Interesting Article

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
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"Hazardous waste?" What's the problem with these hospitals trying to maintain control of very least little thing they can get their claws into? The placenta and tissues are as hazardous as the baby itself is! All this tissue came from inside the mother, for cryin' out loud. She has the right to have this if she wants it. When I get a request, I just quietly put it into a container and put it into a clothing bag, and tell the dad or visitor to take it home and put it in the freezer. NOBODY looks for placentas in those stupid hospital freezers. I've worked at hospitals that as policy would give the placenta to the family if they wanted it, no questions asked. Maybe parents should start telling these hospitals that they need it as part of their religious and cultural beliefs and they'd have a legal ground to use against the hospital. Indian Health Service gives Native American patients whatever they want, including demises, because they have their own cultural and burial practices (which are quite nice) and there's not a problem.

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

Not that I would eat it, but I would do the bury it and plant a tree over it thing. It's hers, she should have it if she wants, period. This goes right along with hospitals saying your baby is a bio-hazard and not letting them go to the room with you. What are these hospitals, mother-in-laws? Trying to control everything, the way they think it should be?

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How did it get to this? If a pt told me they wanted the placenta I'd toss it in a bag and say, "Bon Appetit!"

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

It sounds to me like this is the policy of that particular hospital. Where I am we give it to the pt if they want it, no problem. We have a lot of pts from other countries who ask for it and I don't see what the big deal is. Kudos to that mom for demanding what's rightfully hers!!!

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Specializes in LTC/rehab, ED, med-surg.

Found this news story on USA Today and was simultaneously horrified and fascinated by this practice...has anyone else heard of this before? Does anyone on here have a personal experience with placental ingestion or have heard of potential benefits?

Here's the link to the story: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-07-18-placenta-ingestion_N.htm

And I'm not sure if this thread belongs in the 'Nursing News' or 'Nursing Issues' forum, so admins please feel free to move it if it doesn't apply here!

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EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW!

Yes, I know it's hers and I would also have no problem giving it to her.

I do think it's icky though.

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Specializes in LTC/rehab, ED, med-surg.

Ah, so I wasn't the only one to see this in the news....

As far as my $0.02, I say more power to them! If the mothers believe it is actually beneficial, then they have every right to their placenta. It came from the mother as well as the baby; why should she be allowed to take her child home and not her placenta??! Although it's not a very appetizing idea to me, I can understand how some might see the potential benefits, medical or not. Personally, (if I ever do have children) I'll just take mine home and bury it with a baby tree to celebrate the miracle of birth. :redbeathe

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Specializes in LTC/rehab, ED, med-surg.

This is the site of some advocates for placental ingestion...absolutely fascinating!

http://placentabenefits.info/

At first, I was appalled, even disgusted, but the benefits stated on the site sound amazing! Does anyone know of someone who's done this before (or maybe yourself?) and would like to share about it?

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I agree, it should be up to HER to dispense with the placenta the way in which she sees fit.

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Specializes in NICU.

Great about the benefits but gro-dee!

It's kinda like eating part of your own body. I don't do that unless I'm pinned under a rock and need to gnaw off my hand to escape.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

Maybe dogs know something that we don't ??? I know when I worked OB we had women from other cultures ask for the placenta for a ritual. I don't recall any saying they would be eating it.

I do remember when I was a student in the 70's we had a young couple from out in the boonies come in and deliver a healthy baby despite no prenatal care. The nurse I was with said to the daddy "you need to start eating this thing, you know like the animals do only it's the daddy's honor not the mommy's". This daddy turned absoultely green, ran off, came back and said "ok I'm ready now". Bad joke....but it was funny at the time.

I was born at home with a midwife as were my siblings. My father burned our placenta's in the fireplace.

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