Could the placenta be the cure for post partum depression?

Sunday, September 01, 2013 by: Alexandra Du Toit, TRUE Earth Mama
Tags: placenta, post partum depression, hormones

(NaturalNews) Every living mammal instinctively eats their placenta after giving birth to replenish nutrients. The placenta is a really remarkable organ. It is this amazingly designed organ that replaces multiple other human organs for the period of time the baby is in the womb. The number of functions it does is really quite significant. For thousands of years, many cultures have revered the placenta as a powerful and invaluable part of the postpartum healing process. In the US, on the other hand, it is more common to dispose of the placenta immediately after childbirth. However, more new mothers who are prone to depression are finding that the very organ that kept their baby alive can prevent the "baby blues."

Today, approximately 80 percent of women experience some level of postpartum depression/mood disorder following childbirth. After giving birth, many new mothers experience a drop in hormones, blood loss and fatigue; all of which are thought of as key factors in the development of the "baby blues" and postpartum depression. Symptoms of the baby blues include sadness, weepiness, lack of concentration, anxiety, and a feeling of dependence. These can last for the first several weeks or even months of the baby's life; causing many new mothers to find it a challenge to take care of their newborn. Using the placenta for its medicinal properties during the postpartum period is a natural and healthier way a new mother can help avoid these symptoms and the costly treatments that usually accompany them, such as medications and counseling. With proper preparation, the majority of women can avoid the baby blues. Full of Qi, life energy, the placenta aids in postpartum wellness by replenishing the new mother's system with natural iron and protein while helping reintroduce the essential hormones back into her system.

Research published in The Journal of Nutrition: (http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/2/267.full) shows that postpartum iron-deficiency can cause postpartum depression. During childbirth, there is a huge loss of blood that causes many women to become iron deficient. The placenta is high in iron and helps replenish the lost iron. The Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Neonatal Nursing: (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1177/0884217505279997/abstract) published research that explains that fatigue is one of the leading causes of postpartum depression, but mothers report that by consuming the placenta, their energy levels are restored. Few scientific studies have been spent on ingesting the placenta after childbirth also known as placentophagia. However, the combined existing research suggests that ingesting the iron-rich placenta may be a good first line of defense against postpartum mood problems.

The placenta is the connection between the mother and baby inside the womb. When a woman gives birth, the placenta still contains the nutrients that were supplying her baby with life in the womb. The idea is that by eating the placenta and putting the life-giving nutrients back into the new mother, she will also be replenishing her body with all that she needs to heal and recover quickly so she can be the best mother for her baby. Women who ingest their placenta in some form report a faster, more pleasant postpartum recovery and report fewer emotional issues. Many new mothers are choosing to have their placenta turned into capsules that they can ingest. Placenta encapsulation seems to lessen the 'gross' factor that many women have with eating it raw. New mothers, and their families, notice a remarkable improvement in overall feelings of happiness and well-being when taking placenta capsules. Thus, often referred to as "happy pills."

Benefits of placenta pills:

Balance hormones
Increase milk supply
Increase energy
Quicker recovery from birth
Brings body back into balance
Prevents postpartum depression
Less postpartum bleeding
Helps to heal tears or cuts
Assist the uterus to return to size
Increase postpartum iron levels

Sources for this article include:

http://placentabenefits.info/articles.asp
http://abcnews.go.com
http://www.tidesoflife.com/placenta.htm
http://www.allaboutbirthing.com/placenta-encapsulation.html

About the author:
Alex is a TRUE Earthie Mama, helping others tune into their most natural state while bringing harmony and balance into all areas of their lives in order to THRIVE. Alex has a well known blog on health, wellness, conscious parenting, green living and getting off the grid to self sustainability. www.earthiemama.com

Please check out her website at www.earthiemama.com
She sells all natural products and her Ebooks on Natural Body Care Products and 10 Superfoods and Recipes for Babies and Toddlers.

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