Birth Doula | The Boise Birth Village

PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION

The Benefits of Placenta Consumption

🌱 Natural Nourishment: Your placenta is a powerhouse of nutrients and hormones that supported your baby's growth during pregnancy. By encapsulating it, you can harness these benefits to support your postpartum recovery.

🌈 Balanced Hormones: After birth, hormone levels fluctuate dramatically, leading to mood swings and fatigue. Placenta encapsulation is believed to help balance hormones naturally, easing the transition into motherhood.

💪 Increased Energy: The postpartum period can be exhausting, both physically and emotionally. Many mothers report feeling more energized and resilient after incorporating placenta capsules into their daily routine.

❤️ Faster Recovery: Your body undergoes incredible changes during childbirth. Placenta encapsulation is thought to promote faster healing, reduce postpartum bleeding, and replenish vital nutrients lost during delivery.

🤱 Support for Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding can be challenging, especially in the early days. Placenta encapsulation may support lactation by helping to regulate milk supply and ease breastfeeding discomfort.

“Trust the process your body was designed for.”
— Ina May Gaskin

Placenta Encapsulation Options

We offer several placenta encapsulation options so you can choose the approach that feels right for your body and your postpartum goals. Each method is prepared with care and attention using safe handling practices and high-quality materials. Below you’ll find a breakdown of the different encapsulation methods and add-on options available, along with what’s included in each. If you’re unsure which option is the best fit for you, we’re always happy to help you decide based on your preferences and recovery plans.

Raw Processing

Raw processing is a traditional preparation method where the placenta is carefully cleaned, sliced thin, dehydrated at a low temperature, and then placed into capsules without being steamed beforehand.

Because the placenta is not heated prior to dehydration, some families choose this method in hopes of preserving more of the naturally occurring hormones and nutrients that supported the body during pregnancy.

Families who select raw processing often do so as part of a plan to support postpartum energy levels, emotional balance, and milk production during the early weeks after birth.

Raw processing should not be chosen if you are GBS positive or sensitive to stimulants, such as caffeine.

As with all encapsulation methods, we follow careful handling and safety practices throughout the preparation process. If you’re unsure whether raw processing is the right fit for you, we’re always happy to talk through the options together.

Gentle Processing

In this approach, the placenta is first lightly steamed before being dehydrated and placed into capsules.

This preparation method is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine–inspired practices and is often selected for its balanced and supportive approach to postpartum recovery.

Families frequently choose gentle processing to support emotional well-being, steady energy, and overall adjustment during the early postpartum period. The steaming step may also make this option feel like a more comfortable choice for some parents during the immediate recovery window.

Be mindful that this option does result in less pills and less potent effects.

Gentle processing offers a thoughtful middle ground that many families appreciate as part of their postpartum care plan.

Combination Support

Every placenta encapsulation package includes your choice of either a placenta print or an umbilical cord keepsake as a meaningful way to honor this unique part of your birth experience. Additional preparation options are available if you’d like to preserve more of your placenta in ways that support both memory and postpartum recovery.

Placenta Print (included option) ($15)
A placenta print is created by carefully pressing the placenta onto archival paper to highlight its natural shape and branching vessels. Many families appreciate how this keepsake reflects the connection between pregnancy and baby in a simple, beautiful way. Prints are often described as resembling a “tree of life” and can be kept privately or displayed if desired.

Umbilical Cord Keepsake (included option) ($15)
An umbilical cord keepsake is made by shaping and drying a small section of the cord into a heart or spiral form. Once preserved, it becomes a lasting reminder of the connection between you and your baby during pregnancy.

Placenta Tincture (add-on option) ($30)
A placenta tincture is prepared by steeping a small portion of the placenta in alcohol over time, creating a shelf-stable extract that can last for many years. Some families choose to reserve tinctures for times of transition later on—such as weaning, hormonal shifts, or future postpartum periods—as part of their long-term wellness plan.

Placenta Balm (add-on option) ($30)
Placenta balm is made by infusing a small portion of the placenta into a topical salve for external use. Families sometimes choose this option to support skin healing during the postpartum period or as a gentle addition to their recovery and self-care routine.

Flavored Capsules (optional) ($15)
Placenta capsules can be prepared unflavored or with a light grape or strawberry flavor. Some families appreciate the flavored option as a way to make capsules easier and more comfortable to take during the postpartum weeks. Be mindful that the flavored capsules are not vegan

What's Included

Our placenta encapsulation package is designed to make the process simple and supportive for you during the early postpartum period. We handle the details so you can focus on rest, recovery, and your new baby.

Cooler Kit Provided
You’ll receive a placenta cooler kit ahead of your due date with clear instructions so everything is ready when the time comes. The kit helps ensure safe storage and transport immediately after birth.

Pickup & Delivery Included
We coordinate pickup of your placenta from your home or birth location and return your completed capsules directly to you, making the process as easy and seamless as possible.

Your Choice of Encapsulation Method
You can choose between gentle (steamed) or raw preparation, depending on what feels like the best fit for your postpartum goals.

Placenta Print or Cord Keepsake
Each package includes your choice of either a placenta print or an umbilical cord keepsake as a meaningful way to honor this unique part of your pregnancy and birth journey.

Cost: $275 (discount provided for birth doula clients)

Hormonal Benefits

» Placenta Opioid Enhancing Factor offers natural pain relief from either vaginal or cesarean birth.

» Oxytocin produces feelings of happiness and encourages stronger bonding with your baby.

» Progesterone decreases anxiety and boosts energy

» Prolactin and Human Placental Lactogen stimulates milk production and regulates maternal and fetal glucose, protein and fat levels

» Cortisone releases cortisol to combat stress and increase energy.

» Interferon stimulates the immune system.

» Prostaglandins reduces inflammation.

» Hemoglobin stimulates iron production (deficiency linked to postpartum mood disorders).

» Estrogen stimulates healing, soothes and supports kidney function, increases mental clarity

PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION

“Trust the process your body was designed for.” — Ina May Gaskin

Placenta Encapsulation Options

Raw Processing

“The first weeks with a new baby are a time of becoming—for parents as much as for babies.”

“Trust the process your body was designed for.”
— Ina May Gaskin