Placental encapsulation, while promoted for postpartum wellness, will cause significant reduction in milk production. The website Placenta Risks, offers great information on this topic.
Placenta encapsulation is when mom’s placenta is processed (steamed, dehydrated, and ground to a fine powder) and poured into capsules that she can take postpartum. Whether a mom is considering placenta encapsulation or other forms of ingesting her placenta, she should be cautious that placenta (i.e. rich in progesterone) will negatively impact milk production.
Progesterone (“Pro-gestation” – i.e. promotes “gestation,” which is infant growth in womb) works against lactation. This is why mom’s milk doesn’t fully “come in” until after delivery of the baby and the placenta. It’s why retained placenta is one of the causes of low or absent milk production.
Very often, moms are taking placenta encapsulation because they are concerned about treating or preventing postpartum depression and/or anxiety. I encourage patients to seek medical treatment for this concern with perinatal therapists and/or safe and validated medications for anxiety and mood disorders.
