From Labor to Bedside: How Placenta Encapsulation Works
Navigating your birth and postpartum should feel calm and completely supported. Learn how I coordinate seamless pickup from your hospital, birth center, or home, my rigorous preparation standards, and how to safely store your placenta until pickup.
The Four Stages of Care
Click through each stage to see care from pregnancy to delivery.
1. Reserve Your Due Date
Reserving during your second or third trimester places your due date on my on-call calendar from 38 to 42 weeks. Once booked, you will have my direct contact details to keep on hand. A $50 deposit is due upon booking.
✓ Guaranteed on-call availability
2. Notify When Labor Begins and After Birth
Have you, your partner, or doula send a quick message when labor begins and right after delivery. Easy and direct coordination means no stress or complex logistics required from you.
✓ Direct and easy communication
3. Direct On-Call Bedside Pickup
I arrive directly at your hospital room, birth center, or home with a sanitized, temperature-controlled transport cooler.
4. Dedicated Preparation & Direct Delivery
Your placenta is prepared exclusively in a dedicated, sanitized workspace using gentle Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) methods, low-temperature dehydration, and fine grinding into capsules. Your custom capsules, cord keepsake, and dosage guide are delivered directly to your home.
*If outside of the Front Range area, your package will be priority mailed back to you.
✓ Fast 72-hour turnaround so you can begin postpartum recovery immediately
Hospital Bag & Storage Protocol
Screenshot-ready instructions for you, your partner, and your birth team.
1. What to Pack
Pack a small, clean cooler and a 2 gallon-sized leak-proof zip bag (or a clean food-safe container) with your hospital bags. Hospital ice is readily available in all labor and delivery units to keep the placenta chilled.
2. What to Tell Nurses
Inform your labor & delivery nurses: "I am keeping my placenta for encapsulation. Please do not place it in formalin or send it to pathology unless medically required. If pathology is required, please send a sample only."
3. Temperature Guide
Standard Window (0–48 Hours): Keep on ice in your cooler or in a dedicated hospital/home refrigerator. Do not freeze yet; fresh refrigeration preserves tissue for optimal TCM steaming.
Extended Window (72+ Hours): If pickup is delayed beyond 72 hours for any reason, transfer the placenta directly to a freezer to lock in nutrients and maintain biological safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Essential details on hospital policies, safety standards, and TCM encapsulation.
Are Colorado hospitals and birth centers required to release my placenta to me?
Yes. Under Colorado hospital guidelines, parents have the right to take possession of their placenta after delivery. Most hospitals and birth centers (such as Rose Medical, Boulder Community Health, Good Samaritan, and Saint Joseph) simply require a standard acknowledgement or release form to be signed.
Can I still encapsulate if I am GBS positive, had a C-section, or had meconium present?
In almost all cases, yes. Group B Strep (GBS) is neutralized during the gentle Traditional Chinese Medicine steaming process, which reaches internal temperatures that exceed clinical food-safety standards. Any meconium staining is carefully washed away during the initial rinse and preparation stages. Furthermore, epidurals, Pitocin, antibiotics, and C-section deliveries do not compromise the safety or effectiveness of encapsulation.
What happens if my placenta has to go to the pathology lab?
If your doctor or midwife determines that your placenta must be examined by pathology, instruct them to take only a small biopsy/sample slice and keep the rest refrigerated without chemical fixatives. If the placenta is placed in formalin or formaldehyde, it can no longer be consumed. As long as the tissue remains fresh, refrigerated, and unadulterated, we can safely proceed with encapsulation once released.
How many capsules will I receive?
Every placenta is unique in size and weight. A typical yield ranges between 100 and 150 capsules. Factors that influence total yield include gestational age at birth, placental size, and the preparation method selected.
How should I take my capsules, and how do I store them?
You will receive a personalized dosage guide alongside your capsules upon delivery. Most mothers begin with 3 capsules two to three times daily during early postpartum (weeks 1–3), gradually tapering down as their body stabilizes. For continued storage, keep your jar in a cool, dark cupboard.
What is the difference between TCM steaming and raw dehydration?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy, childbirth depletes a mother’s internal warmth and Qi, leaving the body in an open, cold state. TCM preparation involves gently steaming the placenta prior to dehydration. This facilitates easier digestion, restores vital warmth, and avoids over-stimulating an already sensitive postpartum system.
What if I deliver prematurely or past my estimated due date?
Booking during your pregnancy places you on my 24/7 on-call calendar from 38 weeks through 42 weeks. If your baby arrives early or late, your reservation is completely protected—simply send me a message once labor begins.
Have Questions About Your Upcoming Birth?
I am always happy to coordinate with you, your doula, midwife, or birth team to ensure a seamless experience.