Your placenta is kind of a big deal
(And it Deserves Better Than the Trash)
It starts small. Microscopic small.
One egg. One sperm.
And then cells start dividing. And dividing. And then they divide some more.
At first it’s just a little cluster of cells that multiply at an insane speed. (If you’re an IVF mom like me, you’re likely very familiar with this process.)
And then, somewhere in that biological incredibleness, your body makes a decision:
Okay. We’re doing this. We’re making a baby.
And then some of the cells from that cluster will grow to become your baby.
And some will become your placenta.
Your baby and your placenta have the same origin story. They share the same DNA.
Your placenta is as much yours as your baby is, which is why I’d like to encourage you to keep it out of the trash.
But let’s keep going because I really want you to understand how incredible your placenta really is.
You didnb’t just grow a baby.
You grew an entire extra organ
Your placenta forms early in pregnancy and immediately gets to work. It embeds itself into the wall of your uterus and builds this crazy complex network of blood vessels. And this whole thing happens without your blood ever directly mixing with your baby’s.
Seriously. Think about that for a sec.
Your body creates a living interface between you and your baby. A food and oxygen source. A translator. A supply chain. A hormone factory. A waste management system. All wrapped into one package… a temporary organ that didn’t exist before and will never exist again.
The placenta works so hard for you and your baby.
It delivers oxygen and nutrients to your baby, removes waste, produces hormones that sustain your pregnancy, supports immune function, and adapts throughout the whole pregnancy as your baby’s needs change.
And it does this 24/7, without you having to think about it once. And let’s be honest, the placenta gets ignored by most, and then tossed into the trash after birth, only to be incinerated and then sent off into the ozone layer.
Your placenta get no breaks. No days off. No recognition. (Kind of like us moms.)
The Parts of your placenta
The placenta is miraculously and precisely designed. And while they’re all made up of the same parts, no two look the same.
The maternal side (the side that’s attached to you) is usually deep red or burgundy in color. It kind of resembles raw liver. Or a sponge. This side anchors into your uterus and is responsible for nutrient and oxygen exchange.
The fetal side (the side facing the baby) is smoother and shiny. It’s usually bluish or pearly. It’s visible veins branch out like tree roots, branches, or as my kid once said, lightning bolts.
That branching pattern is literally your baby’s lifeline.
The umbilical cord, which is usually about 20 inches long, but also wildly variable, contains one vein that brings oxygenated blood to your baby, and two arteries that carry waste away.
Twists. Coils. Spirals. Knots.
No two cords are exactly alike.
The membranes (amnion and chorion) form the sac that protected your baby for months—another layer of engineering most people never see.
Different like your fingerprint
Placentas come in all shapes and sizes.
Some are round, some oval, and some are even heart-shaped.
Some are thick. Some thin. Wide. Compact.
Some have cords that are perfectly centered, while some are off to the side. And some are even attached in more unusual places.
Your placenta is unique because so many things go into its creation:
genetics
pregnancy conditions
where and how they implanted
how your body adapted
In other words: your placenta is uniquely yours. Just like your baby is.
There is no “standard” placenta. Just like there’s no standard pregnancy or postpartum experience.
And Then… Birth Happens
And the placenta is forgotten.
After your baby is born, the placenta performs its final act: it detaches from your uterine wall and is birthed into the world.
And that’s usually where the story ends.
Typically it’s tossed into a biohazard bag, labeled as medical waste, and then incinerated with the rest of the hospital’s biohazard materials.
Not because it’s dangerous.
Not because it’s meaningless.
But because that’s the default.
Most parents don’t actively choose that outcome.
They just weren’t told there was another option.
What People Choose to Do Instead
Some parents choose placenta encapsulation, hoping it will help them have a more enjoyable postpartum experience. Lots of parents who’ve taken their placenta pills report that their mood felt balanced, they had more energy, a speedier recovery, and even increased milk supply.
Some keep it to make art, prints, or keepsakes.
Some plant it under a tree or bury it as part of a ritual or cultural tradition.
Some keep it frozen while they decide (or never decide.)
Some choose lotus birth, and keep the placenta attached to their baby until it separates naturally.
And some look at all the options and say, actually, none of this feels right for me.
That’s a valid choice too.
The point isn’t what you choose.
The point is that you get to choose.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
When something as powerful and meaningful as the placenta is treated like trash, it sends a message:
This part of you didn’t matter.
This labor didn’t matter.
This transformation didn’t matter.
But it did.
Your body made a temporary organ on demand.
It sustained another human.
It adapted, adjusted, and worked nonstop.
That’s not nothing.
You Don’t Have to Decide Right Now
You just deserve to know.
You don’t need to have a plan today.
You don’t need to want placenta pills.
You don’t need to be “crunchy.”
You just deserve clear information before it’s too late.
That’s why I created a free guide that walks through your placenta options with zero pressure and zero scare tactics.
Just information.
It’s your placenta. It’s your body. And it’s your call.
