Placenta Encapsulation

Why should I encapsulate?

Placenta encapsulation is a service that allows birthing parents to honor their postpartum journey by transforming their placenta into easy-to-take capsules. Many families choose this practice for its personal and cultural significance, as well as the meaningful ritual of nurturing recovery with the organ that sustained their baby. The process is handled with careful attention to safety, cleanliness, and respect, providing you with a thoughtfully prepared supplement crafted from your own placenta. While every experience is unique, many families appreciate the sense of support and restoration it can offer during the early weeks after birth.

There a few different ways to process the placenta:

Traditional Chinese Method (TCM) is steamed (I steam with lemon, garlic, and ginger because they are anti-inflammatory ingredients.), dehydrated over night, ground up into a powder form, and then put into vegetarian capsules. Consuming it this way tends to have a more calming effect and has been helpful for some of my other clients in helping with their anxiety and rage. (This is the most common way to process the placenta.)
The Raw Method just skips the steaming step and then everything else is the same. This method helps with energy and it is suggested to not take it after 3pm so that it doesn’t keep you up all night.
A tincture is 1 part raw placenta and 2 parts vodka. It marinates for 6 weeks, drained and then put into a dropper bottle. When you feel like you need a boost of energy, you can take a dropper full. It can be consumed by placing it under your tongue or added to a beverage. ***Because this process takes longer to marinate, I will deliver this to you after 6 weeks. (A lot of clients like to add this one as it is ready for consumption when you are starting to run low on capsules.)
A water color art print of your placenta is a wonderful keepsake! A lot of my families really like this option since they don’t often get to see the placenta and appreciate all that it did for them and their baby. You can choose what color you would like the print.

Services Include:

Pickup from birth location (within service area)
Your choice of Traditional Chinese Method (steamed), Raw Method capsules, or half of each
Delivery of placenta package

Pricing starts at $350

**Additional travel fee applied to locations more than 20 miles

Find out more!

Schedule a time to chat about your options for placenta encapsulation.

Contact me

Frequently Asked Questions:

What should I expect after we hire you?

When labor begins, please send a brief text message so I can remain on standby. A second message once your baby is born is also appreciated. I ask families to bring a cooler to the birth location so the placenta can be stored on ice until I arrive. I aim to pick up the placenta within two hours of birth whenever possible.

Birth staff will typically place the placenta in a sealed container or zip-top bag. Please ensure it is kept on ice. On occasion, you can ask a nurse if it can be stored in a refrigerator until pick-up, but it is HIGHLY advised to keep it within your line of sight at all times. (Think of it as your second baby.) I will bring my own cooler for safe transport to my home for processing.

My average turnaround time for completed capsules is approximately 72 hours, at which point they will be delivered to your home. As I am also a practicing birth doula, there may be rare occasions when attendance at a birth extends this timeline by an additional day. Any delays will be communicated promptly.

What happens if baby is born while you are at a birth? Or if baby is born in the middle of the night?

I encourage all families to bring a small cooler to the birth location so the placenta can be stored on ice until I arrive. It is highly advised to keep the placenta with you at all times. On occasion, I may be attending another birth at the time your baby is born. In those instances, I will retrieve the placenta at my earliest availability. If there is an anticipated delay, I may coordinate with a trusted fellow doula to assist with pick-up on my behalf; this is very rare and only done when necessary.

For births that occur overnight, placenta pick-up will take place as soon as possible the following morning. Having a cooler available ensures safe storage during this time and allows for flexibility should pick-up be delayed.

I have a birth doula that I am working with. Can I have them communicate with you?

Yes—I love collaborating with your doula. This arrangement allows you to remain fully focused on labor and birth while the logistics are handled behind the scenes.

Your doula may notify me once labor has begun and again after your baby has arrived. The doula and I can also coordinate placenta pick-up timing and any necessary details directly.

What are some reasons that you cannot process my placenta?

There are certain circumstances in which placenta encapsulation and consumption may not be recommended, including:

A positive diagnosis for HIV/AIDS or the presence of active (open) herpes lesions at the time of birth.
Development of a fever during labor, which may indicate an infection.
If the placenta is sent to pathology for any reason, as chemical preservatives are typically used during this process.

What if I am positive for Group B Strep?

For birthers who test positive for Group B Streptococcus (GBS), placenta encapsulation may still be an option. In these cases, I offer only the Traditional Chinese Method (steamed method), which involves steaming the placenta at a high temperature followed by dehydration at high heat for 14+ hours.

During encapsulation, bacteria on the placenta is generally considered eliminated when heated to an internal temperature of at least 160°F.

The decision to proceed with encapsulation in the presence of GBS ultimately rests with the birther.

***The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. I encourage clients to discuss any medical concerns or questions with their healthcare provider before proceeding.

Can I request that my placenta does not go back to pathology?

Yes—you may decline having your placenta sent for additional testing in pathology. Even if you are not planning to consume your placenta, or if it is no longer considered safe for consumption, you may still choose to honor it for the role it played in nourishing your baby.

Alternative options include creating a placenta print, making keepsake art using the amniotic sac, or dehydrating and grinding the placenta for non-consumptive purposes. These options allow families to engage with the placenta in a meaningful and creative way.

Some clients choose to mix the prepared placenta with potting soil and plant a tree or plant as a symbolic and commemorative gesture.