Parenting

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Reinventing the Afterbirth: Placenta Becomes Food or Toy

user

Chitchat about mucous plugs and episiotomies doesn't make most moms squeamish, but as a lady near the end of my third pregnancy, I just reached my limit in learning about the placenta teddy bear! Our friends over at Inhabitots are polling their green readers as to whether the toy made from the disposable organ to commemorate the birth is cute or creepy.

While some women believe in lotus birth and create a pouch in which to store the placenta until their child naturally separates from it, others like Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves follow the Aboriginal tradition of planting their babe's placenta in an orchard. Then, there are parents who indulge in placentophagia, the eating of the placenta, which is rumored to curb postpartum depression and hemorrhage. Preoccupied with my new bundles of joy, I don't even remember delivering the afterbirth and never gave any thought to taking it home, perhaps because at the time, I was ignorant of all these options.  Were you?

Related Content:

Mommy Wellness: Placenta Previa

All About the Placenta Quiz

Baby Wellness: Caring for the Umbilical Cord

Syndication:

From the Community…

Be the first to comment on this post.

leave your comment

You must sign in to post a comment

Sign In for personalized information

New User? Sign Up

Updates Chatter on Shine…

parenting byte

When entrusting your child's health to a pediatrician, you are bound to have concerns about whether you are picking the right practice or doctor. Here are five questions to ask when choosing a pediatrician.