FAQs

when do i reserve your services?

It is highly recommended that you secure your spot as soon as you decide that I am the specialist you need. However, you can still sign up after your baby is born if I have availability. If you sign up in advance, you will receive a quick turnaround time within 48 hours. Moreover, if you sign up three weeks before your due date, you will receive a personal transportation kit. This kit includes a cooler and pre-labeled food-safe bags to store and transport your placenta safely. To reserve my services, you can sign up online by paying the deposit and submitting your agreement form. After receiving the payment and form, I will send you an email confirming receipt and provide you with all the necessary instructions, from notifying your care provider to how best to contact me when your baby arrives.

I AM DUE ANY DAY, IS IT TOO LATE TO sign up?

It's never too late or too early to sign up! You can feel free to text me for a speedier response. If I'm available, I'm always happy to take on a last-minute client. Even if you've already given birth, you can safely encapsulate the placenta as long as you can refrigerate or hold it in a cooler on ice.

how many capsules will i receive?

The number of placenta capsules you will receive varies depending on the size of your placenta. It's important to note that each placenta is unique and no two are the same. The size of the placenta usually corresponds to the size of the baby, so a larger baby and placenta will typically yield more capsules. On average, you can expect to receive between 90 to 150 size 0 capsules.

when is it Not safe to encapsulate my placenta?

If you have HIV, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or a confirmed case of chorioamnionitis, you are not eligible for placenta encapsulation.
If the placenta is not refrigerated or placed on ice within 4 hours of birth, it is unsafe to encapsulate.
If your placenta needs to be examined, it may be taken to pathology for testing. However, this is not a routine procedure in our area. In case it is necessary, you can request them to take a small sample while the placenta remains in your room.
If your placenta has been in your refrigerator for more than 4 days, it is unsafe to encapsulate.

Circumstantial Situations:

In case you experience a fever during labor, a prolonged labor, or your water breaks for an extended period, it does not necessarily mean that you cannot encapsulate your placenta. I suggest following your care provider's advice if they permit the release of your placenta.

Situations that do NOT affect your ability to safely consume your placenta. If any of these situations apply, you CAN still encapsulate.

Induction, cesarean section, delayed cord clamping, cord blood donation or banking, gestational diabetes, group B strep (GBS+), pre-eclampsia, meconium staining, epidural/spinal, magnesium sulfate, antibiotics or IV narcotics or if the placenta was frozen. If you have any specific medical conditions and/or questions, please reach out.

do you pick up the placenta? HOw does this process work?

When you're in early labor, send me a quick heads-up text. Once your baby arrives, please notify me again via text. I'll then come pick up your placenta directly from the place of birth as soon as I can, usually within a few hours. In case the baby is born overnight, I'll provide you with instructions for proper storage, and I'll pick up your placenta the next morning. You can text me anytime, even overnight, and I'll get back to you in the morning as soon as I can. My pick-up hours are between 7 am and 7 pm. Your placenta encapsulation package will be completed within 48 hours as long as the placenta hasn’t been frozen. Once your chosen placenta package has been completed, I'll deliver it to your home via USPS Priority 1 Day. You'll have the option to sign for your package upon delivery if desired.

do i need anything?

No! I provide you with everything you need to safely handle and store your placenta, as long as you sign up within three weeks of your estimated due date. Your placenta transportation kit includes a properly labeled food-safe bag for your placenta, an additional bag for double-bagging to prevent leaks, and two more bags for ice storage. Lastly, an insulated, soft-sided cooler is provided to safely store everything. The transportation kit is for your use only, and the cooler is yours to keep.

any chance of a mix up?

I have over 11 years of experience and have personally processed more than 800 placentas. To ensure safety, I follow a strict and well-documented procedure for each client. I assign a unique ID to each client and label each step of the process, eliminating any possibility of mix-ups or cross-contamination. Additionally, I process only one placenta at a time and have protocols in place in the event of multiple clients giving birth simultaneously. I limit the number of clients I take each month to reduce the likelihood of multiple births on the same day.

after I sign up, what do i do next?

Once you have submitted your deposit payment and completed my client agreement form, your spot on my calendar will be secured. You will then receive an email confirming receipt along with all the necessary details for the arrival of your little one! If you have any questions at any point, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I am always available and happy to help!

will the hospital / my care provider know what to do?

Yes. Most of the hospitals and birthing centers in our area are well-versed with the process of keeping the placenta. I suggest informing your care provider beforehand about your plans to keep your placenta. I will provide you with everything you need to safely store and transport the placenta for processing. The hospital staff or your home birth midwife will double bag the placenta for you and help you get ice. After your placenta is on ice and you have had a moment, contact me to let me know for pick up, and I will take care of the rest.

what if my baby comes early or late?

I am currently accepting a maximum of 5-8 clients per month and booking appointments based on their estimated due date, similar to the way a care provider would. I offer my services 365 days a year, so no matter when your baby is ready to arrive, whether early or late, I am available to assist you. In the rare case that I am unable to attend to you, I have backup specialists with equivalent knowledge and skills who can take over. Over the past 11 years of providing this service, I have only had to utilize my backup specialist twice, which I take great pride in.

where is your workspace?

I have a private workspace in my home that is dedicated solely to placenta preparation. It is located in a smoke-free, pet-free, and scent-free area, separate from my family kitchen. Additionally, I have a strict protocol in place to work on only one placenta at a time. In case of multiple clients birthing within a 24-48 hour period, I have options available for my clients to choose from. This is also why I limit the number of clients I take each month.

how do i choose the best preparation method for me?

I have been offering placenta encapsulation services since 2013 and have collected feedback from my previous clients. Based on their reports, the benefits of both preparation methods are similar, but clients have noticed an increase in energy and breastmilk more frequently with the Simply Dehydrated method. 92% of my clients prefer the Simply Dehydrated method, which follows USDA standards for meat preparation. However, if you follow Traditional Chinese Medicine principles, you might want to opt for the Steamed & Dehydrated method, which is inspired by TCM.

what areas do you service?

My service areas include (but are not limited to): Seattle, Tacoma, Auburn, Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Bonney Lake, Bothell, Bremerton, Buckley, Burien, Carnation, Covington, Duvall, Eastside, Enumclaw, Fall City, Federal Way, Fife, Graham, Gig Harbor, Hobart, Issaquah, Kent, King County, Kirkland, Lakeland Hills, Lake Tapps, Lakewood, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Mill Creek, North Bend, Olympia, Orting, Pierce County, Preston, Puget Sound, Puyallup, Ravensdale, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, Shoreline, Snoqualmie, South Hill, Spanaway, Steilacoom, Sumner, and Tukwila.

The birth locations I serve (but not limited to): Center for Birth, Eastside Birth Center, Evergreen Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, Highline Medical Center, Home Birth, Lakeside Birth Center, Madigan Army Medical Center, MultiCare Auburn Hospital, Northwest Hospital, Overlake Hospital, Providence Everett Hospital, Puget Sound Birth Center Kirkland, Puget Sound Birth Center Renton, St. Elizabeth Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, St. Joseph Medical Center, St. Joseph Midwifery Birth Center, Swedish Ballard Hospital, Swedish Edmonds Hospital, Swedish First Hill Hospital, Swedish Issaquah Hospital, Tacoma General Hospital, The Birthing Inn, UW Medical Center and Valley Medical Center.