This is to confirm all your suspicions and beliefs that we're weird. After Joy Anna was born, we put her placenta in the freezer and the midwife told us we needed to keep it for a month, in case Joy Anna had any problems (doctors can diagnose all sorts of diseases/complications just from examining a placenta). Then we could do whatever we wanted to with it.
Today, we had over 100lb of beef delivered and Mom needed room in the freezer so we decided to do something about the placenta to make extra room. We decided to bury it. So tonight, Grace, Promise, Joshua and I thawed the placenta. Then I put on my disposable gloves which I use during births, and examined it (boy, that was cool - I totally grossed them out!). I rinsed it and showed them the two sides - the tree of life with the umbilical cord for Joy Anna, and the bumpy, odd looking side for Mommy. I also rinsed the end of the umbilical cord to show the kids the three vessels. Promise thought it was fascinating, but Grace just held her nose and said, "Ew! It stinks." Finally, we took it outside, and buried it in Mom's garden where she told us. It was a rather odd ceremony. :-D
Because I'm so very competitive... I can say we can be even crazier. :P
ReplyDeleteDid you know that the placenta (all mammals) is ridiculously and insanely nutritious? So much that, after baby horses are born, wild mares EAT the placentae. One, to get rid of the scent of a new vulnerable colt and two, to get some energy after a lot of horse screaming? (I dunno about the last part). If our Mom were to get pregnant again, I think we would make her do it. Heh heh...
Great blog, btw!
~Victoria
P.s. More useless info - the umbilical cord is completely made of undifferentiated cells. In English, it means that if a baby has some problems or is even missing body parts, you can just put some "umbilical cord" on it, and it will form properly!
P.p.s. Tell me to hush up if you already know this, since you ARE a doula. :P