Almost every mammal ingests their own placenta after the birth, sometimes even ignoring the young until the placenta has been completely ingested.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has used placenta for thousands of years to augment the qi (energy), nourish the blood, and augment the kidney essence. In layman’s terms, it brings the body back into balance, replenishing what was lost during childbirth. In China it is also used for debilitating chronic diseases and widely used as an anti-aging treatment, as well as a variety of other ills, including fatigue and insufficient lactation.
In many cultures the placenta is considered the tree of life, and indeed, without it life would not be possible.
Hormones and the Placenta
The placenta is an endocrine organ, meaning it is a hormone producing organ. The placenta begins producing hormones at 6-8 weeks gestation to help sustain pregnancy. These hormonal levels continually increase during pregnancy, and by the third trimester there are 3 times the normal level of hormones in an expectant mother’s system. By 4-5 days postpartum, these hormone levels will drop to below normal. This is a huge fluctuation going from 3 times the normal level to below normal hormonal level, and this is where the healing properties of the placenta come into play.
Here are just a few of the scientifically known hormones and their functions that are produced by the placenta and are still viable and intact after delivery. Amazingly these hormones are such that are needed postpartum, so why would the placenta naturally create postpartum hormones if not to be used to replenish the new mother’s system?
Benefits of Placenta Encapsulation Include:
The placenta is composed of beneficial hormones, iron, and proteins. These healing substances include:
Benefits and uses of Placenta Tincture:
Many mothers use their tincture to ease emotional upheavals, anxiety, and stress during PMS, weaning, returning to work, illness, and even perimenopause. The tincture can also be diluted in water and given to babies, toddlers, and children during times of transition, teething, illness, separation anxiety, and so on. Mothers report that placenta tinctures restore emotional and physical balance.
Some even believe it can help:
· Build baby’s immune system
· With any type of trauma and life’s many transitions
· Weaning from breast feeding
· Heal bone breaks
· Regulate hormones during menopause
Placenta Salve:
This salve can be used on cesarean scars, perineal injuries, stretch marks, sore nipples, diaper rash, eczema, sun and heat burns, and other skin ailments to soothe, reduce inflammation, relieve pain and itchiness, and promote healing.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has used placenta for thousands of years to augment the qi (energy), nourish the blood, and augment the kidney essence. In layman’s terms, it brings the body back into balance, replenishing what was lost during childbirth. In China it is also used for debilitating chronic diseases and widely used as an anti-aging treatment, as well as a variety of other ills, including fatigue and insufficient lactation.
In many cultures the placenta is considered the tree of life, and indeed, without it life would not be possible.
Hormones and the Placenta
The placenta is an endocrine organ, meaning it is a hormone producing organ. The placenta begins producing hormones at 6-8 weeks gestation to help sustain pregnancy. These hormonal levels continually increase during pregnancy, and by the third trimester there are 3 times the normal level of hormones in an expectant mother’s system. By 4-5 days postpartum, these hormone levels will drop to below normal. This is a huge fluctuation going from 3 times the normal level to below normal hormonal level, and this is where the healing properties of the placenta come into play.
Here are just a few of the scientifically known hormones and their functions that are produced by the placenta and are still viable and intact after delivery. Amazingly these hormones are such that are needed postpartum, so why would the placenta naturally create postpartum hormones if not to be used to replenish the new mother’s system?
Benefits of Placenta Encapsulation Include:
The placenta is composed of beneficial hormones, iron, and proteins. These healing substances include:
- Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone: Contributes to mammary gland development in preparation for lactation; stabilizes postpartum mood; regulates post-birth uterine cramping; decreases depression; normalizes and stimulates libido.
- Prolactin: Promotes lactation; increases milk supply; enhances the mothering instinct.
- Oxytocin: Decreases pain and increases bonding in mother and infant; counteracts the production of stress hormones such as Cortisol; greatly reduces postpartum bleeding; enhances the breastfeeding let-down reflex.
- Placental Opioid-Enhancing Factor (POEF): Stimulates the production of your body’s natural opioids, including endorphins; reduces pain; increases well-being.
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone: Regulates the thyroid gland; boosts energy and supports recovery from stressful events.
- Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH): Low levels of CRH are implicated in postpartum depression. Regulation of CRH helps prevent depression.
- Cortisone: Reduces inflammation and swelling; promotes healing.
- Interferon: Triggers the protective defenses of the immune system to fight infection.
- Prostaglandins: Regulates contractions in the uterus after birth; helps uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size. Anti-inflammatory effects.
- Iron: Replenishes maternal iron stores to combat anemia, a common postpartum condition. Increases energy; decreases fatigue and depression.
- Hemoglobin: Oxygen-carrying molecule which provides a boost in energy.
- Urokinase Inhibiting Factor and Factor XIII: stops bleeding and enhances wound healing.
- Immunoglobulin G (IgG): Antibody molecules which support the immune system.
- Human Placental Lactogen (hPL): This hormone has lactogenic and growth-promoting properties; promotes mammary gland growth in preparation for lactation in the mother. It also regulates maternal glucose, protein, and fat levels.
Benefits and uses of Placenta Tincture:
Many mothers use their tincture to ease emotional upheavals, anxiety, and stress during PMS, weaning, returning to work, illness, and even perimenopause. The tincture can also be diluted in water and given to babies, toddlers, and children during times of transition, teething, illness, separation anxiety, and so on. Mothers report that placenta tinctures restore emotional and physical balance.
Some even believe it can help:
· Build baby’s immune system
· With any type of trauma and life’s many transitions
· Weaning from breast feeding
· Heal bone breaks
· Regulate hormones during menopause
Placenta Salve:
This salve can be used on cesarean scars, perineal injuries, stretch marks, sore nipples, diaper rash, eczema, sun and heat burns, and other skin ailments to soothe, reduce inflammation, relieve pain and itchiness, and promote healing.