What Should A Doula Know About Placenta Options?
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Kaely Harrod 00:04
Welcome to doula Tips and Tits. This podcast is a place where we answer one question about doula work, both to support you and to help you support your clients. I'm Kaely Harrod. I've been supporting families in this perinatal space since my oldest was born 12 nearly 13 years ago. I am a birth and postpartum doula childbirth educator, La Leche League Leader and a doula coach. I love guiding and supporting doulas as they work out their doula business. It is a tremendous joy to be trusted in this way. Thank you for joining us on this journey. Hello, and welcome back to doula Tips and Tits. I am very excited to continue on this journey of providers and referral information that doulas need. I am joined today by a very dear friend of mine and a repeat guest for the for the podcast. Jade Hilary Jade is a doula a placenta encapsulator, a childbirth educator. What else are you i Mike? Those are all your titles?
Jade Hilary 01:12
Yeah, the other I mean, the other two titles. I'm a central movement and pole dance instructor. And then I'm also a training and learning design professional. So I focus on ways to support trainers and facilitators and enhancing or increasing their skills. Yes,
Kaely Harrod 01:29
I'm so sorry. Jay and I are. We were just chatting before we started the recording that we kind of got started at the same time and connected early on in our doula work. And therefore I'm like, It's Jade. She's amazing guy. And not feeling like I need your bio in front of me, which is just, you know, very wrong of me.
Jade Hilary 01:55
I mean, to be fair, I wear a lot of I wear a lot of hats. So yeah.
Kaely Harrod 02:01
Which I mean, that's not uncommon in this world, you know so. So today we are diving into information about placentas. But before we get into that, I really want Jade to share a little bit of how she got to this place. Because I think it's especially helpful when you're hearing from someone who is also a doula, but does a variety of things. Because as doulas, I think there's sometimes a lot of pressure to do like 10,000 different things. But also there are services that line up well with doula work. And so I would love to hear kind of your journey to where you are now with all the different things that you do.
Jade Hilary 02:44
Yeah, so I have a background in public health, and health education and promotion. Specifically, I got into this work initially, because I got into the field of public health because I wanted to be a sex educator and you know, basically be the condom lady that would go classroom to classroom or community building to community building, and talk with students and young people, about their bodies, about the just educating them about the different options, and how to navigate the world when it came to sexual health and wellness. And through that journey, which I still love and still engage in on a limited basis, but still engage with it. But through that journey is what ultimately led me to birth work and doula work. So I was working with a group of pregnant and parenting teens out in California, and we were doing the usual condoms, STI put the condom on a banana was talking about relationships. And because I spent multiple sessions with them, and maybe this is a testament to the type of space I created. In those classrooms, they began to tell me their birth stories. And so with their birth stories, and what I was hearing, it really inspired me I was appalled by some of what I was hearing, but that ultimately inspired me to figure out what what ways I can show up for my community to support them during a really pivotal period. Like I love talking about sex education, and everything that that came with, because we were engaging in comprehensive sex ed. And I said, there is another way that I can show up for people. And you know, hold on to both of these things for so for a while, you know, I was doing sex ed, and still learning how to be a birth worker learning how to be a doula. But fast forward to 2017 I, you know, took my first pass at becoming a doula took my first workshop, and then in 2018 launched my own business, because I believe that everyone deserves compassion, education and support across the full spectrum of choices, outcomes and Your answers. And since then, you know, I've been like one of the things that I am dedicated to, and really committed to, and it's one of my core values as a person, but also as a business owner, is growth and learning. So I'm constantly looking at ways to improve, or rethink and reshape how I can show up and better support communities and families and other birth workers. And with that, one of the things that I landed on was placenta encapsulation. So you know, I'm doing the work of education, I'm doing the work of physically being in the room with someone as they are, you know, giving birth to to the next generation or even during immediate postpartum and supporting them and taking care of themselves. And I thought, well, what is another way that, you know, if I'm not available to them in this form, or fashion, or if they have someone already, that they really gel with, because vibes are so important, you know, what's in the way that I can support and postpartum that also, you know, to be frank supports my capacity. Because Placenta Encapsulation, it's less involved compared to doula work. So decided on Placenta Encapsulation is another service that I wanted to offer. And with that, you know, I'm creating products with loving intention, and providing people additional postpartum resources. Or if they don't have a doula, then you know, I stepped back, I don't fully step in, but you know, connecting them to other resources, just like I would with any, any other person that I might come across, and supporting, you know, even just a piece of their postpartum journey. And then with the the pole dance and floor work, and that type of instruction, it started out as a hobby. And earlier this year, I, you know, stepped into a position as an instructor, and that has a lot of ties to the doula work, because it's really based on wanting to create spaces for people to explore, and possibly heal, and relearn their bodies, but also just a space for folks where, you know, they they have the opportunity to focus on their body's abilities, rather than, you know, trying to look outward, you know, how can we create a space for for you to tap into whatever your energy and power is, and how your body moves, so has a lot of alignment, you know, I could go on for for days about the alignment, things, just because I've spent so much time in each camp. And having to figure out the language for myself, but has a lot of alignment. You know, when I really take a take a pause and think about it between the doula work and the sex education work. So and I'm not. That's That's how all the things have kind of come together. And you know, where we're at now.
Kaely Harrod 07:54
Yeah, I love that. I also, always forget that your journey began in California. Why do I forget that? I don't know. But I'm like when I met you in DC is not the beginning of your journey, Jade.
Jade Hilary 08:09
I mean, technically, it was the inspiration came before I moved back to DC. And so when I moved back to DC in 2016, I was able to embark on the journey because my situation had changed. But I had been laying in wait, you know, for that moment for quite some time. Yeah.
Kaely Harrod 08:27
Yeah. I love that. I also want listeners just to know, because I like transparency that you know, I'm a small business owner with kids. And if you hear my daughter giggling it's because she's on my phone. I'm braiding her hair as we do this episode. And laughing and Jade. I think it's easier to like imagine how people actually do their work, right. And so I do this work with my daughter sitting on the floor in front of me as I braid her hair.
Jade Hilary 09:00
And if you hear any additional jingling in the background, it's because my assistant aka my cat is decided to move around behind me.
Kaely Harrod 09:08
So jingle the color. I love it. So one of the reasons that I well toe Jade, let me back up from that Jade has been on the episode on the podcast before talking about the benefits of placenta encapsulation and briefly touching on what are the other placenta products that are available? So that episode is linked in the show notes. So if you're if you're thinking to yourself like Gosh, I don't even know what Placenta Encapsulation is. Start there, right go to that episode. Listen to that episode. This episode. The primary reason I wanted to chat with Jade is for doulas to have a better sense of what placenta options their clients even have. Because sometimes people are like, do you want to keep your placenta and then the person's like, for what you Like, why, why, like, what what do people do with their placenta? You know. And so that's really what I want us to focus on, too, because I want doulas to have a good sense of, of information to give to their clients about what their options are. Even if it's a client that's like, yeah, no, I don't want to do anything with my placenta, you know. So Jada, I would love for you to give us a sense of what are the things that you see people do with their placentas? What are some things that you like, recommend people do with their phones that does, and kind of start us down that road?
Jade Hilary 10:34
Yeah, so in terms of, I mean, there's so many things that people can do with their placentas either, you know, consuming it in some some way or using it for external means. So to kind of go along those two categories, since we've already started down that path, if folks want to consume or ingest or use it for, you know, internal purposes. And this is just for the person who grew the placenta, you can turn your placenta into pills, smoothies, tinctures, if you're looking for longer term benefits, so maybe, you know, wanting to use a placenta tincture, for your first few few menstrual cycles, post baby, or even, you know, some people plan to use their tincture, when they're going through menopause, because that's a really big hormonal transition, you can turn it into cubes, you can turn it into broth, you can cook it, like it's a steak and eat it. You know, I've seen people and I also offer chocolate. So there are a bunch of different ways that you can consume the placenta and get the benefits if you'd like. For external use, you know, people might put it into people might incat, well, people might dehydrate and then grind it up and put the placenta powder into cells or creams. So you know, it's really good for any types of stretch marks, or just general ashiness. Also use it for cradle cap on a baby. I've seen people turn, you know, the placenta, or parts of their placenta into really cool jewelry, or, you know, art. And you can also, you know, if you don't want it anywhere on your body or near your person, you can also bury it and plant it. So maybe you know, puts a special type of plant on top of it or you know, what some people will call their baby tree. They they pick a tree or plant and you know, bury the placenta under that plant. And so as the tree is growing, you know, the the placenta is nourishing it, but that is also a reminder of the growth of their baby. So those are just the ways like internal and external, that folks can use their placenta, it doesn't always have to be consumption there. There are definitely a lot of options outside of that as well.
Kaely Harrod 13:00
Yeah, I love that. I mean, I of course have clients and know people who plant their placenta, but the idea of having like a baby tree makes me very happy. And like, I love that I have had clients do like a rosebush or something, you know, like something that's like, yeah, the the growth of this. And I feel like we should all they should all be called baby trees. What would you say you consider the most beneficial in terms of consumption? And what is the most common thing that you see your clients do in terms of consumption?
Jade Hilary 13:39
Yeah, so most common, and what I think are most beneficial, would definitely be just the the encapsulated pills. Usually you get a decent amount, and it covers you, especially in those first few weeks of postpartum. Now, depending on the number of pills you have, and like how many you're taking per day, it could last you you know, for a couple of months, if you're only taking one or two a day, like I said, depending on the number of pills that you're getting, but that really helps in terms of that immediate hormonal transition that folks are going through and those earlier days or weeks of postpartum. And it's, it is something that you know, as long as you're keeping your pills in the freezer, if you wanted to wait and take some of them for that first period or the first couple periods postpartum, you could still do that. So yeah, most beneficial and most common would be the pills. Second, second in line I would say would be the tincture, but I would do that as a combination. So have you know pills made and also have a tincture because the tincture will definitely stretch out longer and provide different type of hormonal transition support but hormonal transition support in the same
Kaely Harrod 15:00
Yeah, I love that. And when we think about the benefits of placenta, you sort of you sort of briefly touched on this. But I want to make sure we emphasize that products that are helpful for from made from the placenta or for the person who grew the placenta in the first place. That's not necessarily something where like, my placenta tincture would help you with menopausal transition. Is that what you'd say? Or Correct? That a little bit? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So I do think one thing to just consider. So let me back that sentence up. When we're thinking about client, education, right. One of the things I like to do as a doula is, first of all, kind of get a sense of if I think this is a person who might want to do something with their placenta, right? Because there are like cultural things that are done, I have a dear client from Colombia at the moment who has a whole like cultural practice, that's going to happen with the placenta that has nothing to do with ingestion, but it's like a very particular routine that they do that they that is like, super sacred to her, you know. And so there are a lot of beautiful traditions around honoring the work that your body did, and having this placenta, right, and making this placenta and the placenta nourishing your baby. And also, I think some clients are really weirded out by the fact that it's an organ and that's okay. Right? As a doula I like to think about, like, knowing the full range so that when you're talking to someone, you're informing them. And really, when we're thinking about informed decision making, that's only possible when people know they have a, an option, or a decision to make, right. And so, listen to services are not for everyone, because not everyone feels comfortable with them. And that's okay. The main thing is knowing what options people have and why they would possibly benefit from them, so that they can choose in an informed way if they are or aren't someone who wants to do that, right. Absolutely. Yeah. So when you're talking to someone that's like on the fence about using or keeping their placenta, what's something that you highlight to them.
Jade Hilary 17:34
And First things first is because I'm also a placenta encapsulator. I, usually, by the time folks get to me, their doula has already talked to them. And so they're less on the fence and more like I'm ready. And I just have a couple of follow up questions. And so I have a guide that I give folks, that, because a big concern is always like safety. So I haven't got that I give to all of all of the folks that come to me, and definitely all of the folks who book with me in terms of services, which lays out, you know, my safety protocols, how I keep everyone safe, you know, when it comes to Senate, sanitizing, and, you know, using different tools, but also making sure that folks understand my stance that I am not, you know, pushing this as a cure all and you don't need anything else to support your journey. I always say that placenta products can be a great complement to the emotional and physical healing and recovering work. And you still need your practitioners, like your counselors and your body workers. So this is like a nice supplement to all of the other things that you should already be doing. And you know, I can help people find resources if they need it. So yeah, first things first is they get that client education guide, which has the safety protocols, it has the options. And it also has all of the links to the available research that we have out there about placenta and consumption. Because I think that's also really important that, you know, people not only have the options, but then if they want to continue to do follow up education for themselves, they're not getting everything directly for me, but now you have all of the links that I've been able to find the other encapsulates have been able to find about the research that's out there, so that you can continue to dig for yourself. And then after that, it's really about hearing, hearing their concerns or you know, what they're most interested in hearing, even, you know, a mention of why they're interested about Placenta Encapsulation and talking through what it might look like for placenta products to support that. And then ultimately, you know, giving them some time to think through and you know, leaving the door open as far as if they have any additional questions, but in terms of a Um, what I might say, you know, when someone starts to talk about concerns around safety or just general, you know, what are the benefits? What, why might this be a good option? For someone like me that last question, you know, why might this be a good option? I often say, I mean, I think it's a good option for most people. And you know, this, this may or may not. This may or may not, what's the word I'm looking for? Like, I can't call when something would be a great option for for folks. It really is about the individual needs and desires and comfort level of folks. So talking about the different options that they have, letting them know that you don't have to just ingest it. But if you'd like to keep your placenta and take some time to think about it, because that's another thing, you know, doesn't have to happen right away, it would be beneficial if we did it right away, just so we can get the most bang for our buck in terms of hormones and minerals. And, you know, it's not anything that we have to rush. But yeah, I can't call whether or not something would be great for someone. But here are the here are the benefits that have been reported not only by my clients, but other other encapsulator as clients out in the field. And just running that down seeing if there's alignments, and just answering any other general questions that they might have, like with Placenta Encapsulation, it's unlike lactation. Because this isn't a thing where it's just like, Oh, yes, every single person who has ever done this has, you know, had these exact same results. And this is why everyone needs to do it, it really does come down to comfort, sometimes culture, then ultimately, you know, folks are willing to try a thing. I've seen some really great and positive results from all of my clients, and I am only one encapsulator. So hopefully that answers the question. I was a little all over the place. But
Kaely Harrod 22:19
yeah, that's perfect. Yeah, I think I feel like they're the guide is super helpful. And also, this is absolutely a space where there is some research, and it's not super extensive. Right. And so part of what we have is the anecdotal research and what clients have benefited from some safety stuff, you know, and so I think some people find that that's like enough reassurance and other people are like, I don't know, I'm not sure. And then they're probably a person that's not going to do it comfortably. You know, and there's, there's like space for both of those to exist. You know, absolutely.
Jade Hilary 23:00
I have dealt with or had consultations with a couple of people. I mean, in the doulas space and the encapsulator space, and I said, Oh, what got you interested in, you know, insert service? And they said, Well, somebody told me I should? And I said, Okay, well, let's, let's talk about that a little bit more. Because, like you're saying that, you know, it might not be this might not be a person who was like completely invested or bought in. And, you know, sometimes sometimes the mindset around things can really help to unlock or enhance what we're feeling or how products can show up for us. Totally. So, you know, if folks are even a smattering of interested, most encapsulator is do some type of free consultation. So definitely, you know, talk to folks but also and this is for the doulas out there also encourage clients to really think through, you know, how interested they are, how comfortable they are. And, you know what, what they're looking to get out of the experience.
Kaely Harrod 24:12
Yeah, yeah, I love that. We're gonna wrap up this episode, but Jade's gonna be back because just you know, you're gonna be like a quarterly guest on the show.
Jade Hilary 24:25
I'm down, I'm down for that.
Kaely Harrod 24:26
Book, your next appointment now. Jade, I really, really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me and to share with my listeners. And I'll make sure that all of your information is in the show notes. Folks, if you're local to DC Jade is one of the lovely resources we have here. If you're not local to DC, do consider finding someone who offers placenta services in your area, so that you have that option if you have a client who's wanting it, but also Consider if you're a person who wants to offer that as an offering because it is something like Jade mentioned that you can do with a little bit more capacity. Because you're not you're on call somewhat but not for like a 24 hour chunk of time. Right. And so it's a different kind of on call and definitely a service that can be added and complementary to your doula work. So, Jay, thanks again for being on.
Jade Hilary 25:27
Thank you for having me. I look forward to the next conversation next quarter.
Kaely Harrod 25:32
Yes, every every few months. So the next episode, I'll talk to you soon. Thanks for joining us for this episode of the doula Tips and Tips podcast. If you learned something today, or had an aha moment, we'd love for you to share that on Instagram and tag us at Herat doula, so we can celebrate alongside you. If you found this podcast helpful. We would so appreciate you taking a second to leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app that helps other doulas find us as we do this work together. This podcast is intended as educational and entertainment it is not medical advice or business advice. Please consult your own medical or legal team for your own needs around
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Doulas should be aware of the multiple ways in which a person can use their placenta after giving birth. From encapsulation to tinctures, there are various options available to those interested in utilizing the potential benefits of this organ. Understanding the different methods and their potential benefits and contraindications can help doulas better support their clients in making informed decisions about their postpartum care.
We are joined for the second time by the awesome Jade Hillery of Jade the Doula! She has been a guest on the podcast before and that episode can be listened to with the link below.
https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/kaely-daily-podcast/what-are-common-misconceptions-about-placenta-ingestion
Quote from Jade:
“There's so many things that people can do with their placentas either, you know, consuming it in some way or using it for external means. So to kind of go along those two categories, since we've already started down that path, if folks want to consume or ingest or use it for, you know, internal purposes. And this is just for the person who grew the placenta, you can turn your placenta into pills, smoothies, tinctures, if you're looking for longer term benefits, so maybe, you know, wanting to use a placenta tincture, for your first few few menstrual cycles, post baby, or even, you know, some people plan to use their tincture, when they're going through menopause, because that's a really big hormonal transition, you can turn it into cubes, you can turn it into broth, you can cook it, like it's a steak and eat it. You know, I've seen people and I also offer chocolate.”
OUR GUEST Jade Hillery:
Jade Hillery, MPH, CD (DTI) (she/hers/ella) is a passionate reproductive health and justice advocate that dedicates her time to supporting people through her roles as a: full spectrum doula, placenta encapsulator, trainer/facilitator, and sensual movement and pole dance instructor. Jade has a background in public health and was inspired to become a doula because of her time as a sex educator working with students and her time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru. She officially started her doula journey in 2017 and in 2018, she founded her independent company, “Jade, The Doula! LLC” with the belief that everyone deserves compassion, education, and support across the spectrum and has continued to evolve what her support and her business looks like over the years. This work has led her to being a Board Member for Aaliyah In Action; a collaborator and facilitator with Cornerstone Trainings; a former board member of The Doula Project of NYC; and a panelist, speaker, and facilitator for several community engagements. When she’s not talking about doula work she’s likely chatting about one of her other two loves: training and adult learning theories; and, promoting healing through sensual movement and dance spaces.
CONNECT with Jade:
website: www.jadethedoula.com
Instagram: @jade_thedoula
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Eg7SGHNt1scsvDNrD3YST?si=91c450b36f594b65
CONNECT with Kaely on TikTok or Instagram
https://www.tiktok.com/@doulacoach
https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/
If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula
Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services
It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class
Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay
