I want to thank you all for the amazing awesome comments that you left from my birth story. It was really encouraging to read that many of you went through the same thing. It was very therapeutic to have your interweb support. So thank you. It really did go a long way as I settled in to my new life.
So… I have a baby now. Weird. I mean it… totally weird. Sometimes I feel like I’m watching someone else’s life through some kind of creepy web cam or something. Like watchmomsweirdlife.com or something. Don’t go to that site, it’s probably porn. Anyway, having Gavin home now for about 2 weeks has had it’s ups and downs. He is the sweetest baby. Really. I don’t know how 2 completely whack jobs like B and I produced such a calm, loving baby. Just having him here has been huge ups. But in the spirit of honesty, I want to tell you a little about the downs too.
About a week into life2.0 I started to feel different. And everything around me was different too. Like my house. I would come into the kitchen and look around and not really recognize it. I would have all of my friends and family around with food and gifts and smiles and stars and feel really sad. And as nighttime came, I would usually cry. As this continued on and on and ON, I spoke with a midwife who said this is probably more than baby blues and is a bit of post partum depression. Yuck.
I first though, screw you Tom Cruise. Brooke Shields was totally right you asshole. I did some research and the hormone switch your body goes through when you have a baby is like the tsunami and it kills all the little happy cells in your head with it’s giant wave of tsunami sads. You feel super guilty too about it because you’re SUPPOSED to be “over the moon” about your baby. I’m supposed to feel super lucky that he’s here and healthy and that I have a great new family. And I kind of feel that. But still sad. Then you mix that with the guilt of it and exhaustion and it can spell a dangerous combo. I’m just happy there are things that I can do to make this begin to get better. And today I’m going to tell you about the weirder of the things that I did.
WARNING: THIS IS DISGUSTING. I’M SERIOUS. BLOOD AND GUTS PICTURES TO FOLLOW. I WARNED YOU.
In the spirit of wanting to be a hippie, one step I took to help with the ppd was a natural step. Well, I call it natural. B called it a foul stink in our house. He’s a closed minded ass. I’m talking about Placenta Encapsulation. And yes I took pictures.
Here’s what happens. You get your placenta from the hospital (not easy, B had to go to a lab with body parts in jars and ask them to keep it “fresh”) and your doula comes to your house to do her magic and to put it in little pills. You take the pills when you feel sads coming on and it brings your hormones back to normal, slower than if you were just preg one second and not preg the next.
This is what I look like after surgery, a rib brusing cold and a week of no sleep. This is real life my friends.
So that’s my doula. She’s super cool and yes, she is cleaning my placenta in my sink. I’m holding the biohazard bag that it came in. And a baby. I’m going to take you through the encapsulation process. Some people find this amazing. Some people puke. I guess you’ll find out which you are in a second.
That's real life Amanda meat.
B seriously could not handle this. I think it’s totally awesome.
Doula then puts it into a steamer and cooks the thing. Now there is a smell. But I think it just smelled like meat cooking. B got all drama on me and lit 3 vanilla candles around the house like he was getting ready for a seance or something. After it was steamed, she puts it in a dehydrator in the garage overnight. Basically making placenta jerky. She came back the next morning to finish the job.
murder!
Now she chops it up all murder style to get ready for the pillification stuff.
She takes the placenta chunks and grinds it up in a magic bullet kind of thing with red raspberry leaves for vagina health. At this point things got a little too “Weeds” for me and I was in the office googling our Doula for any shady illegal stuff. I mean this operation looked too professional. She was clean though.
Once it was all ground up, into the baby pills it goes.
I mean come on…if I didn’t tell you it was placenta, you’d be knocking at my door to eat nachos and watch Harold and Kumar with me.
TA DA! My guts in a pill. Totally Jetsons style.
And there you have it friends. Me, eating myself. And since so many of you saw my labor pictures and were all, “where’s your dark circles and disgusting hair?” Here it is. No makeup, no sleep. You’re welcome internet. That’s more disgusting than eating your own body my friends.
And yes I believe it’s helping me. It’s hard to say because I don’t know what I would have felt if I wasn’t taking them. But I think it’s an awesome idea. And it’s my body and I’ll eat it if I want to.
Finally, I have to give a love hug to my doula. She is so amazing and has got me through pregnancy, a difficult delivery and now post partum stuff. She’s also non judgey of me when I wear Tory Burch instead of birkenstocks. I love her weird amounts. If you live in the Delaware/Philadelphia area, I highly recommend her. Her name is Wendy, or as I call her: Magic Fairy Lady. Check her out here and tell her that I sent you. If you have more questions about using a doula, shoot me an email. I’m a huge believer in their powers and magic.
Feel free to comment about eating your own body now.
xoxo
placenta modg.
The internet psychic says you would like this too:
Hi I’m MODG. But you can call me MODG. You say it like Modg, like a Grandma name. Not like M.O.D.G. That’s a lot of syllables and I don’t have that kind of time. 
{ 94 comments… read them below or add one }
I really think that placenta pills do wonders for postpartum moms, but I encapsulated for one of my doula clients and my husband told me he’d disown me if we did it again (because of the smell). I wonder if guys have some sort of biological thing against placenta smell?
I have yet to meet a male that likes the smell of placenta, fresh or steaming. I’ve been around quite a few as I regularly do placenta encapsulations for new moms in the Hudson Valley region of NY. Dads, brothers, sons… all of them cannot stand the smell. I really think it is a biological thing.
i LOVE you!!!! such a brilliant thing to post the day after christmas when everyone’s eaten wayyyy too much!!! I’ve got the giggles but I’d like to thank you for posting pictures of your placenta- I reeeeeally wanted to see mine but they took it away and I was gutted but didn’t feel like i could tell anyone I was disappointed or they’d think I was crazy!! I got the saddds big time- hop you start coming out of it soon x x x x
I can’t say I’d ever do this, but I think it’s great you’re so open to trying natural ways to get past your PPD or whatever it is you have. I hope it works for you.
Honestly, I have never heard of this before & am too shocked and “wtf” to even be grossed out or want to vomit right now.
Ok, so after thinking about this for a long time. I’m one of those people who thinks it’s awesome. If your doula ever moves to NOLA I will need her for my future birthing needs.
Hi am a doula from NOLA and I so encapsulations email me if interested fleur_de_lis_doula@yahoo.com
Wow this was so interesting!! Just goes to show you (me) are never too old to learn something. I have never heard of this!!
BTW ~ I enjoyed reading your birth story!
oh my shit, that is cool & disgusting all at the same time. more power to ya!!! i’d prolly do it….placenta is really good for your hair, a lot of hair shit has like animal placenta in it or something, but you prolly already knew that.
and i cried for 3 solid days after we brought kid #1 home. it was more baby blues for me, but it was still this shocking, out of body thing, like omg, this is what life is like now?? cry cry cry sads sads sads…it will get better!! i’m glad your placenta eating is helping you!!
Amanda.
This Is amazing. Something I wish I knew more about before my pregnancies and dreamt about doing but had no clue where to go. Postpartum hormone craziness is serious business. And after a ‘tramatic’ experience the sads come on hard. I know that. Jamison was emergency-c after no medicine and wanting to go natural. I had felt like I failed and didn’t do my job as a mother… 3 c-sections later I realized, some things.. you just can’t control. I love you are so open and willing to let everyone know the full story. This is great. I hope it works great for you. Wish I had u and ur research like 5 years ago!
Keep it up girl.your gonna be a great mom.
Xoxo
fuck. i for one think its cool. in fact i would eat my dehydrated vomit and turds if it meant happiness. i had the sads too. not the murder your newborn sads, but i cried plenty. and wanted to make it go away. sleep helped me. and wine. LOTS of wine.
but hell yes to the placenta pills. i want some. no really, i will fucking eat that shit right now.
i would eat it OUTSIDE of the pills. i would eat it on a plate with a fork.
way to go MODG.
you are a trendsetter.
watch how that shit is going to explode in magazines now.
I think you are nothing short of AMAZING for doing this-I’ve always been interested in this kind of therapy-since I had post partem sads after both babies as well. I took zoloft for the “quick fix” I guess some would say. If I would have known about this then though, I definitely would have tried it. I totally get what you are going through, I would cry ALL THE TIME, and yeah I felt guilty about it too. my husband thought it would be fantastic to have a ‘welcome home baby’ party/BBQ/beer pong at our house 1 DAY AFTER COMING HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL. My milk had just come in and I had went from a double A cup to double D’s. Not hot either.Like my boobs were boulders and nothing fit. So I’m sittng in my living room, and we were playing “pass the baby” and while I told someone to wash their hands, someone spouted off that it woulld build the baby’s immunity. F. I promptly told everyone to fuck off and leave, I took my baby back and nursed while I balled my eyes out. Next day I called the doc. It’s tough. I think it’s great that you went through this whole process with your placenta, and that alone shows that you are already a fantastic mom! I’m sure it will work, and know that we are all here to support you! I love the pics too! I don’t get grossed out with stuff like that, so I think it’s pretty amazing and interesting. AND it completely makes sense to do it! Keep us updated on your progress when you can-the first couple weeks ARE TOUGH, but around 1 month old-things start to sort of “stabilize.” And you will be more adjusted and super happy. BTW-I honestly don’t know what dark circles you are talking about-you still look beautiful! XO!
I am sitting here with my mouth open – partially in awe, part in kind of disgust-yet-i-think-it’s-totally-cool-and-maybe-i’ll-do-that-too-if-i-ever-have-children. I can’t believe you took a picture of your placenta in the sink and put it in the internet. I feel like a little boy giggling over how cool that is. That’s probably terrible, right? Anyways – I’m beyond impressed with you. Every post you’ve put up since you’ve had Gavin I’m like “how does she do this?! how does she get cooler and better EVERY TIME!?!?!!” I’m sorry you’ve got the sads/ppd. Please let us know if we can do anything to help, okay? You know we’re all obsessed with you and would probably do anything you asked for, haha.
Merry Christmas, MODG family!!!
Gross, MODG, gross. I am of the puking variety (or stifled puking as it were). BUT…I respect other people’s decisions, especially the one not to fry it up and serve it to your family. I hope it helps -you really went through hell to deliver that baby, and PPD is not something to F around with. I just don’t think as a vegetarian I could do it. Well maybe as a pill. Anyhow, hope you had a wonderful holiday filled with family and love (and presents).
That’s kind of crazy, but whatever works for you. I’ll never forget when I had my first baby and came from the hospital. I thought “has my carpet always been that color”?? I completely understand the viewing life through a camera sentence. I went to the store a few days after she was born and was standing in line, looking at all the people, thinking “I have a newborn little girl at home”. And it didn’t seem real at all.
Speaking of placenta, I found this article and read it to my family over Thanksgiving. It’s about a woman who eats her own placenta on a panini, then later in pasta, even sharing it with her twin sister. Generosity at it’s best. You’ve probably seen the article, but if not, here it is. Pretty neat if you ask me! http://www.momlogic.com/2009/04/i_ate_the_placenta.php
I had ppd with my daughter Olivia and it lasted for over a year. And I will tell you that ppd and baby blues? Two totally and completely different things. I had baby blues with Jackson and it only lasted for about 2 months or so. I think my number one problem was that with Olivia (my first) I was completely unprepared on how it was going to be when she really came. You can read every book out there but until you’re getting up every other hour to feed a demon baby who then throws it up and then poops so gross that nobody should have to deal with that, etc, on repeat every two hours…. you don’t really know what it’s like to be a parent. And it only got worse. With Jackson I knew what I was doing and was much more confident in myself so I was only sad for a little while. In retrospect I think it’s because I knew Jackson was going to be my last baby and the fact he was a twin was just hitting me (I lost the twin around 9weeks). BUT the book that I recently read that totally made me feel normal? Up From The Blue by Susan Henderson. I cried more reading that than I did Brooke Shields’ book.
that sooo gross, it’s awesome. i don’t think i would ever do that but whatever helps! ppd is very real and i’m so glad you are being open about it. my sis went through it and it sucks :/ props to you for finding ways to get help
wow- I didn’t even know you could do this- and while it grossed me out, I could have totally used this- I bawled for weeks for no reason after all of my kids. I am glad it is helping.
It’s kind of crazy that you posted this…my husband and I went to a “Meet the Doulas Night” last week, and they had a lady doing a presentation on placenta encapsulation. I’m really on the fence about the whole thing. If it really helps fight off PPD, then I feel like I’d be stupid not to do it. I know a lot of women swear it works, but I also haven’t really seen any medical studies about it. My husband is convinced that if it does help, it’s because of the Placebo Effect. I’m not sure I can handle it anyway, I’m a TERRIBLE pill-taker; I gag on my prenatals half the time, and I don’t even have the gross-out factor of knowing that there are body parts in those! If I had to see the whole process like you did, I think I would probably vomit twice and die. Your post definitely makes me think more about the whole thing, though!
While I almost threw up in my mouth, I couldn’t help but study your placenta pic. So fascinating to see actual guts, and not the glammed up Hollywood version. Ha ha! I am glad you background-checked your hippie doula, too. You can never be too sure that some crazy psycho isn’t trying to turn you into Hannibal Lecter.
You look fabulous, girly!! I am really impressed that you have kept us all entertained with having a baby and being sick and getting zero sleep. Happy New Year to you, B and Gavin!!
Alright, I can’t decide if this is awesome or disgusting. I’m also second-guessing my decision to have porkchops for dinner tonight. But, can I just tell you that one of the weirdest moments of my entire c-section was when one of the doctors performing the surgery said “Wow. That’s one HEALTHY PLACENTA. Mom must’ve been eating her Wheaties. Can’t wait to see what this one weighs.” LIKE I WASN’T EVEN THERE with my guts open for the world.
Awesome, really.
And, yeah, I think I’m a puker. Give me a Celexa and call it a day. But kudos to you for swallowing yourself. I’m sure there are some men out there who’d love to be able to do that.
I give you mad props because I don’t know if I would be able to eat my own placenta but to each their own…..i was grossed out but fascinated at the same time.
Like a cat. Or a bear. Good on you for not just sitting around feeling horrible, like I did with my first one.
I totally checked this out on your doula’s website a few months ago, and I wondered if you were gonna.
Also, I think “it’s my body, I’ll eat it if I want to” should go on a bumper sticker or something.
Happy organ-eating, Momma!
I don’t even understand what that guts picture is all about, and I stared at it for like 15 minutes. Totally sicking me out, but I couldn’t turn away. You kick ass for taking matters into your own hands and telling that PPD where to shove it – plus, a way better use for a placenta than planting it under some dumb tree.
Ok… That is a little strange but whatever. My question is why did the hospital have your placenta a week later or did you have them keep it on file just in case?
I was wondering the same thing…
We told them at birth that we’d want it and had to sign a release form to pick it up. They had to test it for weird things and then we could have it back
I’ve never heard of that, but hey, if it works…
Strangely enough, it didn’t gross me out until I saw it in cooked form. But only because I had visions of it on a plate with steamed rice and carrots. Steamed carrots are DISGUSTING!. I’d waaay rather eat carrots raw.
And as for eating body parts? Oh yeah. I chew my fingernails ALLLLL the time. We’re SO par for par.
Wow, that’s werid. If you didn’t have pictures I’d think you were pulling our leg. Honestly, I’m still kind of hoping for a “just kidding” post tomorrow. If not, well, to each their own.
I’m going to have to say that I am shocked and nauseated. I have never heard of such a thing. However, if this is making you feel better in ANY way, then more power to you. But my question is this…is that your steamer, or does Wendy have some tools set aside for “placenta cooking purposes” only?
This is an excellent question. Inquiring minds definitely want to know!
Wendy brought all of her own jazz
Good to know. I saw the strainer in your sink and was thinking I’m never eating over her house.
Not gonna lie Amanda. That is really nasty to look at but if it’s helping you ROCK ON! I did not have PPD with my son, but I think I might file this away as something to think about whenever my husband shoots his sperm in me & knocks me up again.
I really hope the placenta encapsulation helps you out! I’d read some about this before I had my baby (our babies are close – I had mine on December 8th) but didn’t end up doing it. I think I would have really shocked my small-town hospital if I had asked for my placenta! They seemed to think it was weird when I asked them how much it weighed (and no one did end up telling me!). I’ve been lucky – so far no baby blues for me. I really feel for you though and I sincerely hope that you get back to your happy jokey self! Looking forward to lots more posts!
If anyone wants some more information about placenta encapsulation, here’s where I first read about it. http://offbeatmama.com/2009/12/eating-placenta
Well, my first reaction to this was to be a little grossed out, but after reading and learning a bit more, I say YOU GO GIRL. PPD is not a joke, and as a school social worker, I know only too well what depression does to people. You know what? If it works, and it makes you feel better, then why not? Sometimes you just gotta do whatever it takes.
My jaw is on the floor right now… I had no idea you could do stuff like this. I had watched TV shows before where the family actually cooks the placenta and puts it out for the family to eat [like steak], I would die! But this is extremely interesting to me. Talk about recycling and reusing well done “MODG-Hippie in Training”. I am floored I had no idea this type of thing existed but kudos to you for keeping it natural! I’d love to see what Tom Cruise had to say about this… I wonder if Suri is still reading your blog!!!
Thank you for being so open/down to earth about all of your experiences.
P.S. I love to hear about B’s reaction to it all too!!! HA!
Its so awesome that you are not afraid to share all of this with the universe. You get two big ups for being honest and willing to talk about what some people think is taboo. Im sure that there are a lot of people out there that feel better knowing that other people feel what they feel too. Congrats- i think that’s so awesome.
Also, I don’t see how eating placenta pill is any grosser than eating scrapple. And I eat scrapple. A smoothie= grosser. Pills= not so gross.
oh, and for everyone in the universe that does not know what scrapple is…. (it’s gross)
WHOOAAAAAAAHHHH!! That is pretty cool stuff! I wish I had known about this! When I gave birth, the doctor asked me if I wanted to take the placenta with me and told me that some people eat it!!!! I didn’t believe it, and laughed at her!!
Your hippie cred is off the CHARTS. Even with the Tori Burch. Congrats on your sweet baby, and for speaking up about PPD. You are in my prayers, darling MODG. (yes, I am a closet higher power-type hippie).
My doula saved me too! and I totally would have done the whole placenta eating bit, but my husband would have most likely died at the very thought of it. He was surprisingly interested in looking at my placenta after it nearly killed me *bloody thing refused to come out for a good 45 minutes* Maybe someday, if my next placenta is nicer to me, I will consider eating it.
Congrats MODG mommy, Gavin is precious and I love the name, my squishy babe is a Gavin too
Wow, MODG, I didn’t think it could get any more reals, but you just blew that out of the water. I will tell you that I also had very bad PPD. Boops is 2, it let up about 6 months ago. But I also have to deal with my hubs ex-wife who is mega bitch of the universe, so I’m sure that didn’t help things. I will tell you this also, I took Lexapro for a month and was immensely better. I was functional again.
This is a hard hard time. How is he sleeping???? That is pretty much the holy grail of recovery for you. As soon as he starts sleeping on a regular schedule and you can get more rest, you will feel better also. Hang in there. This hard time is what gives you a right to judge his future girlfriends and basically decided everything for the rest of his life. Just think of all the great shit you will be getting for Mothers Day for the rest of your life. That should help a little
Loves friend!
Oh my gosh that is completely disgusting and I dont think I’d ever do that but if it helps you I dont see anything wrong with it.
Awesome seeing the placenta though, I chose to pass on seeing mine at the hospital so it’s like I just got a second chance just now LOL. I still think you look gorgeous by the way.
I have the same water bottle! I’ve never heard of eating the placenta…. Interesting.
I’d never heard of this. I’m half grossed out/half intrigued.
ha. Ok. I got embarrased when i had to tell the Doctor we are keeping the Placenta because my husband wants to plant a tree on it (a NZ custom I guess) and the Doctor said “well some people eat it, so dont worry, the hospital will save it for you”
I am going to show this post to my husband right this second, however, I am scared he will think this is a great idea, and just not sure if I am ready for eating it.
You are very brave to talk about this kind of thing. And I’m not even talking about the placenta-eating. Bringing up post-partum depression and the “downs” of having a baby is something a lot of women don’t do. Thanks for putting this on your blog. It is VERY hard to go though all-nighters EVERY DAY for months. People forget that.
I am going to bookmark this post for two reasons:
1) For future reference when I have a bambino of my own and might want to do the same, and
2) For current use when I eat too much and need to barf.
So thanks from my present and future self!
Ummm…. I adopted (remember me?!), so I had nothing to eat. i’m not sure if i feel cheated or disgusted, my mouth is hanging open and it just….won’t….SHUT! Thank you for this grossology education!
xoxo sparkle intact vagina mom,
~cm
That’s crazy! I’m seriously fascinated….
http://skepticalob.blogspot.com/2010/11/eat-your-placenta-and-show-you-just-how.html
While I see her points about the placenta consuming, I feel like she’s a little judgemental regarding home births. Homebirth advocates are woefully undereducated on human child birth? Humans gave birth without any education whatsoever for centuries, and while I’m aware deaths of mother’s during delivery is probably drastically down thanks to our technological advances I feel like some OB’s now are just completely judgemental regarding a woman’s desire to birth naturally & are quick to jump to unnecessary c-sections & inductions. I’m not saying they all do, but I know of a good few who seem to have done it for convenience & the money they make.
I was put of by the doc’s attitude to. I’m totally open to the information, I don’t lean one way or another on home births or placenta eating. Bu tI would NEVER go to a doctor that talked to someone like that, and it really turned me off from her blog. It actually left me with a bad taste in my mouth and I can’t quite get over it. I’d like to learn more about the possible cons and myths of home births, but not from someone that seems downright nasty! If you want to educate the world, you are going to attract more bees with honey.
Exactly. I feel like she’s trying to push for the OB side & isn’t properly explaining homebirths & midwives. She’s implying they’re ignorant towards childbirth & a good midwife is anything but. I work for an OB office & I’ve learned a lot about hospital & home birthing. I love my doctor here in the office, but I can say I’d have no problem going to a midwifery if he didn’t support my birthing decisions.
please forgive all the spelling issues… I do know how to spell “too.” why is there no spell check for that yet?
I hate to say it….I had PPD too. I did not have any placenta-y pills though….I guess this is where the comparisions stop. Merry Christmas and Happy 2011!!!
I have never been so fascinated with anything in my life.
Normally, I’m the person that cacks on my shoes when presented with pictures of things that were like, you know, inside people.
I STARED at those pictures. I mean, just stared at them until I felt I had memorized it all.
And Tom Cruise would suck his own wang if he could. I haven’t believed anything that came out of his mouth since I saw Top Gun and he let Goose die.
I hope to hear how the placenta nuggets improve the post partum depression because I can’t get over how intriguing the whole thing is.
Also, very glad you’re being proactive about your own health and that you’ve got such wonderful people to help you through!
Umm… Modg? I was promised wine talk per your last posting. What gives?
Anyhow, wishing you all the best!
I am just so goddamn proud of you. You are totally a licensed, card carrying hippie.
P.S. I love your doula, she’s a total birth fairy.
I’m pretty sure Brent would probably admit me to some kind of psychiatric ward if I came up with an idea like that, but to each her own….
I just stumbled upon your blog, recommended to me by another pregnant friend, and I have never posted a comment but wanted to say how brave you are for posting this. There are so many judgmental jerks out there (read a few posts above) that scoff at anything out of the norm. And so many people are so fake on their blogs, talking about how everything is so merry, happy and bright sunshinny days after you bring your baby home. They lie. Thanks for being so real, it is refreshing.
I’ve never quite understood why people talk about ingesting placenta’s, but it makes sense. Though 5 minutes ago I would never had said this, it is now actually something I would consider, but want to hear more. Like, do you burp after and taste it? That happens with my prenatals- the aftertaste of placenta makes my morning sickness flare up. Is it REALLY helping? Many friends consider me a hippie
, yet I love heels, makeup and antiperspirant. people think of me as a giant oxymoron. I just think I’m a true gemini. I’m all about cloth diapering, nursing beyond the standard, organic everything, and homeschooling. My husband wants to hold the baby in buckskin in front of a fire made by friction (I agreed because I am due in the summer- baby won’t freeze), and cut the umbilical cord with a stone knife he made (don’t worry, they are very sharp). I’ll be inside seeing if I still fit in my ann taylor pencil skirts and making sure I can still walk in heels after my 10 lunar month pregnancy hiatus. That may sound way out there, but you’re blog made me feel just a wee bit at home. 
Glad you’re keeping ti real for us! I’m learning a lot from your blog.
YOU sound interesting……..can you start your own blog???? HAHA
my hubby teaches people primitive skills, so I have learned quite an array of things in my time. When you wear Ann Taylor and your hubby prefers buckskin pants and cordage he’s made by hand, you learn to REALLY compromise
We are the true odd couple.
Please start a blog. I would love to read, haha. ;D
I always imagined the placenta looking more like a jellyfish… Very interesting.
when I first started reading this post I was skimming the pictures and reading the comments and my thoughts went like this: oh noooo she didn’t……..NO she didn’t……NO SHE didn’t!!!!! NO SHE DIDN’T!!! OMG NO NO SHE DID NOT JUST EAT THAT.!!!!! GROSS.BUT.OMG.SOOO.GREAT! WHAT a real life hippie!
then I read it. you some how eat your own body and make it the coolest thing ever. and inspire me, who is not pregnant to remind myself to remind my hospital (who will be freaked out by that shit) to put my placenta in a to go box.
I am terrified of getting ppd, so I pray that you will recover soon and be back to feeling like yourself…or at least your new and improved momma self.
Much love placenta eater!!!
I guess I’m not shocked that you decided to eat your placenta
..I remember you mentioning this a while back. I had heard about this after I had my baby so it was too late for me to try it, obviously. Let us know if it works. I had severe PPD after my daughter was born. I also had a c-section and I think that it contributed a lot to my PPD. I know it’s mainly a hormonal imbalance, but the guilt of not being able to have her naturally really ate me up inside. I honestly didn’t feel like she was my child for a while because of it. So yeah, it sucks. And I can totally relate to the viewing your life through someone else’s eyes. It is really weird. Just keep an eye on your feelings/thoughts and make sure to talk to B about them. You shouldn’t feel alone or ashamed. And make sure to try to get at least 4-5 consecutive hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation is a form of torture, so it will also do a number on you. Hugs.
Luz
You know, oddly enough I think Tom Cruise would approve this method. Not sure why I’m surprised by that.
Sooo maybe this was asked already or maybe not. While I’m totally down with the whole hippy placenta pills with babies, KK stilletos, and pink and green sparkles O.0 I couldn’t help but think to myself while I was laying in bed last night (I guess that means I thought of you while I was in my bed. Weird right? But not in some creepy stalker way., Promise!!!), how sure are you that it’s actually your placenta that you’re eating???
I heeded your warning and scrolled quickly past the pictures and descriptions because I have a weak stomach. But I risked glimpses and shudders to get down to the comment section to say I’m SO sorry you’re experiencing PPD. The fear of that (it runs in my family, and I’ve struggled with depression since I was a teenager) is part of the reason I’m terrified of having a baby in the first place….especially dealing with it AND trying to breastfeed and therefore not taking medication. I’m glad to see (or scroll past) that you’re finding a way to deal with it naturally. I hope you continue to feel better and better!
This is so wrong, wrong, wrong.
I was a hippy in the 70′s, and this is not a hippy thing . Maybe it’s a modern day
hippie thing? Or a Dalmer thing?
I’m not sure where I stand on this. I’m totally freaked out by it… in a weird share in a group setting about the blog I read where the girl ate her own placenta… but at the same time no one knows what they will do until in a given situation. here’s to hoping it works for you and hoping I don’t ever have to eat myself.
I’m trying to stay cool here, Modg. I really am. As one mom to another, we all do what we gotta do.
While I threatened to murder my husband in the face for the first few weeks, you took the eating your body route which is much more mother naturish of you. Round of applause for Modg. Shocked stares at SurferWife.
I was hoping you were going to sign off as Placenta Sparkles.
In all seriousness, you look great and life will start feeling normal again soon. And before you know it, you will look back on all of this as a distant memory. (Which I’m doing right now.)
<3 to you and your babe(s).
SO I am a long time reader, first time commenter…. a few questions: first and most important… Does doing this help with weight loss after the baby is born? Second question which was also asked earlier… the burps… like with pre natals or fish oils, do you get the burps?
I shared your blog with a few co-workers and got the same response from all of them ‘thats her… and she JUST had a baby??? she looks great!’ then I had them scroll down an watch you pop the jetsons pill in your mouth. amazing.
Placentas have got to be the nastiest looking things EVER. Seriously. The being said, I don’t think any of this is gross or weird, I plan on doing it myself if I need to. I am so glad you shared it though, because I had NO idea what the process actually entailed.
Bwahahahahaha, totally into it! This made my husband want to puke.
Holy. Fucking. Shit. I’ve never heard of this, but rock on, sista! Can’t wait to hear how it works for you!
I’m dying to hear if you think it’s working. I’m supposed to give birth any day now and I’m seriously debating doing this. I live in the Bay Area so there’s tons of doula’s who offer this service. But it’s expensive so I want to at least have some good indication that it will actually have an impact before I do it. So what do you think? Is it working?
What I think I love the most about your blog is how completely, sometimes horrifyingly honest you are. Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am still not even sure that kids are in the cards for me, but you have opened up my mind to a whole way of looking at things that I never would have known about otherwise.
Honestly, I really never thought I would witness something like this…Oddly, I’m not grossed out. The circle of life..I’m getting it…After watching this, I think I’d eat me too….Wow, words I thought I’d never say….
First of all, I have to say that you look freaking amazing. Your worst aesthetic day is better than many people’s best! Second, I have to say that I’m so happy to hear that Plank… I mean, Gavin is such a sweet baby (although we never doubted that he would be; nothing short of awesomeness could be expected from your offspring). And finally I have to say thank you for sharing with us your placenta experience. I’ve seen many vag deliveries and c-sec’s, and as a result have seen many placentas. But I’ve never seen one all cleaned and spiffed up like yours, or heard of anyone eating it. I am truly fascinated. I did read some on this after reading your post, and if this doesn’t work for you, PLEASE go see someone who can prescribe medications that will. We’re all praying for you modg (in our own special closet prayer ways) and we want you to be able to soak up all the happiness that Gavin has to give. I hope you’re feeling better modg! Happy times to you and your family!
Is it weird that I DIDN’T think this was gross? Cause I didn’t. And that, to me, is weird.
I’m nominating this for a Pulitzer. I would compare this to the Katie Couric colonoscopy video in terms of medical journalism. Did you by any chance videotape? This may be your IN to the big leagues Amanda.
Modg-
Let me start by saying I looove your blog. I’ve been reading it since I found out I was preggo 3 months ago. Thank you so much for sharing the story of you and plankton/Gavin. I must admit I get a bit of the sads when I log on and see no new posts, but really, that’s a good thing. Right?
Anywho, doula questions for you, since I am meeting with some this week. How many doula’s did you meet with before you found your Magic Fairy Lady? And, how did you know she was the one? What kind of questions did you ask when meeting with doulas?
Also, you are fantastic. That is all.
Wow, that’s….strange. I have obvy never heard of that, but then again, why would I have? I’ve never had a baby or ppd. However, I am now 12 weeks preggers and am totes fascinated by all things pregnancy-baby birthing related. Now, I think I’m gonna need to google this more, or just ask my obgyn in my next apt. Also, I need to google “what is doula.”
having endured some mild PPD myself, i applaud your openness to experimenting in order to alleviate some of your symptoms.
as a midwife and registered nurse, i want to offer a caveat to those following this blog who might also choose to encapsulate. speak with your care provider ahead of the birth and be sure they appreciate your desire to keep your placenta. you don’t necessarily have to tell them why, but take charge of how it is contained/preserved, and bring it home with you promptly.
modg writes of B going to collect the placenta that had been kept “fresh” by the lab. judging by the containers pictured in the sink, the placenta was likely kept “fresh” in formalin, which is formaldehyde in water, a toxic and volatile commercial solution that is commonly used to preserve/disinfect. not ideal for ingestion.
in most facilities you should be able to sign a waiver, and not without hassle, take the placenta home in a beer cooler, bypassing the lab altogether.
maybe without the formalin the encapsulation process will be less stinky and better tolerated by male partners? happy dehydrating
Wendy encapsulated my placenta too! I take one or two a day and I can feel them fighting off post-partum depression. My husband saw part of the process ( I was still in the hospital after a c-section) – he was actually disappointed – he was hoping to eat placenta jerky!
So I’m totally not a creeper for just commenting on this now, [swears] but when I read that you had a c-section [which I also had, last minute, unplanned...just like my pregnancy
] I wanted to see all the details and compare. My little one was born Oct. 1st, 2010…kind of a cool birthdate..10/01/10..anywhoo, I had major MAJOR post-partum, and totally didn’t know you could eat your own placenta to make it go away! Totally gross, but definitely would have tried it.
Wow. I thought placenta was a liquid that just came squirting outta you. Scary stuff to learn.
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