Placentas. Again.

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My student, Mona Ziems, introduced me to this GREAT podcast “The Longest Shortest Time.”  What a fantastic Podcast about parenting and birth and hard conversations with the short people you live with and so much more. I am in love!!!

Their most recent episode “A Childless Man Makes Edible Placenta” is a brilliant breakdown of consuming your placenta. If you ever wanted all the details explained clear as day about that magic organ, it is the best 45 minutes you could spend.

Freedom and the Seed supports families’ decision to do whatever they want with this life giving organ.  Some of our clients plant it with a special tree or rose bush. Others have consumed it in smoothies or various recipes (Spaghetti, Stew, Sushi style, etc…) and still others have discarded it. Whatever the path, please take a moment after birth to revere it. What a miracle the whole process of growing a baby and how utterly amazing the placenta is!

We are also happy to help you process your placenta into capsules, tinctures, chocolates and/or smoothies and meals. Just give us a call – 480.528.1689

Happy Placenta!

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i <3 placentas

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Really. I love placentas. I think they are one of the coolest things women’s bodies make (other than another human).

An entire organ created for the soul purpose of sustaining a life.

Each placenta I get to examine and play with is so unique and individualized.

The color. The thickness. The limbs. The bumps. The shape. The weight. The smell. The amnion. The chorion. The edges. The holes. The calcifications. The infarctions. The arteries. The vein. The Wharton’s Jelly. The length of the cord. The cotyledons. The blood vessels that create the tree of life.

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To spread my love of placentas I offer each of the families I work with a tour of the placenta after birth. I love the ooooooos and the ahhhhhs as I explain this amazing organ. I have siblings put on gloves and feel the different textures. I have had grandmothers who have birthed a dozen babies say “I never knew…”

Because of my fascination and love affair with placentas I started to offer a smoothy directly after birth and encapsulation, tincturing, chocolates, prints, and photos in the days that follow.

I know there is conflicting evidence in the efficacy of consuming your placenta in the days that follow birth. But in my small sample size I have only seen positive results.

If you are interested in all the magnificent things your placenta can do read more on my website…

Placenta-pills

Placentas

Our Birth Stories

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Our stories are one of the most powerful things we own. It is the essence of who we are.

What our stories say.                                       What is your story

What we learn from our stories.

How we tell our stories.

Who we tell our stories to.

We are impacted.

Others are impacted.

Our birth stories, even more. In a culture that is terrified of birth, we hold the power of life. In every birth story you hold the ability to empower yourself and others.

Births that did not play out the story we were hoping are especially important to tell and process in safe spaces.

FATS Mama Circles (both Gilbert and PHX) will be holding a safe space this week to process and tell your story. ALL stories are welcome in our circle. We will use the tool of art to help us process and work through our births.

For the Mamas who have not yet birthed. You have heard countless stories and have a story in your head that is playing continually as to how your birth will go. You are welcome in this circle. Come explore the stories you have been told. Come dig into the story you are playing in your head of the dreams of your birth.

Gilbert FATS Mama Circle is Nov 3 12-2  See the event on Facebook.

Phoenix FATS Mama Circle is Nov 6 10-12  See the event on Facebook.

 

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If you are interested in more birth stories this is a great site!

Birth! Who’s your team?

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The people you choose to be present at one of the most intimate moments of your life has huge effects on how that moment is played out. It is worth a lot of reflection, thought and boundaries.

Care Providers

You and your care provider’s philosophy of healthcare, your body, birth and your baby should be in alignment. It is NEVER too late to switch care providers. A mother went into labor, arrived at the hospital, realized her doctor and her were NOT on the same page about the birth she wanted. This brave mother called around to homebirth midwives until she found one to care for her at home, checked herself out and went home to have her baby. It is never too late to have the birth you want surrounded by the people you want.

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Doulas

Get one. There is nothing more to say. What is a Doula?

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Family/Friends/Neighbors

This is where a lot of reflection is needed. A wise old midwife once told me you can add a couple hours to the labor for every extra person at the birth. Over my years of being a midwife I have found this to be true with very few exceptions. As with a care provider the people you invite to your birth should be 100% supportive of your decisions. In addition, family and friends who hold any fear around birth you should be very cautious about inviting into the birthing space.

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Others to consider

Photographer/videographer

Child care for the other children

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