.  That you were prayed for, wanted, and treasured.  That you matter.  You are not small or insignificant.  You are not a fleeting thought.  You were meant to be here, exactly when you got here, and you have a huge purpose. 
You were born to a generation that has made great strides in changing the world.  We have come so far in activism, equality, technology, and science.  My generation has worked so hard to create a beautiful place for our children to live.  Our hearts are for you.  We have so far to go though, and it's so amazing to think that you will be a part of making the world a better place.  Every word you say, every step you take, has a ripple effect on the rest of the world.  Every time you smile you have made a difference.

As you grow I just pray that you spend your time searching for what makes your soul happy.  I pray that you follow your heart and fulfill your purpose.  I hope that at times of hurt or confusion that you never lose sight of your significance.  I pray that you fill your life, first and foremost, with love.  Know that this world is huge and full of opportunity, but small and full of connections.  I hope that you carry the feeling of knowing you matter so deeply in your heart that you are able to see how much every other person matters too.  I want you to take that with you every where you go, so that you can make connections with every person you meet, so that you can pour out your love to them.  I hope you have a strong thirst for knowledge and you never stop wanting to learn.  My wish for you is that you walk through life seeing every moment as an opportunity to listen, learn, and grow.  

The world is yours for the taking.

Happy birth day Elliott.  Enjoy your life.