After having each of my four children I recall the doctors and nurses asking me, "would you like to see your placenta", and in pure disgust I would say, “heck no”. I had no idea the science behind it and lacked the knowledge of how kick ass this organ really was.
When I became a Doula, I studied the placenta inside and out because it always seemed so strange to me when I would hear about people eating the dang thing and it helps that I am a very curious individual that likes to learn. Now I completely understand… This foreign and absolutely amazing organ grows inside of a birthing person’s body, yet doesn’t even belong to them. It supplies blood, nutrients and so much more to the living little being that is growing inside the womb changing there body every day more and more whilst also changing and growing new body parts.
Every mammal on this planet eats their own placenta so why did I grow up with an uneasy feeling about this subject? Different cultures believe in different ways to honor the placenta, so I did my research. What kinds of benefits do placentas have after birth? Its just an organ that feeds the baby the necessary crap to stay alive right? NOOOO so much more is put into this beautiful tree of life, organ. When I gave birth to my last child it was during covid-19 times and rules and regulations on hospital stay, number of support people and much more had drastically changed. After giving birth to all of my previous children my hospital stay was typically 3-4 days at the least. I got to relax and be present in my baby’s first few hours/days of their lives. I had a very stressful labor and birth experience with my last child and when I returned home from the hospital with my brand-new baby boy, just 24 hours after birthing my child out of my birth canal, I became extremely ill. I remember begging the universe to find a cure for fever, nausea, and cold sweats. My body had gone through so much change in the last 24 hours! Duh!! I now know it was because I didn’t have enough time to regenerate after being forced into an induction “to accommodate more parents during covid”… goodness me what a terrible time to be a birthing person!
Placentas could potentially change science forever! Birthing folx not only grow a child, gain, and fluctuate through extreme amounts of hormones but they also grow a foreign organ that doesn’t even belong to them that they do not reject. So why do people still have to take anti rejection medications when they get transplants?? Why haven’t they looked more into this glorious organ yet or maybe they have, and they just can’t quite crack the super cool code that this kick ass organ holds! These are the questions I ponder while I sit awake at night after my ADHD medication wears off. Birthing folx are such fantastic beings and to think that our species is so underrated, surprises me to say the least.
Through my doula training I learned about all the anatomy of the birthing person’s body which I found fascinating in itself, but I felt that the placenta was not spoken or written about enough. Why? Why is this organ by passed as just a “meh” part of childbirth? Or why birthing folx are always considered women.. (I was once guilty for this). I will never understand why this organ doesn’t get enough recognition, so this is why this blog is created!
You’re welcome for clouding your mind with more thoughts and welcome to my ADHD brain.
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