Placenta Prints
I don’t know about you, but I think placentas are magical. It absolutely blows my mind that we grow a whole additional organ alongside our babe(s) to help sustain and protect them. A placenta print is a wonderful way to have a visual reminder and keepsake of the amazing work your placenta did for both you and your baby.
No two placentas are the same and though most placentas have a general round shape, some do not. They may have a marginal cord insertion, an accessory lobe, or even be shaped like a heart. When making your print, I make sure to capture your placenta in a way that brings out its uniqueness and captures its story.
While some prints turn out amazing, some do not. I take every care to clean and blot the placenta while I’m working with it, but sometimes the prints do not do the placenta justice. For these reasons, please understand that sometimes the quality and clarity of the print is out of my control. For the best possible outcome, a fresh placenta that hasn’t been frozen or a placenta that was frozen shortly after birth and is less than 3 months old usually has the best print outcomes.
The Process
We'll have a Zoom call to discuss the specifications of the print (color, material, design, etc.), communication, and payment. I'll also arrange a time to drop off a cooler for transportation.
Make sure your provider and birth team knows you plan to keep your placenta.
Once you've given birth, the placenta is usually put in a plastic bag (I always suggest double bagging it) and that can be put into the cooler (remember to bring it with you!) and the placenta should be kept as cool as possible (refrigeration is preferred, but freezing it is okay, too).
Depending on visitor policy, how your birth went, and when you'll be home, pick up can happen a few different ways: I can pick up from your place of birth or I can pick up from your home once you're there. Either way, I usually like to pick up within 24 hours of your birth if at all possible. We can talk a little bit more about how this works when we meet!
After I pick it up, I'll bring it home and print it right away! There are very few things that would prevent me from printing it the same day, but the most likely are a client going into labor or a personal emergency. Should either of these things happen, your placenta will go into my own fridge and will be printed as soon as possible (always within a week).
After the print is done, I will dry and wrap the print(s) and contact you to coordinate a drop off time. If you are choosing to have your placenta returned to you, I'll make sure it's bagged and ready to go.