Body Image

Well, I guess, I'm in a funny mood today.  Or, rather over the last while.  I haven't had one good thought to stream out of my head in a coherent fashion.  So, I haven't posted in a while.  Today, however, I feel a little inspired, thanks to my Wii Fit. 

I try everyday to hop on the thing.  Just to see how well I am doing.  Or not doing.  I hate it.  I hate getting on it, it telling me to stay still, it analysing me, and how I get so disappointed when it tells me I've gained 2oz and then asks me to explain why I've gained 2 damn oz.  Probably cause I ate too many fricken cookies, or didn't eat enough fiber to combat the cookies.  And all for what?  Why do I really care what it says?

Probably, because, over the years I've had too many assholes (read: media, family, friends, exes.....) in my life convincing me that my weight will make me a good, happy, beautiful person.

I have 4 children, three of which are girls.  How do I show them that I am a good, strong, intelligent women, when what I show them revolves around how big my thighs look in yoga pants.  First off, no one looks good in yoga pants.  Sorry, no one.  I really don't care if you can run a marathon, and have been training your entire life, yoga pants leave nothing to the imagination, and should be worn around the house only.  I'm sure, some look better than others in yoga pants, but it should not be considered dress up attire.  Never the less, what is it that I teach my girls?  I believe that I try and teach them to live a healthy life, that they are smart, and beautiful for what ever they are.  But, how stupid is that when my focus, for so many years of my life, has been to be skinny.

Not many people know, but when my husband met me almost 12 years ago, I was very small, like gross small.  I was bulimic, actually.  And, still, I remember way back when, that I would look in the mirror, and see fat.  I look at those pics now, and see a sick little girl.  I was only 18.  If, I hadn't met my husband way back then, I don't know if I would have ever gotten over it.  He loved me, for whatever reason, for whatever way I was.  And, has since seen me through many a pant size, without complaint.

I have realized over the last year though, that my body, is perfect.  I still like to exercise, and I would love to tone up a bit, but otherwise, I am what I am meant to be.  I want to be strong enough to play with my kids.  Which, in all honesty is more about gaining marathon like endurance.

I am not a swimmer, and do not like swim suits.  However, I must brag a little, I bought one this summer, AND wore it to the beach!!  My kids were so excited to have me by the water with them.  It was something I totally took for granted, and never realised how much I had missed.  It was always Daddy with them, I usually just hung out on the sidelines.  I completely forgot about trying to suck in!  I enjoyed my children.  My hubby later told me he was proud that I had come out with them.  He said "the kids really loved having you play today.  They don't ever look at you and think fat, they look at you and think "Mommy"".  And, that was so right.  Your children will never look at you in a negative way, until you start to ingrain in them negative thoughts.

I feel, like, we should be teaching our children more about being a considerate person to others, and less about what the new spring fashion is going to be.  My girls love to play dress up, and they love to have their nails painted, but that's fine, I think.  They understand that you can live life without it.  And, it's not just about teaching our daughters to love themselves.  It's about teaching our sons to be respectful, and to love how they are too.  I am hoping my boy grows up to be a man much like his father. 

I will still get on the Wii.  But, I don't put as much faith in as I used too.  I have never really been over weight, as with most women who put undue stress on themselves.  I have no idea what it is like to be to an unhealthy point.  With kids though, we should all try and lead by example.  We don't need to be on the cover of a magazine to be a good role model. 

Excited!!!

Okay, so this past week, I got a call from a local pregnancy to toddler hood magazine.  I got a call to do a short article on placenta and it's benefits and on all the blessings that come with working with them.  I am so excited!!

My dilemma, it has to be done and submitted by December 2.  And it has to be kept under 600 words.  Which, is not too bad, but I have no idea how to fit all of the joys, and benefits, beauty, and love into it!  Aaaggghhhhhhhhh!

I haven't started yet, I don't know where to start.  I am just so excited that I will be published on something I love.  I love to write anyways, and often enough I do so out of the need to put my thoughts into sentences.  The problem with my sentences is that, I'm sure, they don't always make sense to the general populous.   I want to make sure that this article makes a statement that other people are interested and educated from it.

Well, I suppose, if I am to accomplish my goal, I should get started.  If anyone has any ideas on what they want to really know, please let me know!!

Please enjoy the recent placenta prints  :)

Simple Things

The truth of the matter is nothing starts off simple.  The day your mom holds you in her arms for the first time, the day you start 1st grade, the day you meet your love, the twilight bliss of having your own baby snuggle to your breast, nothing, is simple.  The art of life, is to make it work, simply for you.  I will admit, I haven't entirely figured that out yet.  However, I am gaining speed in that direction. 

I think about all the mildstones I have passed, failed & even just snuck through, and even if, at the time, I wasn't proud of what I had done, I can look back now and be.  I know I haven't always led a normal path, but who wants to do that.  I think, along with everything I have done "wrong", I have done a thousand things right.  And, I'm sure I'm not the first to pass this bridge of clarity.  I'm sure other people see the crystal in the shatters of paths failed and bumpy roads walked.  I'm trying to get to a point here, so please, bare with me.

I am 29.  I have been a mother for longer then seems right, but I made that decision, and walked it through.  The simple part, is obviously, now I can look back and see that I didn't ruin anyones life by owning up to my right.  I have held many jobs, wanted many careers, and have finally, somewhat settled into understanding that we all have a purpose.  And, I am now only seeing, that the only person I need to please is myself.  Funny 'eh. 

My goal, is to focus on raising happy, well-adjusted, un normal children, as there are too many normal people in the world.  After all that is complete I think I'll have found peace.  The tricky part will be getting there.

The point I am trying to make, I think, is that we never really need to hate ourselves for taking a trail instead of a jet.  I still don't always know exactly what I am doing from day to day, but I am listening more to my inner voice, and following my instincts.  That, has made my life simpler.  Enjoying the sunsets with my husband, colouring with my children, singing loudly to teen music with my daughter. 

Take comfort in the simple things.

Fall Joys with a Little Baking

I got up this morning with renewed energy.  Fall is almost gone, the smell of snow is in the air, but I'm pretty excited.  The last couple days I've been feeling pretty sluggish.  Growing accustomed to the darkness in the morning, and the darkness settling in sooner in the evening really drags me down.  I think for people who have ever suffered some form of depression, this could be the worst time of year.  I have been through the depression hell spiral a couple times.  And, I hate it any day that I seem less perky, because I am always afraid that it's gonna be the day my world falls apart.  I guess, though, I've been looking at life a little more optimistically the last while.  I believe that because I have been through it, I know what to look for, and I steer clear of the triggers, as best I can.  And I'm actually so very much enjoying the colours change in the trees, and the excitement of the kids for Halloween.  I find Fall such a transitional time, and with every transition, comes new and interesting opportunity.

My beautiful kids in the leaves.

I've been baking a ton lately, and I have found a new joy in it.  I've never been one to cook, well, other then the necessity of having to eat, and feed my family.  My husband is the cook, or chef, of the family.  He can create fabulous gourmet dinners out of anything.  But he isn't home right now.  So, I google stuff to try, and to my amazement, it turns out edible.  Well, to my kids it is, and they are the toughest of critics!!  I've created a pumpkin muffin recipe that I just have to share! 

Longridge Choc Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Makes approx 4 dozen

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
3/4 cup wheat germ
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp allspice
6 eggs
2 tbsp honey
1 lg (29oz) can pumpkin
1 cup applesauce
1 cup choc chips (or raisins, nuts . . .)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease or line muffin tray.
In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients: flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon & allspice. 
In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients: eggs, honey, pumpkin, applesauce, until smooth.
Add wet mixture to dry ingredients, stir thoroughly to make a smooth batter.  Stir in choc chips (raisins, nuts).
Spoon into muffin cups, about half full.  To make larger muffins spoon in a little more.
Bake for 30 - 35 mins or until toothpick poked into center comes out clean.

Voila!  They are pretty hearty, and not too un healthy, and without nuts, safe to send to school.  The choc chips makes it a little more appealing to children.  I make smaller muffins, I freeze them and pull them as needed for kids school snacks.

A couple pics of last nights batch with 2 dozen wrapped for freezing.

And for those of you interested, this was the original recipe Addictive Pumpkin Muffins.

My Thanks

After a long weekend, and a busy one, I am so very thankful to have such a wonderful husband.  We have been together almost 11 years, and time flies.  Being with the same person, for so long has never been boring to us.  He has always been a great support to me, and I have been his level head.  We have had so many things to be greatful for, and we have been blessed.

This is just a little story about his thoughtfulness.

I had been sick for about 2 friggin weeks, and my laundry pile had grown to epic proportions.  Or, if quoting my oldest, "it's an epic failure".  I had been washing all the clothes, but they hadn't made it to the dressers in ages, and were starting to take over my livingroom.  Shameful, I know.  My little ones didn't complain, they would get up in the morning, dive into the depths of the laundry ocean, and grab what they found to wear.  And of course, the dogs thought it was a great napping place as the sun would warm the sheets through the window.  I however, was getting pretty tired of seeing it evolve, as was my hubby.  This weekend, he folded and put away about 6 loads.  I'm so happy!  It means more then just the help, it means I get to start my week fresh.  Awesome!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  Dinner with family, great food, amazing people.  I had a placenta, and we got to enjoy the long weekend pretty calmly.

So, in short, I am thankful to my hubby.  He may never read this, but I want to let the rest of the world know, he is the best.

Placenta Truth

Okay, so I'm a little unnerved this morning.  I'm seeing more and more negative media regarding placenta encapsulation.  What I'm finding hard to swallow, is not that there is negative coverage, as that happens with anything, but that it seems all so one sided.  I thought, part of being involved in professional media coverage, was gathering facts from all sides.  Some of these stories are not that, they are trying to present the side that best suits them, or that best makes placenta encapsulation unworthy of notification.

I was first disturbed by this pleasant little article Don't forget to take your placenta pills.  This is actually what first got me thinking on how to better educate women/men/the world on the whats and whys of encapsulation.  I am not going to get into a fight with the author, there are many interesting comments already posted on her blog by many women on both sides of the fence.  But that is also the problem, why are we fighting each other?  Why, when something seems out of the norm, do people react negatively?  Why should anyone, judge, put down or shame something because they do not understand it fully.  I would also like to make a small point, that for any of us who do this, we are not getting rich.  I often  provide the service for free, for trade, or at a reduced rate, because not everyone can afford the standard rate.  We provide encapsulation service because we value the placenta and what it can offer new mothers.

I am a placenta encapsulator.  When I tell people that is what I do for a living, I get a crap load of different stares.  I get people who straight out say "that's gross, why would anyone do that".  I like these people, at least they gave me a reason to explain the whys and hows.  They are the people that walk away from the conversation knowing more.  Most people though look blankly, and discontinue the conversation.  Oh, and I have had a few that have out right laughed in my face.  These people just snap judged me, and what I do.  These people, who I'm sure are very intelligent, educated people, reacted in an extremely ignorant, rude fashion.  Not cool.  And, then,  believe it or not, more and more people are looking for information, and are excited about being able to ask me what I know, and what my clients are saying.

I am not going to force anyone to do anything, I am not going to try and change your mind, I feel though, that the best way to educate yourself, is to look at all sides.  This little "news" clip is infuriating!  http://www.albertaprimetime.com/  How can something be put on mainstream media that is only one sided?  How, because we let it.  We are pretty much content to sit, and let whoever, tell us whatever, and believe it.  But that is another topic for another time ;)

Placenta encapsulation is not a fad.  Acid wash jeans were a fad.  Tickle Me Elmo was a fad.  Placenta encapsulation, is a tradition, and has been used for hundreds of years Many Cultures Revere Placenta.  Calling it a trend, and a fad, put down the real value of what each mom and baby are given.  Some women choose to use it, others do not.  But do not put down that it has helped hundreds, even thousands of women and their families during the postpartum period.  There is research out there.  You just have to read it.  There is also alot of anecdotal evidence shared, and truthfully, why shouldn't we count that?  If you think your friends haircut looks great, you ask where she got it done.  If you want to find a good restaurant, you read a review, even choosing a doctor is based on what you hear.  So, if my best friend says nothing but good about taking her placenta, then why not look it up, and determine if it's my best option. 

A thousand years ago when someone was sick, they called to their local shaman, midwife, elder, healer...."doctor".  Most of these healers did not go to university, the learnt from previous healers, from nature, from life and experience.  The art of placenta encapsulation, tinctures, salves, all are along those lines, ancient healing wisdom that still hold strong in today's society.  There is a need for placenta, or we would not be having this conversation.  Today, we have midwives, naturopaths, homeopaths, doctors from all walks, and we use them.  We benefit from them.  And, we are all grateful for so many of modern medicines contributions.  But we still go back to our ancestral roots.  When you have a cold, do you not want a glass of OJ?  Do you not crave a bowl of chicken soup?  These are things that are culturally acceptable, and suggested by medical professionals for helping ease a cold.  Why not continue to use our past to better our present?  Learning how to use what we are given is part of evolution.

Please, feel free to comment, or ask me a question.  I am posting a few other links for review if you are interested.  Thanks!

PBi, based out of Nevada, US,  tons of info on the benefits of the placenta, list of many placenta encapsulation specialists,and continuously doing research!
International Placenta Encapsulation Network, UK based organization with references, information, encapsulation specialist, trainings.
A short video as to Why Placenta Encapsulation
A local Alberta Mom says eating placenta helps cure postpartum depression

Bored

Alright, so where do I begin.  I'm frickin bored!  I have spent most of my summer cleaning and organzing my home.  Much to the dismay of friends when they walk in and see the well loved house I call home.  I absolutly can not keep it all together all the time.  However, I truly now know where everything I need on a daily bases is for me to function at appropriate speeds. 

I'm home this evening with the appropriate amount of laundry to fold, the dishwasher continuously going and the just enough of a messy floor to know that I did wash it this morning.  I crack a beer, cause if I don't I think I may just do the cracking.  I am so bored!  Summer is almost over!  The kids are in bed, the air is freash, the sun is going down . . .  I don't wanna be stuck in the house anymore!

I think, maybe, I should be greatful that my kids have let me play good mother and housewife so well this summer.  I should be happy that I have so much stuff to take care of and clean up after. I am all of these things, just a little overwhelmed too.  I think really, I am just getting a little depressed that fall is in the air.  I love the colours, and vibrance of the reds and yellows, but oh, come on!!!  One more week of hot would be bloody beautiful too!

ugh, oh well, enough complaining.  I am going to sit on my deck and enjoy the sun lowering while sipping on a smooth cold one.

Social Media

So, my oldest daughter is on holidays.  She is away from me for 10 days.  My husband is working out of town.  I am so abandoned!  However, the house has a quiet to it that it normally never attains.  The laundry gets done regularly, the dishes are done when I want to be done, and the kids are playing with whatever they like.  I'm not minding the "single" parenting, I'm minding the lack of daily adult interaction.  I find myself drawn to facebook, hotmail, twitter and google. 

I really don't have any more time in the day to waste, so I googled stats on social media.  I came up with tons of sites on stats, crazy! 25 Social media stats This one was pretty easy to understand without having to read a ton.  Which works great, cause I want to waste time on here, just not too much.

I wonder though, why we can't interact with people on a more "social" level.  I remember less then 10 years ago, not everyone had a computer, and when people wanted to talk to someone long distance they sent a letter.  I remember not having a cell phone, and not minding not knowing what was going on with everyone else I have ever met.  I have 400 "friends" on facebook.  And to be truthful, I probably only really know half, and half of that half I would consider a friend. 

I walk to work, and as I pass people I see them twittering, facebooking, and texting.  I often smile as I pass by.  I learnt that from growing up in a small town.  But I am saddened by how many people go out of their way to not even nod back.  Some would sooner trip you, and video it for you tube, then comment about the weather. 

Oh well.  I am not saying there is anything wrong with being able to connect with thousands of people who have similar interests, I'd just like to see more common courtesy amongst my actual, fellow neighbours.

Well, have you ever gone to bed and thought with contentment, "I've had a very productive day", and fallen into a blissful slumber?  Only to awake to the worst in house apocalypse this side of the destruction of the dinosaurs?  I often feel there must be little gnomes or fairies.  Only the ones that inhabit my life are masters of chaos and destruction! 

I had a couple extra kids over last night, and of course there was a little more mess then norm.  I'm cool with that.  Kids deserve to have free run some days, play and explore.  When I got up this morning, I was sure I was transported to another dimension.  One with similar furniture and pets, but WTF!  My laundry pile has grown, all my cereal is eaten and I can't see the floor in my daughters room!  I swear, I got up as soon as the kids woke up!  What the hell went on while I was peacefully dreaming of cabana boys and mojitos.

Well, I guess, my lovely children were being very good hosts.  Our guests wanted a midnight snack.  They all decided that the best way to have a early a.m. picnic was to create a wilderness theme in the bedroom.  One with scattered stuffed bears and bed sheet tents.  Very good. 

All in all, it's not that bad.  Really . . . A mojito would be pretty sweet right about now.

Skills We Take For Granted

I took my three youngest children to the park tonight.  Mainly cause it rained all blessed day, and were cooped up, they were starting to grate my nerves.  They needed to run off the excess energy, and I needed some fresh air!
We were only there about 10 mins when my littlest one annouced "I have to PEEEEEEEEEE!"  Well, even though it's only a 2 minute walk to our house, I figured, "hey, there's forest behind us, why not pee in the bushes".  I had never thought to myself to "teach" our girls how to do this.  My son is forever whipping it out when he needs to go.  I guess I almost figured it was an inate skill that we all have.  I remember peeing behind boats, car doors, trees, sheds . . . when I would go on road trips with my family as a girl.  It was second nature.
So, Clo and I walk along the path, looking for a safe place to "quat" a pee.  To my amazment, she had no idea how to coopy down with her pants around her ankes.  She had kind of a drunken flamingo feel to her.  Wavin and tippin about.  So, I dropped my pants and showed her.  I'm sure if anyone had walked up that path then, I wouldn't be sitting here writing about it.  Probably getting a mug shot for indecent exsposure.  Anyways, I then held her hand, and her pants, and her bum off the ground.  She started, she giggled in delight as she watched her pee make a river down the trail.  As she stood up, and realized there was no cussiony soft tp to be rolled of the alders, I passed her some tissue I had in my pocket.  I figured we could wait for the lesson on what leaves can be used for, for another day.

I'm out of Babies

My third child just truned 6, and my youngest, just turned 4.  I also have an 8 year old, and a 13 year old, I really, truley, no longer have babies in my life full time now.  I haven't thought about it too much, time just goes by, and life just goes on.  But, sitting here this afternoon, as I listen to the little grown up conversations held by my children, I miss snuggling a baby to my breast.  The smell of a tiny baby, the wonderment in everything they do and see as they approach toddlerhood.  It tugs at the heart.

I am actually getting somewhat excited about this part in my life.  My husband and I have never been on a honeymoon.  We have been married almost 10 years!  Hell, we have never been away from our children for more than 2 days alone together.  I don't even know if we would know what to talk about if we had 72 hours alone.  We could get past the first 2 days.  Day 1: go to bed early, sleep til 10am, go for breakfast, go home, lay on couch and watch movies all day.  Day 2: sleep in til 10am, go get groceries together, go to a movie, quiet dinner in child free restaurant & enjoy calm conversation about how nice being alone is, go home, maybe, finally, have enough energy to "cuddle" before sleep.  Day 3: get up . . . . what do we do. 

Besides being at the stage of my life where I now have to oppurtunity to spend more quality time with my hubby, I also am able to focus more on my career.  I can get more work done during the day at home.  My day is not all consumed by diapers, diswashing, dirt removal and dog crap clean up.  I have no more diapers!  My oldest does dishes!  The kids know how to vaccuum!  And my son is a dog poo pro!

I think life maybe actually getting too easy.  Maybe that's why this afternoon I had time to sit and enjoy listening to my children.  Maybe.  I think, it's actually just a new chapter in my parental journey, and I am not sure if I am ready to start it just yet.  So I'll sit a little longer.

Placenta Works

Some shots of recent placenta prints I've done!

I find this so interesting.  The shape is there waiting to be explored.  All you need is time and paint!

I have not done many, but if anyone is interested, please feel free to ask!

How Cooking Placenta Became Normal - Part 2

How Cooking Placenta Became Normal – Part 2
Natasha Longridge, Doula, PES

I remember telling my friends and family what I had done, and of course, they thought I was insane. Staring at me with slack jawed awe at how I could cook and consume something that was once part of my body. I’m pretty sure cannibalism came up in a conversation or two. I didn’t mind, I felt great!
After spreading the word amongst family and friends, and co-workers . . . other women became more and more interested. Some people were a little more soft stomached, and wanted the benefits, but didn’t want to handle the organ. I volunteered. I felt every woman who wanted to experience the benefits should have the capacity to do so.
After a couple years of doing this for friends, I decided I really enjoyed this. I had a strong desire to learn more. The more placentas I saw, and encapsulated, the more I felt I needed to know. Each placenta has its own unique smell, colour, and story. I looked into courses for encapsulation training. The only “local” class I could find was through Placenta Benefits.info (PBi) - Avoid the baby blues with placenta capsules. It is a distance course offered out of Vegas! But what the hey! I found someone who can educate me on the science behind placenta encapsulation! It took me a couple months to finish the course, and I can now give people the many, many benefits of placenta encapsulation.
I love it! I love everything about it! Every time I am called upon to encapsulate another placenta, I feel giddy. I am so proud of the women who are taking their health and postpartum into their hands. I find being proactive is often the best cure, and I am blessed to be able to assist these women along their journey. Every placenta I hold, I admire. I thank Mother Nature for providing such a wondrous organ, which, not only, nurtures a baby for nine months, but also can provide nutrients to the mom thereafter. What an amazing thing this is! I take the placenta, go through each step, and feel grateful to be a part of it. I feel extremely honoured to be a part of each new family. Even if only for a short while!
The quirky thing about all of this, is, when people hear about it for the first time, they shudder. They look at me like I’m a nut, and they pause. After the pause, they start asking questions, “why”, “how come”, “does it work”. I give my little spiel on how it all goes down, about what it did for me, about how there is actual research on the how’s and whys. And of course, it works! Then, people pause, and most often, I get a “hey, I wish I had known about that 5 years ago”, or I’ll get the “wow, that is amazing!” It suddenly becomes “normal”. As with anything, information and truth, is key.

(c) Natasha Longridge, PES, Doula

How Cooking Placenta Became Normal

How Cooking Placenta Became Normal – Part 1
Natasha Longridge, Doula, PES

My journey into placenta encapsulation was fairly straight forward. I had been introduced to the idea by my midwives while pregnant with my fourth child. I had experienced horrible postpartum depression with my 2nd and 3rd children, and I was looking into “non-traditional” ways to prevent and treat myself with this upcoming birth.
As anyone who has ever suffered postpartum depression can understand, the depression didn’t stop once my baby was a toddler; it carried its way through all aspects and many years of my life. I needed to find something, anything, which had the potential to “cure” all symptoms. Or, in the very least, make life bearable.
After researching the idea, and convincing me and my husband, that this placenta could be my cure, we decided to give it a go! After all, what could it do to make things worse! I got the various recipes; how to make placenta Shepard’s pie, great placenta spaghetti sauce and raw placenta smoothies along with the encapsulation steps. Reading about cooking it up with onions and chilli powder didn’t strike me as something I could do (I haven’t eaten red meat in decades). The thought of a raw organ drink curdled my stomach. So, here we are left with the task of the encapsulation process. Not bad I thought, just clean it, steam it, bake it, crush it, and put it into capsules. All a fairly painless process, how hard could this be!
May 13th 2007, we not only left the birth centre with our new beautiful daughter, but the organ that had sustained her for 9 precious months. Packed snuggly in the car seat was our daughter, and snugly in my purse (in a bio hazard bag), was the placenta. Once we got home, I was still on the adrenaline rush of having my baby, and I poked the placenta into the back of my fridge. Still not 100 percent sure I needed to cut up this recently birthed organ.
My daughter was a couple days old, when I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind,” I need to be prepared!”. So, I decided, I’m going to cook my placenta. First though, I had to admire the beauty of this thing. The veins, the membranes, the shape, all in a perfect tree form. I could see the branches, feeling how each one pulsated life into my daughter. I was enthralled at how something so soft and delicate feeling, could be so phenomenally strong and capable of sustaining a child. And, how it can also give me the strength to have a positive outlook on my postpartum!
My husband helped me clean and prepare the organ. We did it in the kitchen sink, as I watched the blood pour from the veins, I felt a little squeamish, and could I really do this? Could I really consume part of my body? Striping off the remaining membranes, placing it into the steamer, I actually started to feel good. I am taking control of my life, my pain, and my future.
Placenta in a pot on the stove. Not an everyday occurrence in most households. The house began to smell like liver and iron. Very potent, and we had to open the windows, breathing new air into the house. It was perfect, the smell of placenta invigorated me, the fresh air awoken me. I was getting so excited at the idea that this may just work!
After the steaming was finished, we let the placenta cool enough to touch. I suddenly had my doubts back, this steamed dark chunk of meat was supposed to help me? It didn’t look overly promising. Kind of like boiled liver, smelly and disgusting really. But I pressed on, if this has worked for thousands of women before me, I was going to see it through. I cut it up, stuck it on a cookie sheet, and put it in the oven.
Eight hours later I was the proud owner of placenta jerky. Gives new meaning to “mom’s home cooking”. I had a little hand blender that my mother gave me for Christmas, she thought it would be nice for shakes and fruit smoothies for the kids. I gave it a new role. It took me about 45 minutes to crush and grind up the dried placenta strips.
Now I am ready to make my happy pills! I sat down at the kitchen table, with a little encapsulation machine, 200 capsules, and my new placenta powder. It wasn’t too hard really, put the capsules in the machine, put the powder in the capsules, put the caps on, start again. My 4 year old son sat beside me, passing me the caps, telling me my vitamins smelled funny. My husband took pictures of us while we completed the project.
Finally, my miracle was complete! I ended up with almost 200 pills! I kept them in the fridge, and took a couple a few times a day for the first 6 weeks or so of my postpartum. I can honestly say I felt wonderful. I had plenty of milk, my mood was impressive, and I could handle nights with limited sleep. I still had the over tired days, that kept me in pyjamas doing nothing but boob my baby and neglect house work. Although, I believe that every mother, even on her best day, needs a day or too like that. After all, at that time, what better excuse to sit around than to cuddle and nurse a new born.

(c) Natasha Longridge PES, Doula 2011