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During Pregnancy~ Provide your blood work with HIV and Hepatitis B (this may show up as HBsAg or HbSAg on your lab work) status to Balanced Birth Services. These tests are typically performed in the panel done in early pregnancy.
~ Many birth places also require Hepatitis C to release your placenta. Please ensure they have these results if needed; it takes 3 days for the test. ~ Discuss your intentions to keep your placenta with your care provider and birth place. ~ Please research delayed cord clamping and discuss your decision with your care provider. ~ Sign the Placenta Encapsulation Contract and submit deposit payment. |
Preparing for Birth~ If possible, call (7am-10pm) or text (anytime) 720-336-WOMB when labor begins to let us know your placenta will be here soon.
~ Pack a cooler, two of the gallon size freezer zip top bags, and several quart size freezer zip top bags. The cooler should be about 6-pack size. The gallon size bags are to double bag the placenta itself - most birth places will have containers, this is just a back up and ensures the container will fit in your cooler. The quart sized bags can be used to fill with hospital ice for easy ice packs that didn't melt during your birth. |
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After Birth~ Call (7am-10pm) or text (anytime) after birth. We will pick up your placenta during more "normal" daytime hours. If you do not get a response to a text within an hour of normal business hours, please call. Occasionally, text messages do not create a notification and we have every intention of communicating.
~ Keep your placenta cool and clean until we arrive. Please get the placenta on ice within one hour of birth. ~ Do not allow your placenta to be sent to the pathology department. Remember, it's your placenta. Ask to speak to the patient advocate if necessary. ~ Pay any remaining balance (check, cash, or credit card) when we arrive. ~ We will ask a few questions about the birth (signs of infection, meconium) and your baby (birth time, sex, weight). ~ Rest, enjoy your new baby, and we will take care of the rest! |
Notes~ We cannot accept a placenta that has been sent to pathology. If your birth place insists that the placenta go to pathology, we cannot guarantee it is safe for consumption. Even if they refrain from adding chemicals, the work space is not necessarily sterile and your placenta may come into contact with someone else's bodily fluids.
~ We cannot be responsible for what happens to your placenta when it is not in our possession. |
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Guidelines for Usage
Placenta Essence
~Take 2-4 drops as often as needed in times of stress or illness. ~May be added to a cup of water or other beverage. ~May also be applied topically. ~May be used by every member of the family. Placenta Essence Mother ~The mother jar is used to create more essence. ~Fill dropper bottle half water, half vodka (at least 80 proof). ~Add 7-10 drops mother essence to dropper bottle. DIY Placenta Tincture
~Store in a cool, dark place. ~Swirl daily for 6 weeks. ~Strain through cheesecloth into dropper bottle to use. Finished Placenta Tincture ~Take 7-10 drops (adult) or 3-5 drops (infant) as needed in times of stress or illness. ~May be diluted in water or other beverage. Calming Spray
~Spray in a room for a calming effect; spray on/around a person to help them feel grounded. |
Capsules
~Suggested dose: take 1-3 capsules 1-3 times a day and adjust as needed; do not exceed 9 capsules per day. ~Begin with 1-2 capsules 1-2 times daily and see how you feel. ~Consider increasing your dose if you feel blue, are tired or sluggish, or have low milk supply. ~Consider decreasing your dose if you feel jittery, experience headaches or hot flashes, or have an oversupply of milk. ~Avoid taking capsules close to bedtime as they provide energy and may interfere with rest. ~Discontinue use if you develop a fever. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (which we do not practice), the placenta is considered warming; consuming while having a fever is not recommended. ~Though most mothers experience an abundant milk supply, for some mothers, placenta inhibits milk supply. If your milk supply is suffering, consider stopping capsules to see if supply increases. ~Do not stop taking your capsules abruptly, except in the case of a fever. ~Store your capsules in a dark, cool place up to a week or in your freezer for long term storage. The freezer has less moisture than the fridge. Moisture causes mold. ~Capsules may be used later for return of menses for you, start of menses for your daughter, beginning menopause, and after subsequent births. ~Do not take during subsequent pregnancies. Homeopathic Placenta 40c
~Take 2-4 drops as needed in times of stress or illness. ~If you do not see improvement after 3 or 4 doses, discontinue. ~If improvement is seen, re-administer the remedy when symptoms begin to worsen again. ~Ideally, do not take anything else by mouth for 15 minutes before or after using this remedy. ~Mint and coffee will undo homeopathic remedies; some other strong scents may also cancel the effect. ~This is a constitutional remedy for your child. It will still benefit mother and siblings as well. The information above has not been evaluated by the FDA. The services on this page offered by Balanced Birth Services are not clinical, pharmaceutical, or intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Families who choose to utilize these services are assuming all responsibility and will not hold Balanced Birth Services liable.
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