DIY or Hire a Trained Specialist

In a previous blog, I talked about some of the reasons why some people decide to have their placenta encapsulated.  After deciding if it is something you want to pursue or not, the next thing you may need to decide is whether you should hire someone or try doing it yourself.  Even as a trained specialist who gets paid by doing this for other people, I recognize that there are pros and cons to each side.  You just have to determine what it is best for you.  So let's just jump into it! 

DIY Pros 

• Saving money.  If you have the necessary supplies, it is cheaper to do it yourself.
• Done in your own kitchen and home environment 
• The empowerment of doing it all on your own *and maybe some bragging rights*
• Being able to control how it is processed

Pros to hiring a specialist

• You are hiring a trained professional who knows how to examine your placenta and what to look for.
• Specialist can begin while you are still at the hospital, birth center, or even home.  You don't have to worry about dealing with trying to process it in time while recovering from birth.
• Ongoing support.  Your specialist will be there to answer any questions about taking your capsules and troubleshooting anything that may come up.
• Your specialist knows how to properly disinfect the work area, regardless of if it is in their work space, or yours.
• You don't have to deal with the mess of cleaning everything before, during, and after the process.  It can get pretty bloody.

DIY Cons

• Less time spent recovering and bonding with baby.
• No specific training on what you are doing, or things to look out for that may indicate your placenta isn't fit for consumption.
• Possibly buying equipment that you will never use again, which may cost just a little less than hiring someone.
• You only have the one placenta and you run the risk of ruining it, or making mistakes.

Cons to hiring a specialist 

• The cost of paying someone to process it for you and potentially not experience any of the benefits
• The possibility of hiring an untrustworthy specialist.
• Having to give up control of your placenta to someone else

As you can see, it all really just depends on what you want, and the availability of a trained specialist in your area.  If doing it yourself is something you are interested in, then go for it!  Do some research on proper protocols and make sure you have adequate help with the baby so you don't feel rushed.  Between cleaning, prepping, processing, and cleaning again, you are looking at anywhere from 3-4 hours (not including the time it takes to dehydrate).  Or maybe you will get lucky and your partner will be willing to do all the work for you.  

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Now you may be looking at the Cons of hiring a specialist and you see "the possibility or hiring an untrustworthy specialist" and your eyes are probably doubling in size.  Unfortunately, it does happen and it's a risk that you need to be aware of.  So, in a future blog I will be discussing how to hire a specialist and questions to ask.

I've had a few different postpartum experiences regarding my decisions about placenta encapsulation.  With my first child, I decided not to encapsulate my placenta.  It was still new to me and to be honest, I thought it was pretty gross.  I ended up having a harder postpartum experience than expected and I ended up regretting not having it done.  Do I know for sure that it would have helped?  No.  But I would have been willing to try anything to make it better the next time.  So, with my second child I decided to give it a shot and I paid my doula, who was a trained specialist, to encapsulate for me.  My experience with it was so great that I decided to get certified so I could also offer this service to women in my area.  After the birth of my third child, I decided to go ahead with encapsulation again, but do it myself this time since I am certified and trained.  I figured I would be able to save some money and make sure it was done right.  And to be honest - I fully regret going the DIY route.  Not because I messed up or wasn't qualified, but because it was the last thing I wanted to be doing.  I should have been resting and bonding with my baby, but instead I was stressing about trying to keep him content and taking frequent breastfeeding breaks while also trying to keep a clean and organized workspace.  I ended up putting it off until the very last minute and I almost just put the placenta in the freezer to do at a later date. 

Although I am done having kids (knock on wood), I would hire a specialist if I ever had more.  The peace of mind that it is in good hands and that I can relax, recover, and bond with my new baby is worth it to me.  However, I would never tell someone that she shouldn't have the right to do it herself, if that's what she wanted to do.  So what do you think?  Have you had your placenta encapsulated and chose the DIY route?  Or did you hire a trained professional that you trusted?  I love to hear about your experiences, so leave them in the comments! ​