Bringing hormonal support to new mothers in Vermont since 2011.
Many pregnant moms become distressed when they find out baby is transverse or breech; often only weeks left before estimated due date (EDD). This puts a spin on things because if baby doesn’t turn ‘in time’ a care provider often recommends a cesarean birth.
Bringing hormonal support to new mothers in Vermont since 2011.
By Gina Bullard
STOWE, VT.
At first glance it’s hard to tell if Tara Carpenter is a chef or a medical examiner. She’s actually a certified placenta encapsulation specialist.
Carpenter turns a woman’s placenta into pills — post birth. “I’ve got a nutritional background which brought me to this work,” she said. The placenta contains iron, hormones, protein, B vitamins, and other nutrients to support new moms.
The day my youngest turned 5, I encapsulated his placenta. Yes, it was ‘old’ with likely next to nil hormones, but I didn’t feel I had anything to lose. A colleague of mine had recently encapsulated her daughter’s two-year old frozen placenta
​NOT ALL ENCAPSULATIONISTS USE THE SAME SAFETY STANDARDS
I am trained to prepare placenta in capsule form using a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) method that is on file with the FDA; a method that addresses the issue of bacterial pathogens. I have safely prepared placenta capsules for Group B Strep (GBS+) positive moms since 2011.
The TCM method has been used for postpartum healing as far back as 600 AD to establish homeostasis in a new mother. This method is in accordance with USDA standards for raw meat preparation and involves a heating portion.
During the cooking part of the process, the placenta is heated to an internal temperature of at least 160°(F). At this temperature, pathogenic bacteria (i.e. E.Coli, GBS, Salmonella) are destroyed. I follow the same guidelines required of any regular food service establishment and my method (PBi method of preparation) is on file with the FDA and has been thoroughly inspected and approved.
I have served GBS+ moms since 2011 with good results and my service has been provided to going on 400 mothers through Vermont. The health and well-being of a new mother and her new baby is of utmost concern.
Recent CDC Case
There is a case regarding the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) circulating the media found here, where a baby tested positive for GBS after the mom took placenta capsules (this mom had not tested positive for GBS). So, how could the baby develop a GBS infection from the mom taking placenta capsules?
Listed below are possible reasons how that baby may have developed a GBS+ infection from the capsules taken by a non-GBS infected mother; including a few discrepancies with the actual case study.
Note: the Encapsulator preparing the capsules in this CDC case must be set apart from my work, and that of other PBi-trained Encapsulationists, due to reasons shown below.
1) The placenta in the CDC case was prepared using a raw method. This means the Encapsulator cleaned and dehydrated the placenta; bypassing the heating portion. Most dehydrators do not go above 160° (F) and the Encapsulator in question dehydrated the placenta at 115°-159° F. This is dangerous because does not allow the internal temperature of the placenta to reach safe temperatures for consumption. Bacteria cannot be destroyed at this temperature. I do not offer raw preparation for this reason.
2) I am a PBi-trained placenta Encapsulationist and encapsulate in the new mom’s home. The Encapsulator in the CDC case offers a service where she picks up the placenta, processes in her home kitchen, and returns it in capsules form to new mom. The condition of transport is unknown as is the possibility of mix-up and cross contamination if this Encapsulator was working with multiple placentas. Cross contamination or a mix-up may have been factors since the mother in this case had not tested GBS+.
3) I recommend that new mothers store their placenta capsules in freezer. The Encapsulator in the CDC case suggests keeping (raw) capsules at room temperature.
A few discrepancies with the actual case study: ​
I have always taken time to be with myself. I find getting away to be therapeutic, kind of a walkabout if you will. Where I get in my car when weather is right and kids are cared for. I don’t have a destination and drive with adventure of moving to where feels right to go. Keeps me in the moment when I return to “home life”, a more predictable way of living with days that are scheduled and mornings that feel the same.
Bringing hormonal support to new mothers in Vermont since 2011.
Posted by The Bridge on February 7, 2013, News & Features
on Tara Carpenter, PBi-certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist (CPES)
Each woman bounces back from birth in her own way, but many hav hormonal fluctuations during the postpartum recovery. This is normal. Many women also lose iron during birth. This iron loss combined with the hormonal dips can leave some new moms feeling less than good.
As a PBi-Certified Placenta Encapsulator I get to witness how much a new mother benefits from taking her placenta capsules made with a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) method.
Why would a woman eat her placenta? Because during pregnancy, this is the organ that regulates and stores hormones. Once it is expelled after a baby’s birth, we can find that placental tissue is rich in specific hormones that can bring balance to a new mother’s wide open, vulnerable system.
In good time, most mothers find that their pituitary gland kicks back into gear to resume hormone regulation. This process can take longer for some women depending on a women’s general make-up but typically most will feel that the first 6-8 weeks after birth to be a time of great fluctuation.
If this is true during postpartum, then what about during menopause? After doing a fair amount of research, I found that: