Certifications and Training
As a pregnant woman many years ago in search of a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist for myself, I searched until I found the one that ticked all the boxes. I was looking for someone who was experienced, who worked under the highest of standards, who was dedicated to helping women have a happier postpartum healing, and most importantly someone who was trained and certified. These components meant a lot to me and I know they mean a lot to my own clients too.
When I decided to become a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist I knew I had to get trained and certified if I was going to provide an exceptionally professional, sanitary and safe service. I took my time investigating many training organizations and ultimately decided to train with APPA. They are known in the industry to be the most thorough organization to train with, in that their course work is so detailed and concise. Each of the 8 modules, which collectively took over 200 hours of study, prepared me to be the best Placenta Specialist I can possibly be and I am now proud to be Houston's first APPA certified Placenta Specialist.
As well as my certification with APPA, I also hold a Food Handlers Certificate with the State of Texas and a Bloodborne Pathogen Training for Placenta Specialists Certificate.
As a professional chef in Ireland and Scotland I also have training in HACCP as required by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
Frequently Asked Questions
*I am vegan, does consuming my placenta go against my beliefs?
Seeing as no animals are harmed in the process, your belief system allows you to consume your placenta. I also offer 100% vegan friendly capsules.
*Is there a smell or a taste?
Your encapsulated pills smell and taste no different than a store bought pre-natal vitamin. I offer berry flavor capsules for those who would rather not see their ground placenta powder.
*How soon will I notice them working?
Many moms report a notice in mood/energy levels by the end of the first day of full dosage. By day 2 many moms have reported a vast increase in breast milk production. It is important to note, every client will vary.
*I have Group B Strep can I still encapsulate?
Yes! You will simply let me know ahead of time and I will suggest processing your placenta using the Traditional Method as we know proper steaming and dehydration temperatures will drastically reduce microbial counts thanks to research from Jena University, so even in the case of GBS colonization (not infection), we can confidently say that properly prepared placenta capsules will be safe for consumption. For more information on Placenta Encapsulation and GBS please see this article.
*How do I know I'm getting back MY placenta?
A mix up of placentas in my dedicated Placenta Encapsulation Kitchen is not possible. From the moment a client books their services, their cooler is labeled with the clients name, the placenta is processed immediately and the dehydrator is then tagged with the clients information, there is also a chart attached to the unit on which the dehydrator sits and once the placenta is ready for encapsulating, only that placenta gets worked on. No two placentas are ever being worked on at the same time, this also prevents cross contamination. The placenta will be ground, encapsulated and immediately placed into a labeled jar and into a labeled bag. There is full tracking and traceability each step of the way.
*How many capsules will my placenta make?
The amount of capsules may vary from 60-140 and up. Many factors play a role in the number of capsules a client will receive. Was the placenta large, small, thin, thick? Did the client choose the Raw method or the Traditional method of processing? Please keep in mind, while every placenta is beautifully unique to the mother, there is no way to know the exact final number of capsules until I finish the encapsulation process and I cannot guarantee a specific number of capsules.