What happens with the Placenta?

[DoulaRelle]

Sorry Ally I couldn't help myself , but to tell you I had it!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!

Eating it though, that is more disgusting than my photo - Ewwwwww ROFPML

[sam (already married)]

with mine i was asked if i wanted to keep it (i am of maori descent) but i declined - it was used for DNA testing for the girls (to check if they were ID or fraternal) and has since gone on to be donated to help others (as the blood can be used for leukamia patients) - it's a pretty cool thing to look at - mine was big enough to fill a shopping bag lol amazing to think that something that looks so well gross sustains a human life

[tiggy]

We inspect it to see if there are three vessels in the cord, to see that the membranes are intact and that there are two parts to it. We also look for extra lobes, how the cord is positioned, size and to see how healthy it is. We look for things like calcification (small hard white bits) haemorrage, texture eg; a placenta that is gritty as opposed to smooth. We also turn it right side in to make sure everything matches up and nothing has been left behind. Every placenta tells a story and, if the baby is sick or small or something is a little different, often the placenta will show something.

Having said that, most of the placentas are then discarded, some get taken home.
Alot of the ladies who take them home plant them with a tree, like Cailin's plans, other's eat them. i know a midwife who has a recipe for placenta pizza! Personally, couldn't do that but hey! Each to their own!

My first placenta weighed more than one of my twins! (it was actually two placentas that had merged) The midwife said it was the biggest placenta she had ever seen!

[EllyBoo72]

Thanks Tiggy, Very interesting info, now i know!!! BTW I will never look at pizza the same way LOL!!

Emma, Very interesting to see what different cultures do with their placentas. Thanks for that info

[Rouge]

We chose a cherry blossom for paris as I love the tree, and seth an ash tree as its his celtic tree. We keep meaning to get the trees but always go to get them at the wrong season *oops*

*hugs*
Cailin

[Ambah]

I never saw my placenta... DP says I'm lucky I didn't ROFL.
The midwives did comment on how big it was though.

Thanks so much for the information Tiff, how very interesting!

[julesr]

Had a tour of the delivery suite tonight and the midwives asked us if we wanted to see a placenta - I think they must have been in the process of inspecting one, gathering from previous posts - so we had a look. It was fine, I wasn't grossed out at all (and I kind of expected to think that the placenta would look a bit disgusting). So I was pleasantly surprised, I just found it interesting! Quite amazing really.