The placenta is an invaluable part of the postpartum healing process for both mother and child. For thousands of years, the Chinese have revered this powerful substance in their Materia Medica as regenerative to the essence and the breath. Full of Qi (life force), the placenta aids in the recovery from childbirth, restoring lost hormones, augmenting lactation, shortening bleeding time, preventing mood jags and ultimately helping your baby in this vital time of bonding and nurturance. The placenta is prepared fresh, freezing is not recommended - with rice wine, precious herbs and fresh ginger to disperse the medicine deeply into the body. According to TCM the way the placenta is transformed into placenta medicine is meant to bring heat back to mom. Steaming and warming herbs are necessary steps for that to happen. Without steaming, the placenta has a cooling effect. When baby and placenta are born, the sudden “space” created in the mom's body throws her into a state of yin/yang imbalance, with an excess of yin (cold). The way I prepare the placenta before transforming into capsules or a tincture is all meant to restore this balance. It is cleaned, very lightly steamed with warming herbs and cut into thin slices then placed in a dehydrator until thoroughly dry. Then it is finely ground and encapsulated for easy consumption. It is believed that the state of mind one carries while working with the placenta will be absorbed into the medicine, therefore I maintain a healing focus throughout. The whole process takes 12 to 16 hours. 

        After your birth I would come to pick up your placenta wherever you may be, hospital, birth center or home. Your placenta will be transported with extreme care and I will begin processing it immediately and return it to you within one to two days with complete instructions and a couple keepsakes. The umbilical cord that connects mama and baby for so many months will be dried into a heart shape, the placenta will make a stamp on water color paper so you may forever witness this life sustaining tree of life pattern held by your placenta, a portion of the sac that holds your baby in utero will also be dried for special keepings. Tincture creation is also a possibility and takes 6 weeks to complete. Cost of service is $250 and includes cord keepsakes. Tincture preparation is an extra $25