"When it comes to placenta encapsulation, I guess you could call me a desperate skeptic.  As a mother of three, my experience had always been coming home from the hospital with my babies, only to quickly come undone--spending most of the first week at home sobbing irrationally.  I felt robbed of the newborn "honeymoon".  I bleed for weeks. I can't lose a single postpartum pound for months. Even more, I am a mother who develops postpartum depression a bit later--when my babies are about 6 months old--and who has adverse reactions to anti-depressants. When I was pregnant with my fourth baby, I learned about Jereka and placenta encapsulation. My first thought was along the lines of "Ew. No way." But as my pregnancy became a complicated and difficult one, my mind kept coming back to the idea. It was way outside my comfort zone. I wondered what my very traditional obstetrician would think and say. I wondered if the labor and delivery nurses at Presbyterian-Matthews would think I was crazy. I was terrified to tell family. I can only say that I was surprised, over and over again, as my doctor, nurses, lactation consultants, and family were nothing but supportive and happy for me. Many were intrigued. It made sense to give it a try, so we decided to go for it.  A few weeks later, I had my baby, and brought her home two days later. That night I sobbed myself to sleep and honestly felt like I was just holding on until Jereka could come to my house the next day. (She was my light at the end of the tunnel!)

The next morning, Jereka came to my house, like a light. She was a quiet and happy presence in my kitchen, answering any questions I (or my kids) had, as she worked. I loved having her. When she left, with the dehydrator humming, she left me a soft styrofoam mug of broth and told me she'd be back the next day. I will be honest--I didn't plan to drink the broth, but curiosity got the better of me and I took a sip. One sip, and I couldn't stop. It was like my body was craving the warmth and the nutrients and I didn't even know it. Within an hour--maybe less--my baby blues were gone. GONE. Never to return. No more crying. I've been a believer since that hour.

I've taken the pills just as directed, and have felt happy and--miraculously--like myself. I have spent the weeks since then enjoying (for the first time!!) my newborn. I have lost almost all the baby weight, without even trying. I've bled a lot less. My Mom talks to me on the phone and has commented that it is so amazing to just be talking to her daughter--not some fragile, emotional postpartum mom. My husband is thrilled. We are all just so happy.​
If you're considering postpartum encapsulation, but feeling on the fence about it, I would just say this: "What do you have to lose?" I only wish I'd known about it years sooner.​