The moments after childbirth can be tough with most women feeling sore, tired and very emotional, leaving many searching for solutions to ease the pain, according to the Daily Mail. However, the popular solution for British women as of late is a bizarre one - eating their own placenta. Some women blend it into smoothies, while others have it encapsulated like a vitamin supplement. But are there really any benefits to this strange phenomenon?
Eating your own placenta, also known as placentophagy, is being hailed by many women as a practice that provides them with the hormones, minerals and nutrients that they need after the birth process, making recovery much easier; some claim that it improves breast milk production and protects them against post-natal depression.
Despite these claims, no evidence has yet to be shown that supports the benefits of placentophagy. Last year, a scientific review concluded that there is no proof of any benefits to the practice, and many doctors are warning that it is still not known whether it is even safe for mothers and their babies. Furthermore, some women report depression, excessive production of breast milk and feelings of jitteriness after taking part in the practice.
Still, some women swear by it and are recommending it to other soon-to-be mothers.
"I felt so weak and tired. Just a walk down the street would exhaust me," said Ruth Parfitt, who had her placenta encapsulated after the birth of her second child. "That was really hard with a newborn to look after. We were new parents and were already sleep-deprived. I didn't feel right until six to eight weeks after the birth. When we discovered I was pregnant again in September 2014, I was determined to avoid feeling that way again."
After taking the capsules, she claims that the healing process was accelerated greatly.
"It was a completely different experience. I was up and about much more quickly, my mood was better and I felt really well," she said. "I lost a lot of blood when I had Elvi, too, so my iron was low again. But instead of iron tablets, I took placenta capsules and recovered far more quickly."
There are even "placenta encapsulation specialists" who can help mothers create the pills in the most effective way possible and believe that they help new mothers "recover from birth with the most natural remedy around," The Telegraph reported.
Placentae is reported to possess beneficial hormones including oxytocin, although whether the amount is enough to provide any positive effects still remains to be seen, according to Mirror.
