EP49: Jennifer Mayer on Placenta Encapsulation, the Birth World,and What to Look for in Birth & Postpartum Support

What She Shares: The history of eating placenta Why single CDC case-studies on eating placenta aren't as trustworthy as are own experiences How her own postpartum period was affected by returning to work after two weeks, being alone with her baby after Day 9, and living with undiagnosed Hashimoto's How integrated postpartum care would be a dream for new moms How her agency, Baby Caravan, matches women to birth doulas, postpartum doulas, and back-to-work coaching services   What You'll Hear: Placenta encapsulation: Chinese medicine history and modern-day uses The connection between homeopathy, cannibalism and eating placenta The recent CDC case-study and its implications on eating placenta Jennifer's experience with postpartum and how her plan shifted when her son was born late: she returned to work after two weeks, and how that affected her How do freelancers arrange postpartum so that we have what we need? The hard reality check of being on her own from Day 9 of postpartum Her diagnosis of Hashimoto's, and how she remained undiagnosed for 18 months Postpartum blood work from a functional medicine doctor is so important! What Jennifer is seeing in the birth world right now, and what we can do better in terms of supporting each other and women of color Woodhull Hospital in NYC as an example of integrated birth care with a 13% C-Section rate (the current rate in NYC is 30-50%) The complete absence of postpartum care, and the average woman going back to work in 12-21 days: this predisposes us for infection and disease Jennifer's postpartum agency, Baby Caravan, and how they help women who are preparing in advance---and in crisis Jennifer's postpartum plan for her current pregnancy: an aggressive savings plan, taking one month off before her due date/three months off after, having her in-laws come to rent an apartment down the street for a month so they can do laundry/cook for her (which she requested!), nutritional support like the API diet, bloodwork, and living in a "plush nest"---and the curveballs she and her husband have already faced in planning What to look for in a birth doula and/or a postpartum doula Jennifer's agency, Baby Caravan, which provides holistic support for families in and around NYC, from pregnancy through returning to work postpartum http://www.babycaravan.com/