Would you take a pill made out of your own placenta?

Midwife sells babies' afterbirth back to new mothers

An independent placenta specialist is ‘harvesting’ women’s afterbirths and turning them into health-boosting capsules for new mothers.

Midwife Caroline Baddiley says demand for her service has trebled since the concept was recently shown on Channel 4’s How to be a Good Mother.

Among the benefits of new mums consuming their placenta are that it increases milk production, boosts iron and reduces the chances of post natal depression.

Mrs Baddiley, 62, begins to process of turning the afterbirth into a jar of pills by collecting it from the mother within hours of her giving birth.

Mrs Baddiley, a vegetarian, takes it home where she steams it in her kitchen for 20 minutes, then slices it into small parts before putting it into a food dehydrator for 12 hours.

After that she uses a coffee grinder to turn it into a fine powder which is then put into capsules using a special machine.

Mrs Baddiley, from Poole, Dorset, usually produces between 90 to 120 pills per jar, depending on the size of the placenta.

Source

Wow this seems so gross to me. Its not the first time i have heard of people eating placenta's but its the first time i have heard of someone making them into pills to sell back to mothers.

So would you go this far for the health of your newborn child?

Well, if you take the ick factor out, the placenta has tons of nutrients. I couldn't do it knowingly though (although, I'm male so it wouldn't be mine).

Stem cells are said to have many benefits so this could be worthwhile, but it's pretty gross though if you ask me. If I was a mother and had the option of taking these pills, I probably would...

I doubt you can taste them since you're swallowing them in a gel cap. I would make sure to wash it down with some juice. I hope the placentas can't be tasted if the woman burps

reply to post by PhoenixOD


I thought they usually fried it and served it as a delicacy?

This isn't that far-fetched of a notion, I think it is a rather common practice, or at least it used to be. If times are hard, and nutrients are at a premium, I see no problem with it.

No, i'm male, i don't have a placenta.

reply to post by PhoenixOD


We're actually one of the only mammals that does not ingest the placenta after birth. Most animals do this. I see no harm in it. I'd rather have it in pill-form than sauteed or something of the like. haha.

do boogers count for anything

P.S. I'm asking for a friend

Yeah I'd probably take the things if I was capable of helping the production/it was proven to actually be beneficial. For some reason I don't even think it's all that gross. Then again I make ramen noodle sandwiches so take that as you will.

Also, the woman in the pic looks like she would eat placenta. Creepy little smile.

No problem, I chew my fingernails and I am sure they are worse than a placenta pill.

On the side: My friend has had 3 of her 4 children at home and they have buried the placenta and planted a rose bush on top. They think they are the most beautiful roses ever (frankly, they look just as nice as their neighbours)

reply to post by PhoenixOD


There are nutrients and hormones that are extremely beneficial to the mother and her milk production found in the placenta. Also, something about it has made all the transitions my wife's body goes through after birth painless. Normally the days following the birth she is in pain from cramping and in bed for at least a week. This time she was out with me grocery shopping just 2 days later. Also her milk production is tons better this time around and our son is growing so much faster than the others have and I've never seen her boobs so HUGE!

I recomend every woman doing this. Find a Doula or Midwife that can do this in your area, it's totally worth it.

reply to post by DisasterButton


The only bad part is the cooking process... Cooking placenta has a funk like no other. The Doula came over to do her thing (no idea what to call it... process?) at the same time i was making jerkey and it over powered the jerkey smell. Plus 10 days later and almost all the jerky remains uneaten.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
Stem cells are said to have many benefits so this could be worthwhile, but it's pretty gross though if you ask me. If I was a mother and had the option of taking these pills, I probably would...

I doubt you can taste them since you're swallowing them in a gel cap. I would make sure to wash it down with some juice. I hope the placentas can't be tasted if the woman burps

The idea of placenta burps really did make me feel a bit queasy lol

reply to post by PhoenixOD


Many societies feed the afterbirth back to the mother, to stop the hormone shock after giving birth.Since it works its a great idea.Their are many things that sound a bit gross, like Urine therapy but apparently work.

I've heard of cutting it into tiny pieces and freezing it, to disguise small bits at a time in a smoothie. I think cooking would destroy a lot of the beneficial nutrients?

Humans are one of the only mammals that do not regularly eat the placenta. Eating it is supposed to stave off postpartum depression, hair loss, and other after-birth effects.

If I ever try it... I'll let you know.

I can't remember the name of the tribe in Africa but they bury their placentas in the ground for one year, then dig it up and eat it. I think they do it because they think it will prolong their lives. I think it was on the National Geo channel. I don't think I'd want to eat it, but if they prove that it really has some serious benefits, I would. After all by body made it, so it's really can't be bad for you.

On another note, woman put ground up and liquefied horse placenta on their hair. Yum

reply to post by LittleVoice731


These replies are just getting more and more twisted.

I'd be very suspicious of anyone who claimed to have a pill made of my placenta...since it was disposed of a little over 44 years ago....or so I was made to believe.....

"Would you take a pill made out of your own placenta?" Yup. As long as "nutritional value" of the dehydrated version is still intact.

Originally posted by Domo1
Yeah I'd probably take the things if I was capable of helping the production/it was proven to actually be beneficial. For some reason I don't even think it's all that gross. Then again I make ramen noodle sandwiches so take that as you will.

Also, the woman in the pic looks like she would eat placenta. Creepy little smile.

edit on 23-1-2012 by Domo1 because: (no reason given)

Someone who actually has eaten a soup sandwich! My hats off to ya!

But yea, I get it, a pill is a pill.

If you're not burping out the smell, I wonder what the farts are like?

As my ex used to say...

EwwwwWWWW!

Why not if it was MINE.....

but another woman's? Ewwwwwwwwwwww, no thanks!