Are you curious about placenta encapsulation but wondering what the process to actually do it entails? Well, we're here to tell you that the process is so much easier than you might expect!

Step 1: Check out our website for all the details on how the process works, what methods you can choose from, what extra fun add-ons we offer, etc. 

Step 2: Fill out this contact form or email Anne directly at anne@bywaterbirth.com with your name, guess date, and birth location.

Step 3: We send you a contract via email that you can read and fill out online in just a few minutes of your time.

Step 4: Once the contract is received we send you an invoice. You can pay it online in minutes with a bank account number, credit card, or PayPal account or there are instructions for sending a check. 

Step 5: HAVE A BABY!

Step 6: Follow the instructions we clearly lay out in our email exchange before hand to store the placenta and keep it fresh and cold in a fridge or cooler until we can arrive. Often your nurse or midwife (for out-of-hospital births) can help your support team accomplish this. They are used to this request!

Step 7: Text or call Anne between 8 am and 8 pm and we'll come pick it up from you! Our team of three encapsulators means service is always timely!

Step 8: Wait 24-48 hours and we'll deliver your capsules and other goodies you may have ordered to your home or hospital room.

Step 9: Enjoy all the benefits moms report like better mood, increased milk supply, and higher energy levels!

Updated 2/21/18:

During the summer of 2017 the CDC released a report that suggested a baby in Oregon got sick due to a mother taking her placenta in capsule form. This has caused some mothers considering placenta encapsulation to ask if this practice is safe. 

As a certified placenta arts specialist through APPA, I want to encourage everyone to do their research and learn the facts. You can start with this rebuttal from my certifying organization: 
https://placentaassociation.com/group-b-strep-placenta-encapsulation-safety-gbs/

Now that you understand what happened by reading the above information, let me share my take...

There are three issues with this case and the subsequent rush to say all encapsulation with GBS present is dangerous. Keep in mind 1 in 4 women test positive for GBS in late pregnancy. This means we are safely encapsulating placentas from moms with GBS colonization all the time. 
1) The CDC did not conclude how the baby got reinfected. It might have been the placenta capsules, or from other family members, or the original infection wasn't sufficiently treated. 
2) The encapsulator who made these capsules had information on her website that suggests she was not following proper protocols and did not dehydrate high enough to kill GBS bacteria.
3) The mother shouldn't have been consuming her capsules in the first place because if mom or baby has an active infection right after birth, placenta encapsulation is contraindicated.

If you read the original CDC "notes from the field" you'll see they mention heating above 130 degrees for at least 121 minutes is necessary to kill certain bacteria. In our practice, using the steamed/Traditional Method we cook the placenta for 40 minutes to reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees AND the placenta is then dehydrated at 145-160 degrees for 10-12 hours. With the Raw Start method we dehydrate for 12+ hours at 160 degrees.

In the case in Oregon it appears that the encapsulator was using a lower temperature for dehydration. How could that happen? Well, in order for a food to be considered truly "raw" it cannot be heated above 118 degrees. So, some poorly trained encapsulators dehydrate at this low temperature. However, when it comes to food safety, we cannot dehydrate that low. That is why we call our method "Raw Start." Technically it's not raw but we do this on purpose because safety is our number one concern. If a mom knows she is colonized with GBS she may want to consider the Traditional Method for that extra layer of protection that steaming provides. 

As with all decisions about pregnancy, birth, your baby's care, and really all of life, it's important that each mother does her own risk/benefit analysis based on facts not opinions or fear. If anyone has any questions you can contact Anne at any time.