Your safety is my priority!

Is placenta encapsulation safe? Well, that depends on who is doing the processing and what type of standards they have. We strictly adhere to all Universal Precautions and OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) guidelines, as well as all food handler guidelines. We are both Blood Borne Pathogen and ServSafe Certified. We also work in a dedicated placenta work space and with equipment that is used ONLY for placenta processing. Below are some key points.

Safe. Certified. Experienced. 

Safety First

  • Dedicated work space for placentas only
  • Placentas are kept refrigerated until processing can begin
  • We work on only one placenta at a time so that there is no chance of a mix-up
  • Dehydration takes place in only a high quality dehydrator with a temperature gauge, never an oven
  • Universal Precautions, OSHA, BBP protocol and ServSafe guidelines are strictly adhered to for your protection and mine
  • Full PPE is worn throughout the process
  • All surfaces are washed and sanitized in bleach solution and hospital grade disinfectant prior to use
  • All personal protective equipment (disposable gloves, aprons, etc.) are used EVERY time
  • All surfaces and equipment are washed, sanitized or disposed of between each use
  • As many disposable items are used as possible (apron, gloves, bowls, knifes, etc)
  • All reusable equipment are sanitized in a bleach solution for at least 10 minutes per OSHA guidelines
  • All items receive a clean water rinse to remove bleach residue
  • Placentas are dehydrated at a temperature of 160 degrees for at least 18 hours to ensure the placenta is fully dehydrated for your safety (no moisture left behind)

Instructions For You

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I always suggest putting someone (partner, friend, doula) in charge of the placenta. Make sure they inform your care provider right after baby is born that you are keeping your placenta so that it doesn’t accidently get put in the trash. Typically the nursing staff will put it in a container for you after it is delivered. You will need to bring a cooler (I suggest a disposable one) with you to the hospital  or birth center to store your placenta in until pick up occurs. All valley hospitals do require that a placenta be removed from the premises within an hour after birth. However I do not pick up placentas in the middle of the night and it can sometimes be several hours after delivery before I can pick up. I recommend placing the container with your placenta in your cooler filled with ice and keeping that placenta in your vehicle (only during winter months)  or putting it out of sight in your hospital room until I can pick up. It is most important that the placenta is kept chilled to ensure freshness so the cooler will need to be filled with ice. No need to bring ice or ice packs with you. All hospitals have an ice machine. Simply fill a bag with some ice from the ice machine and pour into your cooler. Please check cooler periodically to ensure the ice does not melt. It is also recommended that you bring a gallon size Ziploc bag with you to the hospital just in case the hospital is out of containers (this has happened :/). If your care provider wants your placenta taken to pathology for any reason ask that they just take a small piece for testing because once in pathology they do treat the placenta with formaldehyde which would deem the placenta unusable. If they do feel the need for testing please contact me prior to the placenta being taken to pathology for further instructions. This rarely happens but I do like to prepare you just in case.

If you are having a homebirth just have a ziploc bag available for your midwife. After the placenta is delivered she can place the placenta in the ziploc bag and then it can be stored in the fridge (not the freezer) until pickup or drop off can occur. 
 
Circumstances that WOULD be a contradiction to encapsulating your placenta: 
– Infection present in mom or baby at the time of birth 
– Chorioamnionitis
Circumstances that DO NOT prevent you from encapsulating:
– Meconium
– Group B Strep positive
– Medicated Birth
– Cesarean Birth
– Delayed Cord Clamping
– Cord Blood Banking