Urban Earth Baby Postpartum Care Services 503.740.5905 Urbanearthbabypdx@gmail.com www.urbanearthbaby.com Placenta Encapsulation Basic Preparation-$225.00 Inspired by the Traditional Chinese Medicine method of preparation involves cleaning the placenta, gently heating the placenta and then dehydrating the placenta before it is put into capsules. Using this preparation is thought to bring out the placentas healing and tonifying properties. RAW Placenta Encapsulation-$225.00 The RAW method of preparation skips the heating and herbal process altogether. The placenta is still sliced, dehydrated and ground into a powder for the capsules. Raw food activists believe that steaming the placenta destroys some of the essential nutrients. Using this option provides a burst of energy upfront and great hormone stabilization. Traditional Chinese Method-$285.00 Still utilizing the Traditional Chinese Medicine method of preparation, your placenta is encapsulated using personalized, prescribed Chinese herbs. These herbs, either raw or powdered, would then be encapsulated with a portion of your placenta. Choosing this package not only ensure that you reap the benefits of your placenta, but also the healing and wellness provided by the Chinese herbs that are added. *Herbs used will vary from client to client. Please allow an additional 24 hours for preparation. *These services include a prenatal meet & greet, picking up your placenta, encapsulation, cord keepsake, placenta prints, delivery of placenta capsules and a 6 week postpartum follow-up. Placenta Smoothie -$35.00 ($150.00 a la carte) Having a fruit smoothie with a bit of raw placenta added gives the mom a great energy boost, satisfies post-birth thirst and hunger while providing the immediate benefits of the placenta. The smoothie tastes no different than a regular, placenta-free smoothie. You have your choice of fruit and also dairy/vegan. A great starter while you are waiting for your capsules to arrive. Placenta Tincture -$35.00 (4 oz.), $45.00 (6 oz.), $55.00 (10 oz.) Putting part of your placenta in tincture form is another way to stretch out its longevity. A small portion of placenta is added to >100 proof alcohol and set to ferment for 6 weeks. Some of the benefits include hormone stabilization in your postpartum cycles, less bleeding during those cycles, energy and for menopause years down the road. The female child can also benefit from placental tincture once she begins her menstruation cycles. Placental Salve - $40.00 A salve or balm made of your placenta and a variety of healing herbs and oils offers healing properties to C-section scars once they are healed, hemorrhoids, perineal tearing, cracked or blistered nipples, eczema, sun burn, diaper rash (can be made cloth diaper safe!), skin irritation and more. You have the option to choose which herbs are added to your salve such as lavender, chamomile or vanilla. Think of the salve as a super healing, natural triple antibiotic ointment! Placenta Printmaking and Cord Keepsakes -$50.00 *These services are free with any encapsulation, tinctures or salve purchase. Your beautiful placenta is painted with blood or with colored juices to make a forever lasting imprint of your placenta. Your umbilical cord is then removed and dried into whatever shape you desire. You have the option of paying $10.00 more and having your dried umbilical cord made into a dream catcher for your baby. Belly Binding-$75.00 Bengkung belly binding is the Malay tradition of binding a new mother’s abdomen and hips while she recovers from birth. Binding also encourages your stomach muscles which have separated during pregnancy, to strengthen back together in a shorter period of time, helps to reshape your hips and helps to support posture while breast feeding. It is performed by the specialist and done 2-3 days post vaginal birth and no sooner than 2 weeks for a Csection birth. *prices may be subject to accommodate travel fees Cord and Placenta Separation Methods Delayed Cord Clamping It is recommended to wait at least 3 minutes before clamping a newborns umbilical cord. Waiting up to 3 hours has the most effective results for the newborn. The placenta is still functioning for the newborn and even passes on cancer fighting T-Cells through the umbilical cord into the newborn post birth. Allowing time for the nutrient and Stem cell rich blood to enter the newborns body ensures that the newborn with have the best possible start to a healthy, long life. Cord Burning This ceremony is a very personal and gentle way to sever the bond between baby and placenta. When the cord burning is taking place baby is often very quiet, alert and happy. Cord burning is also the most sterile way to separate baby and placenta post birth. The burning cauterizes the end of the umbilical, protecting the baby from bacteria and neonatal tetanus. This is a great time for breastfeeding and to reflect on your birth. Lotus Birth The act of lotus birthing is leaving baby, umbilical and placenta attached for days while the umbilical and placenta dry out, naturally and gently detaching from baby. Lotus birth is the biological way to sever the bond. It is beautiful and reflective. This is encouraged by rubbing salts and herbs into the raw placenta to preserve the tissue. It is common misconception that you cannot choose both lotus birth and placenta encapsulation. As long as the placenta is taken care of properly and diligently during the lotus birth, the salting preserves the tissue, similar to salting fish or meat, and the placenta can be rinsed, steamed, dehydrated and put into capsules. Another benefit of lotus birth is it truly encourages the mother to take a babymoon. The babymoon is the period after birth in which the mother is laying with her newborn, bonding, nursing and cuddling skin to skin. The final welcoming and merging of two souls. Release of Photo & Video Footage _____________________ (Mothers initials) on the _________ day of _________ in the year _______ hereby releases any and all photographs and videotaping of the placenta (produced at the birth of Mother’s child or in the case of multiples) and/or process to her hired placenta specialist for marketing, social media, educational or instructional purposes. Mother agrees to give rights to __________________________ to present and use photographs and video footage of said placenta and/or process during any workshop, class, seminar or teaching curriculum. Mother understands that all personal information including name, date of birth, address or child’s name will remain confidential. There will be no distinguishing information about the placenta shared. Mother understands that the placenta will be prepared in: Mother’s own home Specialists Home and releases her hired placenta specialist of all liability during transfer and processing. Mother also understands that her hired placenta specialist will watermark all pictures or videography of the placenta to ensure safe usage. _____________________________ will not use any photographs or video footage for anything other than marketing, educational and instructional purposes and agrees to full protection of any information regarding the mother and child. 3 Liability Form I, ____________________________ (Client’s Initials/EDD) understand and acknowledge that in accordance to my state laws and bylaws, choosing to encapsulate my placenta is not intended to prevent or treat any physical or mental diseases, ailments or symptoms and that I am choosing to consume my placenta for my own personal beliefs, whether it be spiritual or cultural. The basic risks of having your placenta encapsulated are: *Unsanitary conditions. If the placenta is prepared in a kitchen that is dirty you run the risk of viral and bacterial contamination. *Improper sanitizing techniques. This puts you and your client at risk for cross contamination, the spreading of blood borne pathogens and rancid blood. *Pathology. When the placenta is sent to pathology there are always risks associated. There is a chance that the placenta has been contaminated with chemicals, that the equipment used for examination has not been properly sterilized and even the placenta that was returned not belonging to your client. *Too little dehydration. If the placenta is not dehydrated at a high enough temperature, or if it was ground and encapsulated prematurely you run the risk of fungus, mold and bacterial contamination. This can make the mother and breastfeeding baby very ill. I acknowledge that my placenta specialist has provided me with concrete information about both the benefits and risks of placenta encapsulation, and have read all included documents. I understand that my placenta has been handled and encapsulated according to OSHA and State Food Safety and Handling standards, and has been cleaned, cooked, dehydrated and put into pill form in a sanitary and sterile work space. Upon receiving my placenta capsules from my placenta specialist, I waive any and all rights to hold the specialist responsible for any undesired effect of consuming the capsules. This may include an oversupply in milk, hormonal shift, anxiety or sleeplessness. These side effects are rare, but have been reported. I agree to contact my placenta specialist immediately if and when I experience any of these side effects. My specialist agrees to a 6 week postpartum checkup. I do not hold my placenta specialist responsible or liable for any transport mishap that is beyond their control (ex. car accident or detainment), and understand that I am choosing to have the specialist encapsulate my placenta: In my own home In specialists home If my placenta is not encapsulated in my own home, I put full trust and acknowledgement that it is being handled in a sanitary and safe environment. I put trust and faith that my placenta specialist has been training correctly to prepare placenta remedies. I have provided my placenta specialist with recent blood documentation stating that I have been tested for STD’s and the results were negative. If my blood results indicate hepatitis, HIV/AIDS or Herpes virus, I understand that I will allow my placenta specialist to prepare in my home, using some of my own supplies. Universal precautions for sanitizing are the same with each client. I understand and trust that my placenta specialist retains blood work records for each client and that I am protected. I understand that upon receiving the pills, my placenta specialist is no longer liable, including but not limited to any other person(s) ingesting my own placenta capsules. 2 Placenta Encapsulation Placenta encapsulation is the act of taking a fresh, raw placenta, washing the placenta, steaming or slicing the placenta raw, dehydrating, grinding and putting the placenta powder into consumable capsules. The type of birth you have (vaginal, C-section, or choosing to have an epidural) does not affect the ability to encapsulate. All processes are done with respect and education of that placenta and in a sanitary environment. My business is adhering to strict OSHA guidelines and I am following proper food safety standards. The placenta capsules that are being prepared are for your (owner of the placenta) consumption only and are not designed to reverse medical conditions or ailments from pregnancy, to treat postpartum depression, to ensure normal milk supply or to replace medical attention. I am not a licensed medical professional such as a care provider or physician and I am not able to diagnose, treat or prescribe for any health condition. Services and fees are for the service of encapsulating your placenta, not for the sale of the capsules. Each woman will react to her placenta capsules in different ways. Some of the ascribed benefits of placenta consumption are supported by ongoing research; however these benefits have not been evaluated or approved by the United States government or the Food and Drug Administration. It is your responsibility to determine whether using placenta capsules can be beneficial to your wellbeing postpartum. Client Responsibility It is your responsibility to notify me within 8 hours of the birth so that we can work together to make arrangements for pickup or drop off. Failure to do so may result in delayed placenta preparation and encapsulation and may cause decreased potency of nutrients, hormones, and other beneficial attributes of the placenta. Improper storage of the placenta prior to pick up or drop off may result in spoilage. It is your responsibility to discuss release of your placenta from the facility where you will give birth during the prenatal period and to ensure proper storage of your placenta in a refrigerator or cooler. This can be done by placing the placenta on ice until it can be retrieved for preparation and encapsulation. Freezing you placenta may take an additional 10-72 hours to thaw. It is also your responsibility to inform me of any known blood borne illness (es) or other health issues (such as HIV, hepatitis, etc.) that could place me or any others who may come in contact with your bodily fluids (specifically maternal and fetal blood as well as amniotic fluid) at risk. Some specific sexually transmitted diseases such as Hepatitis or herpes may preclude me from offering placenta encapsulation in my home. My responsibilities include maintaining client confidentiality, committing to preparing and returning your capsules within 72 hours of receiving your placenta (usually within 36-48 hours), and upholding the highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and quality of professional placenta preparation services. In the event that I am unable to be available for your placenta encapsulation, I will provide a backup placenta specialist who is capable of providing services. It is important to understand that there may be circumstances in which your placenta cannot be used. Significant abnormalities of the placenta may necessitate your doctor or midwife sending your placenta to Pathology for further examination. Once the placenta has been released to Pathology, I will not be able to encapsulate without an additional waiver. Other conditions, such as signs of infection in the mother during labor, may mean that consuming your placenta could be harmful to your health. I will always consult with you prior to making a choice on whether or not your placenta is viable for ingestion. It should be possible to claim your placenta after caesarean surgery. It is important that you let me know if you have any health concerns or conditions which may affect the health of your placenta or the health and safety of anyone who may come into contact with your placenta. 1 It is important that: YOU DO NOT LET YOUR PLACENTA LEAVE YOUR SIGHT. It is your responsibility to bring a cooler to your place of birth and keep you placenta on ice until I pick up, which at that time I will provide my own cooler for transport. If in the case your placenta is requested for pathology, you may request that they cut off a piece and take a sample from it IN YOUR ROOM, leaving you with the bulk of your placenta. Make sure you talk to your doctor ahead of time concerning your wishes to keep you placenta. Having it written in your birth plan is great. Make sure to fill out any paperwork your hospital requires of you ahead of time Refunds In the event your placenta is unavailable to you (ex. sent to Pathology and not released) or if your placenta has been contaminated with a bacterial infection, you will be entitled to a refund in the amount of $175.00 for our consultation time. If you choose to terminate this contract due to change of mind within 7 days of your estimated delivery date, then you are eligible for a refund in the amount of $175.00. If I have already taken possession of your placenta and you choose to not go forward with services, I will return your placenta to you for disposal. There will be no refund and payment will be due in full once preparation has begun, even if you choose not to take delivery of the finished capsules. I have read, understood, and agreed to the above information. I accept the responsibility of gaining possession of my placenta, and notifying my placenta specialist within 8 hours of my birth. I understand the importance of appropriate handling and storage of the placenta. By signing below I authorize the release of my healthy placenta to ____________________________ for the purposes of placenta encapsulation and keepsake preparation for my own personal use.” I have read and understand pages 1-4 of our legal contract. Clients Initials and Estimated Due Date PE Specialists name Date of Contract Date Of contract 4 Benefits of Placenta Encapsulation * Preventing and lessening the risk of postpartum depression or ‘baby blues’ * Replenishing your iron from blood loss during birth and to prevent post birth anemia *Lending you a consistent flow of oxytocin long after your birth euphoria ends * Providing the HPL hormone to help establish early and healthy milk supply * To stabilize your ever changing hormones post birth * To replenish your B vitamins and energy that were used during the labor and birthing process *Protection from infection and bleeding due to retained placenta tissue or membranes * Offer natural pain relief from the labor and birth of the baby Prenatal Intake Form Mothers Initials: Mothers Estimated Due Date: Placed of Planned Delivery: List of Any Medications or known allergies: Any known Placental Conditions or Abnormalities: Special Notes/Requests: Lists of Services requested: Placenta encapsulation Placenta prints Placenta Tincture Placenta salve/Lotion: Smoothie/food/meal: Belly Binding? Yes or no Method: Raw Heated TCM Cord Keepsake/Dream catcher 4oz. 6 oz. 10 oz.