Postpartum

Placenta Encapsulation

To Nourish the Transition into Motherhood

The placenta is a miraculous organ, which has the same genetic makeup as the baby itself. In utero the placenta provides the same functions as the kidneys, lungs and intestines after the birth:

• enables the baby to get oxygen and nutrients
• allows to eliminate carbon dioxide and other waste material
• protects against the transfer of infections to the baby and is the place where antibodies are formed;
• produces a large amount of hormones to ensure continuous growth

The placenta, circular shaped, forming a spongy disk of about 20 cm in diameter and 2-3 cm in thickness, is growing throughout pregnancy, weighing about 450g to 700g at term, in direct relationship with the fetal weight (about 1/6 of the baby’s weight). The maternal blood flows through the placenta at about 1000ml per minute at term.

The third stage of labor with the birth of the placenta is most of the time an uneventful last part of the birth. The main concern after the birth of the placenta is the closing of the open blood vessels. If it is not happening fast enough we talk about hemorrhaging.

In the animal world the placenta is with few exceptions eaten by the birthing mammal. This protects the offspring avoiding any extra attraction from the smell of fresh blood. At the same time the placenta nourishes the mother animal, easing the abrupt changes in hormones; at least that’s what we are assuming.

Placenta for medicinal use is mentioned in the Chinese Materia Medica of 1587 documenting a much older oral tradition. Placenta Humanum was homeopathically proven by Biggs and Gwillum / Welsh School of Homeopathy in 2000 in order to identify its therapeutic actions and indications for clinical use.

That mentioned, we have no Western research on the effect of ingesting the placenta and rely mainly on experiential feedback.

What we find are many stories surrounding the deep appreciation for the placenta with worldwide respectful rituals: from planting a tree with the placenta who grows alongside the child to special burial rituals, seeing the placenta as the spirit double / spirit home of the child.

Benefits of Postpartum Placenta Medicine

Clients report:

• Improved energy levels coming along with stabilized mood (according to Chinese Materia Medica: boosts qi function, nourishes the blood, warms the kidney);  many clients report being able to tell a difference if they miss a pill.

Placenta Services

• Placenta Encapsulation: The placenta is steamed, dried, powdered, and preserved in capsules. This form is easiest for use during the weeks following birth, while there is also the option to cut the placenta in pieces and freeze.
• Placenta Tincture: The medicinal qualities of the placenta are extracted into alcohol for long-term preservation.
• Placenta Prints and Cord Keepsake as a memorabilia

Health and Safety

There is always careful screening of any illness, and/or medications which would counter indicate placenta encapsulation.

We ask you to specifically screen for hepatitis, herpes, chlamydia, syphilis, Strep B+ and Lyme disease and any intra- or postpartum infections.

My training is through the Hudson Valley Placenta Services and conforms to the OSHA guidelines for Bloodborne Pathogens and Infection Control to guarantee safe handling.

FDA Disclaimer

This service has not been evaluated by the FDA. The services offered are not clinical, pharmaceutical, or intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Families who choose to utilize these services take full responsibility for their own health and for researching and using placenta encapsulation.

Resources

• Lim, Robin (2010): Placenta: The Forgotten Chakra

• Enning Cornelia (2003): Placenta – The Gift of Life

• Chinese Materia Medica, 3rd edition

• Kathy Biggs / Linda Gwillum (2000): Placenta Humanum; Welsh School of Homeopathy

• www.placentamom.weebly.com/research.html

• www.placentanetwork.com

• www.placentabakery.com

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Developmental Movement

Perceive – tune in – play and explore in tandem with your baby

Come and join this weekly 1 hour child and relationship centered group to refine your observation skills while facilitating and supporting the natural emergence of the movement repertoire of your baby in the first year of life. Touch and movement are the earliest ways in which a child gets to know itself and its world; these movement explorations and developments unfold relationally as “there is not just an infant but always an infant with a mother/caregiver” as the famous British Pediatrician D.W. Winnicot pointed out.

The group provides options to discover, engage and interact and entices you and your baby’s inherent curiosity and interest; explores the infant/caregiver dyad as it is expressed and communicated through touch and movement and how it plays out in feeding, sleeping and soothing.

The goal is to embrace each child and his/her parents to support their interactive process.

What we do:

• take time to tune-in and observe yourself and your baby’s preverbal communication cues
• recognize and participate in your baby’s emerging essential movement patterns
• promote interacting with the help of touch and movement
• enjoy floor-play at the baby’s level
• exchange with other Moms/Dads/Caregivers and support each other

Observation Sessions are also available in a private setting, tailored to your personal needs and schedule; available in English and German.

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Doula Service Package for

                   Mom-to-Be and Her Partner

A doula is

here to help a woman discover she can help herself…

        not to take that responsibility for her

here to help a woman learn to choose…

        not to make it unnecessary for her to make difficult choices

here to help woman discover what they are feeling…

         not to make the feeling go away.

Ariel Greenberg, Rachel Zucker (2011): Home/Birth. A Poemic

Pregnancy, birth and transitioning into motherhood are potent times, as we change archetype from maiden to mother. My goal is to nurture and educate you and your family according to your needs and wishes.

Here are some orientation points:

• Free interview
• 2 prenatal visits to optimize your pregnancy, attune to your body and baby and prepare for your birth
• At your birth for continuous support
• 2 postpartum visits to support recovery and transition into mother-/ parenthood
• Email, zoom and phone support throughout

Prenatal Visit #1

Optimize your pregnancy, prepare for your birth vision
(as soon as you decide to team up with me to welcome your baby)

• Build YOUR FUNDAMENTALS to optimize your pregnancy & birth:
  • conscious breathing – to go inward, be focused, relaxed, and centered to calm your nervous system
  • fine tune your nutrition to support the demands on your body and the rapid growth of your baby
  • Exercise: body-practices for grounding, stability-flexibility and alignment.
• Cultivate a mindfulness attitude to nourish the intimate interplay between body-mind and mother-baby.
• Find your strength and know your fears to prepare for the intensity of labor
• Be educated according to your circumstances to know your options
• Build a team spirit with your partner and your birthing team

Prenatal Visit #2

Setting the stage for an empowered and transformative birth
(at 37 weeks or earlier if circumstances demand)

• ‘Rehearse the Birth’ – play birth scenarios to ease into labor and get clear on evidence based birth practices
• Support for the birth partner, clarify roles and nourish relationships for a ‘big team spirit’
• Logistics for the ‘big day’ including nutritional input
• Foot rub and acupressure point massage for grounding, relaxation, and increased presence
• Prepare for the first hour, first day, first week once your baby arrived

AT YOUR BIRTH

• Build an environment for ’undisturbed birthing’
• Support labor progression
• Provide coping strategies and hands-on support for the intensity of labor
• Support staying connected with your body and baby
• Build team spirit
• Support your transition, and initiate breastfeeding (if wished so)

Birth follows a physiological blueprint. This blueprint connects us to our ancestry: we are anchored in our mother line while at the same time steeped into the future. If we can enter undisturbed birthing, we change brainwave stages and come to the calm of alpha and delta waves and enter the timeless now. That’s ‘labor-land’. There is the power and mystery of labor and birth.

So the question arises how to enter this timeless flow stage where we lose track of time and space; we enter the intense rhythm of labor characterized by an ebb and flow of oxytocin driven waves forcing us to be focused, present, fearless and creative to find our way through the labyrinth of labor. Once we can find our orientation points in the process, we will not give away this experience lightly while humbly accepting and working through obstacles however they may present.

Stand before your Threshold.
Remember your deepest questions or intention,
Forget everything you think you know or planned.
Send a prayer of gratitude.
Call on your ancestors, angels or allies.

Pam England (2010): Labyrinth of Birth

Postpartum Visit #1

Meeting at ‘the other side’
(on day 2 or 3 after your birth)

• The first postpartum visit is designed to process your birth, find language while allowing to keep your story open and fluid
• support your healing and recovery (rest, be well nourished, body-work for recovery)
• support warm connection with your baby (and check what could hinder it)
• troubleshoot any breastfeeding and/or soothing issues with your baby
• feel oriented in your big transition from maiden to mother
• support your relationship with your partner and your family.

Postpartum Visit #2

Find your new routines
(once your baby’s umbilical cord is healed — in general between day 4 & 10)

The second postpartum visit is here to wrap up all lose ends,

• network for additional support, and
• teach you baby massage as an exquisite tool to connect with your baby.

“Our daughter’s entry into this world was filled with love and compassion. Even when in labor and heavy contractions, the birth was ceremonious, and my wife was surrounded with care and compassion. Having Silvie with us gave my wife the additional confidence and support to endure the intensities of it all. The process would in no way be as profound and wonderful without Silvie. Her understanding of the mother-child relationship, the bonds created in birthing and her ability to assess and support the mother and midwife was exceptional.”

               Austin & Sabina Schuster

“ … you made it such a magical time for us with wisdom & strengths.“

                Emily & James Kennerle