Placenta Consumption: Honoring the Body, the Birth, and the Cosmic Journey of Motherhood
- Cassandra Meiswinkel
- Jan 17
- 4 min read
So, you're pregnant or trying to conceive, and the algorithm is showing you all sorts of things that you might need for your baby. And then you stumble upon a post where someone is boasting about the magical effects of Placenta consumption, such as mood boosts, increased lactation, and help with postpartum recovery...so you're thinking "Is this a trend or something I really need to consider?" Let's talk about it!
Birth is not just a physical event—it is a threshold, a crossing. As a doula who works with the rhythms of the body and the wisdom of astrology, I see postpartum as a liminal season: a time when the veil is thin, hormones are shifting, and a woman is becoming someone new. The Placenta plays a Sacred role in this transition. It is not waste. It is not an afterthought. It is an organ grown by the mother’s body to sustain life, regulate hormones, and mediate the powerful exchange between worlds. How we choose to honor it after birth matters. For many women, Placenta consumption—whether raw or encapsulated—is one way of closing the birth portal with intention, nourishment, and trust.
Astrologically, birth mirrors major planetary transits: expansion, release, and sudden recalibration. After delivery, the body experiences one of the most dramatic hormonal shifts of a lifetime. Estrogen and progesterone—hormones that were sky-high during pregnancy—drop rapidly. This sudden descent can feel destabilizing, especially for sensitive, intuitive women. The placenta is a nutrient and hormone-rich organ. It doesn’t simply “support pregnancy”—it actively participates in regulating mood, energy, lactation, and recovery.
From a physiological standpoint, consuming the Placenta offers a more gradual hormonal taper, rather than an abrupt collapse. It also contains the same amount of iron as TWO blood transfusions. This is why so many women describe Placenta consumption as helping them feel: More emotionally steady, more grounded in their bodies, more supported during early postpartum, and more connected to their milk and maternal intuition. The body recognizes its own tissue. There is wisdom in that.
What the Science Reflects (and Why It Aligns With Ancient Knowing):
One of the earliest studies examining Placenta consumption explored how ingesting dried Placenta affected breastfeeding mothers. Researchers found measurable changes in breast milk composition—specifically increased protein content in early lactation. From a holistic perspective, this is profound. Milk production is not mechanical; it is hormonally and energetically mediated. The fact that Placenta ingestion influenced milk at all tells us that the Placenta remains biologically active after birth, echoing its role as a bridge between nourishment and life.
Nearly a century later, modern research mirrors what many birth workers already witness. In a survey of nearly 200 women who consumed their Placentas postpartum, the vast majority reported positive experiences. Improvements in mood, energy, lactation, and recovery were common—and most women said they would choose to do it again. As a doula, I hold this collective maternal experience with reverence.
Astrology teaches us that cycles repeat, patterns return, and wisdom moves in spirals. When women across time and place report similar benefits, that is not coincidence—it is resonance.
One of the most persistent myths around Placenta consumption is that the placenta “stores toxins.” This belief has been amplified by fear-based narratives rather than biology. The placenta is a regulatory and filtering organ, not a toxic dumping ground. If it were inherently poisonous, pregnancy itself would not be viable. The placenta metabolizes, transports, and balances—it does not hoard danger. Neither historical research nor modern surveys show evidence of toxicity related to placenta consumption. The true concern, when it exists, lies in preparation and handling, just as it does with any food. When the Placenta is honored, handled with care, and prepared intentionally, it becomes nourishment—not something to fear.
Raw or Encapsulated:
Some women feel called to consume their placenta raw or lightly prepared, keeping it as close to its original state as possible. Others choose encapsulation—a gentler, more gradual way to receive its support over weeks of postpartum integration. Neither path is “better.” Astrology reminds us that every chart is different, every body has its own elemental makeup. Your Placenta specialist can discuss physical and emotional logistics on choosing the path that will work best for your body, mind, and spirit. What matters is intention: choosing nourishment over depletion, reverence over dismissal.
Closing the Birth Portal With Intention
Postpartum is not meant to be rushed. It is a Sacred season—a waning moon phase after the full illumination of birth. Placenta consumption is one way some women choose to honor that descent, to stay nourished as they root into motherhood.
The science tells us: The Placenta is biologically active after birth, its ingestion can influence lactation, women who consume it overwhelmingly report benefits.
Astrology reminds us: Sudden changes create instability, transitions require support, ritual and nourishment matter.
For many women, Placenta consumption is where those truths meet. As your doula, my role is not to convince—but to hold space, share wisdom, and trust your knowing. If your body is calling you toward this practice, there is nothing strange or unsafe about listening.
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