What to do with the placenta? - Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Forums ~ BellyBelly

Antheia · #1 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 02:01 PM

My midwife has said they don't take the placenta away. So how do i get rid of it? I'm not interested in burying it and i don't want it hanging around my freezer for too long. So what do i do? Cause i know you can't just throw it in the bin.

feeb · #2 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 02:10 PM

they go into a 1 specific bin and then get incinerated.

Smoz · #3 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 02:11 PM

pmsl, im sure the bin man would enjoy that little surprise heehee

can i ask why you wouldn't want to bury it? some cultures eat it but i couldn't do that, why not inquire around the univeristies and see if they want it for lab research depending how you feel about that....but i think its very weird that the hospital doens't have some way to dispose of it!!!

DoubleDee268 · #4 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 02:25 PM

are you having a home birth antheia? if you are I am pretty sure you would have to bury it just to dispose of it unless your local hospital will take it if you drop it off.

I just got an email from MIL asking if she could have mine WTF???

feeb · #5 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 02:26 PM

they do dispose of them by incineration, the bin is a different colour so that nothing else gets put in there.

chocolatecatty · #6 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 02:30 PM

Hehe, put it up on ebay....I'm sure there'd be a lot of interest! Ha. You'd certainly make the papers.

Burying it (deep!) would be my suggestion too. Get your DH to dig a hole and get your DD to pick a nice tree to plant on top of it perhaps? A special link between her and her new bro/sis?

feeb · #7 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 02:31 PM

[quote=chocolatecatty;1425063]Hehe, put it up on ebay....I'm sure there'd be a lot of interest! Ha. You'd certainly make the papers.

LOL OMG what a classic!!!!!!!!!!!! there is always weird and wonderful things on ebay!!!

~amysarah~ · #8 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 02:34 PM

A little fun fact for you..

The ancient egyptians believed that the placenta carried magical powers. The placenta of the Pharoah was placed on a pole and carried into battle - making the placenta history's first ever flag!!

Smoz · #9 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amysarah85

A little fun fact for you..

The ancient egyptians believed that the placenta carried magical powers. The placenta of the Pharoah was placed on a pole and carried into battle - making the placenta history's first ever flag!!

i will never be able to look at a flag the same

you can have a painting made with it!!! there is an artisit that takes your placenta rolls it in paint and throws it on a canvas, the print it leaves is your artwork but again dont know what they do with it after!

Antheia · #10 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 03:15 PM

Yes sorry forgot to say i am having a homebirth! I don't want to bury it because our dog would dig it up. I'm not that interested in having a tree on it or in a pot plant.

Bathsheba · #11 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 03:17 PM

We buried our DD's placenta (about 1 meter down) on my mother's farm and planted a lemon scented gum over it. I love the idea that my placenta has lived on within the tree (which has thrived BTW). I often think of the law of physics: energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it only changes form.

I wasn't so keen on planting my second two placentas. It was mainly just my first that I felt the need to preserve. I don't think they even asked me if I wanted them (hospital births). They asked me what i was going to do with my first because I had my DD at a birth centre and i don't think they disposed of them there either.

ETA: if you buried it about a meter down surely your dog couldn't reach it??? Maybe put something heavy over the top of it for a while?

Smoz · #12 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 03:21 PM

yer given that you're having a home birth i would phone the local hospital and ask what your options are, even if they cant take it they might be able to suggest a place to 'send' it, or a pathology company....

DANNIIM · #13 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 05:34 PM

The problem you have with dogs is that when ever it rains any animal/human product lets off a smell that comes to the surface and the dog would think it is highly inviting.

Good luck with what ever you choose.

OMG doubledee, your MIL wants your placenta!

DoubleDee268 · #14 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DANNIIM

OMG doubledee, your MIL wants your placenta!

i'm feeling very scared. she ate all 4 of hers (all respect to people who choose to do this but eeeewwww!!!!)

I am hoping she wants to use it to plant an oak tree or something but I'm not sure how to respond to this so I am ignoring it at the moment.... i don't want to offend her ...lol

Antheia · #15 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 08:42 PM

Maybe she does wanna eat it lmao! It is a very rich source of iron. But yeah i couldn't do it myself, blerk :P

AliBaby · #16 (**permalink**) September 15th, 2008, 08:53 PM

OMG I never thought about this but eating it!!! Ewwwh! (sorry)!
DoubleDee- Have you told your DH that his mum wants your placenta?

DoubleDee268 · #17 (**permalink**) September 16th, 2008, 07:29 AM

Alibaby - I haven't told him yet .... it's not like I can just go over dinner "by the way bub your mum asked if she can have part of my uterus ... pass the salt will ya" PMSL!