In Central India, women of the Kol Tribe eat placenta to aid reproductive function. It is believed that consumption of placenta by a childless woman "may dispel the influences that keep her barren".
Placentas Around the World
The Balinese wrap the placenta in cloth, place it in a coconut and bury it. In some cultures, burying the placenta connects the baby to land and heritage. Among the Navajo and many Hawaiians, the placenta is placed in the ground to connect the child to his or her homeland and ancestors.
Neither the ritual wash nor the shrouding is necessary for these babies. Placental tissue is considered part of the human body and should therefore be buried and not incinerated as presently happens in the United Kingdom.
In contrast, it is assumed that traditionally, women did not carry out this practice for socio-cultural reasons. Nevertheless, there is evidence that dried human placenta is a centuries-old Traditional Chinese Medicine remedy consumed by postpartum mothers [19].
Many new mothers choose to take their placentas home and eat them, Huang said. It is common that Chinese people, especially the elders, eat human placentas, which they believe are rich in nutrients and is good for their health, several mothers said to the Global Times on Monday.
In Central India, women of the Kol Tribe eat placenta to aid reproductive function. It is believed that consumption of placenta by a childless woman "may dispel the influences that keep her barren".
While there is no strong evidence to prove that placentophagy or the act of eating one's own placenta is healthy, it has been linked to faster postpartum recovery, reduced postpartum bleeding, improved mood, increased milk supply and more.
By burying the placenta it's like giving back to mother earth to let her know that a child has been born, so that mother earth can continue to nurture that Boorai, in particular the spiritual soul of that little person.
In the Navajo tradition, burial of the placenta within the boundaries of the child's family tribal land will bind or root the child's spirit to his ancestors and to the land. The Navajo believe that this will ensure that the child will always return home.
In birth ceremonies and rituals, Africans include the umbilical cord, along with the placenta, in various ways. Sometimes both the umbilical cord and placenta are buried before, during, or after a naming ceremony. In some instances, only the placenta is disposed of through burial.
The cord blood? These are contemporary questions with ancient Jewish solutions. The Jewish Pregnancy Book says that, according to the Talmud, the placenta should be preserved in a bowl with oil, straw, or sand and buried in the earth a few days after the baby's birth to symbolize the cycle of life.
The burial of the placenta and umbilical cord is thought to restore the woman's fertility and help heal her womb.
(Quran: Surah Az-zumar, 39:Ayah 6). “He makes you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness..” This statement is from Sura 39:6.
The placenta, or whenua, is very sacred in the Māori culture and it is custom for it to be buried at a place of cultural significance or on ancestral land, as the Māori people believe that humans came from the Earth mother Papatūānuku, so returning the whenua to the land is a sign of respect and thanks.
In fact, humans are so averse to eating our own placentas after birth that it has not been recorded by any culture anywhere in the world in all of human history. We have buried them, burned them and occasionally sold them as medicine to other people, but as far as we know, we have never routinely eaten our own.
In Korea, the placenta was believed to be a symbol of the life force of the fetus and thus kept it in a specially-arranged place. The placenta of a royal baby was especially highly regarded as it was believed to be directly related to the destiny of the nation.
Since the placenta is considered an organ, now and for the foreseeable future, financial compensation for placenta donation is illegal and carries stiff punishment for violation. In lieu of financial compensation, some have suggested that donating mothers should receive a gift or service12.
Once delivered, the placenta is considered as medical waste and requires safe disposal and handling in accordance with advice from the local health unit and compliance with Environmental Protection legislation. Please note that medical waste must not be placed into the local government domestic collection service.
Ceremonies can play an important role during this time, which can be calming and centering. Aboriginal peoples from all over incorporate some type of rituals and ceremonies into labour and birth. Smudging, drumming, singing, and bathing are some things that can be part of labour and birth.
Some families wish to take the baby's placenta home to bury it. Others would like to take the placenta home for consumption. In most cases it is fine to take your placenta home for burial or consumption as long as you follow the basic health and safety precautions that are explained below.
In Maori tradition, the whenua (placenta) is buried in an ipu whenua, a purpose-made vessel. The ipu whenua might be made from clay, a dried gourd, or kete.
Many people assume that placentophagy, or eating one's own placenta after birth has historically been a traditional human practice. However, based on extensive investigation looking at cultures around the world, researchers have found absolutely no evidence of women eating their placenta in a cultural tradition.
Even though placenta eating is on the rise, it's still not a common request, so you may find that you get some pushback from hospital staff when you make your request. In most cases, as long as you start your discussion long before baby arrives and make arrangements for safe passage, it can be yours.
In fact, researchers at Northwestern University School of Medicine conducted a study and found no evidence that ingesting placenta had any of these purported affects on mothers. Even further, there is zero research or evidence suggesting that ingesting placenta will do anything for a father.
Katherine Heigl
This guy came, he was a total cowboy: Cowboy hat, cowboy boots … and a bag of placenta! He took it to his wife who freeze-dried it and turned it into pills."