My Adventures with Placentas!

I thought it might be fun (and maybe even useful too) if I kept a log of my own personal experiences with Placenta Encapsulation.  Obviously as a specialist I am already sold on all the benefits but I've only ever been able to go by other people's testimonials and experiences.  Since the birth of my daughter 2 days ago I am now in a great position where I can document my feelings and progress.  So, here we go.  I hope you enjoy it!

16th March 2010

Mayumi was born this morning at 2.33am and it was amazing!  My birth story is on the News page if you'd like to read it.  The placenta was delivered naturally not long after her.  Here it is just before I made my smoothie!  You can see why some call it the Tree of Life can't you?

The placenta has a truly incredible energy about it and I was grateful to have the opportunity to experience it fully this time.  With Tate I don't think I even saw it for more than a second or so and I certainly didn't have the opportunity to pay it the respect it deserved for assisting me in creating the wonderful being who was / is my son!

8.30am -  after a few hours sleep (the whole family fell asleep together at around 4am) I made my raw placenta smoothie.  It tasted like the berries in the smoothie and nothing else.  No weird meaty taste which was a relief!  I immediately started to feel more energised and my milk came in within about 10 hours!

17th March 2010

I'm amazed by how calm and in control I feel this time around!  It's a far cry from the feelings of desperation and being unable to cope that I had when I gave birth to my son.  I've got some backache and I'm bleeding like I have a very heavy period but aside from that I feel great (even despite the fact that my nearly 3 year old Tate and Mayumi kept me up most of the night)!  I began my encapsulation process today and have now left it to dehydrate overnight.  Very excited!  I have so much milk it's almost difficult to work out what to do with it!  

18th March 2010

This morning I was still having heavy period type bleeding when I woke up.  Very tired after a long night with the little ones too!  Finished my encapsulation at about 2pm and took 4 pills immediately as I was feeling a bit grouchy and tired (also very aware that the "baby blues dip" is expected soon so wanted to prepare for it)!  I still feel a bit tired but I'm writing this at 7.30pm after putting Tate to bed and I am now only experiencing light to normal period type bleeding.  I'm so pleased with my 175 pills and also with Mayumi's cord which I dried into a spiral.  I think it is beautiful!

So exciting to be able to experiment with this myself!  I'm looking forward to seeing how I feel tomorrow!   Keeping my fingers crossed for a good nights sleep tonight... maybe if I sprinkle some placenta powder into Tate's dinner???  Maybe that would help him relax? Lol!

19th March 2010

Last night was fab.  Tate didn't wake at all apart from when I begged him to breastfeed because my boob had turned to rock and he is so much more efficient than a breast pump!  Lol.  Mayumi fed twice during the night and then slept in until 9am!  Fab! 

I took 2 pills this morning because I want to make sure I don't experience the "dip" in hormones which causes the baby blues.  I then took another 2 this afternoon.  At the moment it is more of a precautionary thing because I don't actually feel like I'm in need of any extra support at the moment.

My bleeding has almost stopped by the way and it's only day 3!  That's got to be a sign of the magic placenta doing it's thing surely!

Today we had to take Mayumi to the Birth Centre for her "24 hour" check up (although we're obviously over 24 hours now!).  She was angelic in the car seat on the way there but hated being checked over - probably because her clothes had to come off (she doesn't like nappy changing time either).

We then went to the local Asda - she slept the whole time.  We bought Tate a toy for being such a fab big brother.   I was expecting our first outing to be stressful but I was very pleasantly surprised.  I know that's nothing to do with my placenta pills but I do feel like I'm dealing with everything really well right now.  When Tate was born I turned into a jibbering wreck whenever he cried at all and I honestly think he was picking up on my insecurities and lack of feeling in control the whole time anyway!  So... so far, so good!

20th March 2010

Wow - what a hard night!  Mayumi decided she'd quite like to be awake and irritable from 2am - 5am so I am shattered today!  Also I have definately noticed a lot of emotional stuff going on so I've had another 6 pills today.  I have to say though, it's not sad, not coping sort of emotions I'm experiencing but rather feeling overwhelmed with the love I feel for my son, husband and new daughter so surely that's pretty good?  It's definately not "the blues" that's for sure!

We had a lovely bath together today as Mayumi seemed to be feeling pretty irritable and it calmed her right down - she just floated in the water looking very serene - a true Piscean I see!

My little boy has been quite challenging today, really testing our love to make sure he's still our number one son so that's been hard.  However I burst into tears this evening telling him how much I love him and am proud of him and how grateful I am to have him in my life and he just sort of shook his head and said "Mummy, stop crying!  I love you too!" and gave me a hug!  How blessed I am!  Off to bed now (8.30pm) just in case I have a repeat performance from Mayumi tonight.  :0)

I have hardly any bleeding now by the way!  Slightly incredible when you consider it's normally 2 or 3 weeks (or even 6!) before post partum bleeding stops!

21st March 2010

Last night was really good.  Mayumi spent 2 hours awake with us between 10pm - midnight so we ended up having a really good nights sleep.  She woke once for a feed and then went back down until 7am.  I'm certainly not going to complain about that!

The midwife came to see us today and did the heel prick test.  Mayumi didn't even flinch.  We had a chat about how being calm completely changes your experience of parenthood in these early days.  I mentioned how much I feel the placenta encapsulation has helped me.  The midwives in Cornwall are very supportive and have it in their intention to empower women as much as possible which I think is a fantastic thing.  My first pregnancy was far from supported until I took on the services of a wonderful independant midwife but I was in a different part of the country at that time.

My breasts are so full of milk it's unbelievable at the moment.  Bleeding is still the same as yesterday.  Very little going on in that department.  In fact what is giving me the most trouble at the moment (and in fact ever since I gave birth) is my sore, chapped lips!  I've had them since a week before my labour and they keep on splitting and are very painful.  The usual post birth symptoms aren't bothering me in the slightest!

We went to a car boot sale today - although it's still a bit chilly, it was nice to get out and about in the sun as a family.  Feeling on top of the world!

22nd March 2010

Well last night was challenging but not because of how I'm feeling or because of little Mayumi - it's actually our nearly 3 year old son that is waking up lots, throwing some very impressive tantrums and having nightmares (and wanting to breastfeed constantly).  He doesn't like the fact that the new baby has "boobie" all the time and he's sort of reverting back to babyhood at the moment bless him.  Mind you, he's really helping with the engorgement! :0)

I'm still feeling amazing - I've even managed to do some work today!  I feel so privileged to be doing the work I do with Placenta Encapsulation - I felt like that before just from reading the benefits that other women had got from it.  But now I'm experiencing it all first hand I feel even more proud of what I do and the service I offer to new mums. 

23rd March 2010

Mayumi's cord stump came away today.  I'm still feeling great despite the lack of sleep!  Mind you - 2 wakes a night isn't bad!

24th March 2010

Registered Mayumi's birth today! 

4th May 2010

It's my husbands birthday today.  Things with our family are wonderful.  Mayumi is a lovely little thing, she has a bit of reflux going on at the moment but aside from that she's doing brilliantly.  She's huge compared to her birth weight - she is now over 11lbs and wakes once or twice between 11pm and 7.30am which is wonderful frankly!  My little boy is starting to be very affectionate with his little sister although obviously there is still a lot of adjusting going on!  Personally I'm feeling really good and looking forward to starting an exercise regime soon - I'm thinking about Zumba and Bellydancing!  Yay!