Jude Anthony DuChene - Just after birth, wear the hat I knit for him.
As many of you know I was expecting my second child and planning to encapsulate my own placenta, I didn’t get to with my first as I didn’t know about placenta encapsulation or the benefits of the placenta to mom postpartum then.
Well, we ended up having a hospital natural VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean, we had an emergency cesarean after 39 hours of labor with my first son 3 years ago) at 43 weeks gestation on November 27, 2009 and gave birth to a little boy, Jude Anthony DuChene, at 2:59 pm weighing 9 lbs. 7 oz. and was 20 1/2 in. long! YEA! ;o)
I got my placenta from my OB and came prepared with containers, ice, and cooler.
Well, I didn’t want to wait for 3 days to start receiving the benefits of the placenta (as we had to stay 48 hours for newborn GBS observation because we did not have GBS testing done by our choice and no antibiotics were given to me as I arrived at the hospital at 9cm and ready to deliver, so they had to visually monitor baby for 48 hours they said) so I also came prepared to have a little bit of it raw while in the hospital.
The notch at the top is where my dear husband cut a small lobe off for me to eat raw just after the birth.
While my husband was preparing that small portion that I was to eat raw a nurse walked in, and then turned around and walked back out. She wasn’t pleased with what she saw! 
lol Dear husband in gloves with blood on them and a pair of kitchen scissors and a bowl full of tissue. lol She reported it to the charge nurse, and then they reported it to the hospital’s health safety department. The department evidently came down (I never saw them) and asked that the placenta be disposed of. So the charge nurse came in and spoke with me. She said that she was informed that I was given my placenta after the birth, and then proceeded to inform me that it is against hospital policy to release the placenta. A fact which I already knew and thus worked with my OB to get my placenta, whom had absolutely no problem giving it to me as soon as the cord was cut (which is another issue, as the OB did not delay cord clamp as I requested, urgh!) and letting my doula leave with it. I told her that I understand that is the hospital’s policy, but my OB was okay with giving it to me so she did. The nurse then asked if my placenta was still in the hospital. I told her no, it was already removed and at my house. And then the interesting part. She said, “All of it?” (glancing at the bowl of the small pieces of raw
The tiny cut up pieces of raw placenta. My first postpartum meal.
placenta) LOL I said, “Well, all except that little bit there in the bowl that I am eating.” She did not flinch when I said that. All she said is that it could make me sick and that is a health risk that the hospital is not willing to take. I said, “Well, it is my placenta and it won’t make me sick, and I have already eaten it. I will sign a waiver if the hospital feels they need one.” The charge nurse replied, “Okay, everything will be fine as long as you dispose of what is in the bowl.” She did not instruct me on how to dispose of it, so instead of being able to eat it over a short period of time, I had to eat it all in one sitting. So, I did eat it all! 
) I did not chew it, just held the tiny pieces that my husband had cut it up into under my tongue like a homeopathic pill for a few seconds or so, and then swallowed it whole with my water or smoothie that my husband had also prepared for me.
I provide this service throughout the DFW Metroplex area, as I am the area's Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist!
So, a bit of my placenta raw and a protein super food smoothie was my first postpartum meal! And we got to cause a little bit of a ruckus with the hospital! LOL Though it really didn’t seem to be much of a problem at all in reality, even though they tried to make a little bit of a fuss.
Then on day 3 postpartum, after we had gotten home, (again, they kept us for 48 hours for GBS observation for baby since we didn’t have a GBS test, and no antibiotics were administered because I arrived at the hospital at 9cm and ready to push ;o) lol) I started the encapsulation process for my placenta and I got 156 capsules out of my placenta. It was the largest, thickest, and healthiest looking placenta I have had the privilege to work with, and the most capsules I have gotten out of a placenta by far!
I wanted to share my experience and a bit of my story with you! It was an awesome experience and I have been doing FABULOUS! The nurses were even impressed with how well I was doing postpartum. Placenta is truly a gift!
For information on Placenta Encapsulation Services CLICK HERE!
Also, one of the huge benefits of taking the placenta capsules is that it helps regulate our hormones postpartum. Well, an added plus to that is that hormones play a HUGE role in weight lose and/or retention. At 10 days postpartum I was already back to my pre-pregnancy weight, lost all 36lbs already!!! I lost 23 lbs by day 3 postpartum, 30 lbs by 7 days postpartum, and all 36 lbs by day 10 postpartum. And I look and feel fabulous!!!
For more information about placenta encapsulation please visit my Placenta Encapsulation page.
Nourish Life,
Leigh Anne DuChene, BS, CPES, CBE, Nutritionist
www.NourishingOrigins.com
www.Soul-Birth.com
www.DuCheneNaturalHealth.com
