> There has been a recent (local) surge in preparing and eating  
> placenta. One reason, for the reduction of postpartum depression,  
> and the other reason for
> increasing milk production.

Sam
Have I missed some "new" research?
This sounds so 60's early 70's to me; when women were doing everything  
from cooking and eating the placenta to planting a tree on top of it.   
I just can see a bunch of rural villagers or nomadic people sitting  
around and feasting on placenta.  Anthropology answers anyone?
It is supposed to be mother nature's only disposable organ. I can see  
it having some nutritional value like other "organ meats" in a  
situation where protein is severely missing in the diet.
Who knows maybe pharmaceutical companies will start harvesting them  
from hospitals again to make a new miracle drug. (Placentas were  
frozen and picked up by a pharmaceutical company at the hospital where  
I worked  in the late  1970's before the aids crisis hit. We always  
thought they were using it in shampoo)

Perhaps someone else can answer on the hormonal content being of any  
value with  PPD or peri-menopause. Wouldn't most women be totally  
grossed out if you told them "just eat the placenta and you won't be  
depressed"?


Saving the stem cells for future use is one thing  but  I'd have to  
think really long and hard before I actually ate my baby's placenta.  
Frankly, I liked the plant a tree idea.
Marie Davis RN IBCLC

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