Crystal Pena 480-710-5665 www.InJoyableBirth.com Crystal is happily married and the proud mom of three fun little boys. After the birth of her second son in 2007 she found that she could not get enough information about all things related to pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting and realized that she had a calling to work in the birth field. It has been her passion since that realization to become a doula and ultimately a midwife. She attended a DONA approved Labor Support Course for Birth Doulas through the Simkin Center for Birth Vocations at Bastyr University in the Seattle area and is now a student midwife with Nurturing Hearts Birth Services.

Placenta Encapsulation (Placentophagy)

The placenta is a miraculous thing. It is the only organ the human body can generate on demand as needed. The placenta supplies us with all the wonderful hormones essential for growing our babies. As the placenta is birthed and leaves our body, so do the hormones. For many women this sudden plummet in hormone levels has a profound effect. Women who choose to encapsulate their placenta report that it helped them to:

• Alleviate postpartum depression and mood swings.
• Shorten postpartum recovery time.
• Battle stress and fatigue.
• Increase milk production.
• Feel more energized.
• Find relief from the after-pains following birth and from menstrual cramping later on.

Placenta encapsulation is a process during which the placenta is dehydrated, ground up into a fine powder, and placed into 100% vegetarian capsules which are easily ingested. By doing this we are able to retain those hormones which are so helpful for maintaining balance in our bodies.

After the birth of your baby, simply contact me to arrange for me to pick up your placenta. I will take it to my home for preparation and deliver it back to you in pill form along with instructions on how to take it. You will receive your pills within 3 days of the birth. The total cost for your placenta encapsulation is $150, the benefits are priceless!