You probably know that the placenta is important during pregnancy, but do you know what its role is and what it actually does? Let’s talk about one of the most hardworking organs in pregnancy: the placenta. This amazing organ plays a critical role in supporting your baby’s growth and development.
Why is the placenta important?
Attached to the uterine wall and connected to your baby through the umbilical cord, it delivers oxygen and nutrients, while also removing waste from your baby’s blood. Essentially, it acts as your baby’s lungs, kidneys, and liver until birth. As you approach delivery, it also transfers antibodies to your baby, helping to boost their immune system for those first few months of life.
Throughout pregnancy, your healthcare team will monitor the placenta to ensure it’s doing its job properly. Sometimes, complications can arise, like placenta previa, where it covers the cervix, or placental abruption, where the placenta detaches too early. Fortunately, in most pregnancies, the placenta functions perfectly, ensuring your baby grows and thrives.
Once your baby is born, there’s still one more job for the placenta—it has to be delivered in what’s called the third stage of labor. But for some moms, that’s not where the placenta’s journey ends. There are a few things people may choose to do with their placenta after birth!
What to do with your placenta after birth?
One of the most popular options is placenta encapsulation, where the placenta is dried and processed into capsules. Some women report that taking these capsules can help with postpartum recovery, including improving mood and boosting energy, staving off postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety that can be so prevalent. Some choose also to eat a chunk of their raw placenta, usually in a smoothie, right after delivery. Others opt for placenta burial, which often holds cultural or personal significance, like planting a tree over it as a symbol of life. There are other creative ways to commemorate the placenta, like making placenta prints or turning it into keepsakes like jewelry.
Whether or not these practices appeal to you, one thing is certain: the placenta plays a critical role in your pregnancy, working behind the scenes to support both you and your baby. So, while it doesn’t get much attention, this powerhouse organ deserves a little recognition and gratitude for the life that it sustains!
