Ok, so now you know a bit more about placenta salves (or read up on last week's blog), but what the heck is a placenta tincture (and why might you want one)??
When you have your placenta encapsulated following your birth, you'll consume those capsules in the first few weeks and months. How long they last depends on how many capsules your placenta produced and how many capsules you decide to take every day. The number of capsules you'll receive depends on the size of your placenta, but you can typically expect anywhere from 75-150 capsules.
So what can you do when your placenta capsules are gone?
This is where a long-lasting tincture can be very helpful. Our Postpartum Placenta Specialists can prepare a tincture for you using the powder from some of your placenta capsules. The tincture takes about 6 weeks to be ready, so it's not a good replacement for capsules you can take immediately, but the shelf life is essentially endless.
What is a tincure?
The word "tincture" is used to describe an extract of some plant or animal material in alcohol. If you've ever used vanilla extract in baking, you've used a tincture! The essence of the vanilla bean has been extracted with alcohol, we use the same process with your placenta capsules to create your placenta tincture.
How Are Placenta Tinctures Used?
Many women like to have their placenta tincture on hand for times of big change or emotional stress. Often we hear that mother's use their tincture to feel more balanced when their first menstrual cycle returns, or as they wean from breastfeeding. Some women use it when they are feeling run down and depleted after months of less than optimal sleep (hello, sleep regressions!) or even many years later to help with menopause.
Taking your tincture is simple. You may choose to place a few drops directly in your mouth. Or if that doesn't sound too appetizing, you can put a few drops in a glass of water, tea, or my personal favorite - orange juice. You won't taste a thing :)
Your Postpartum Placenta Specialist from Doulas of Asheville will prepare your tincture for you as she completes your placenta capsules. You'll have written instructions on how to care for the tincture while you wait for it to be ready and we'll provide some guidelines on taking the tincture when it's ready. Easy peasy!
If you'd like to hear more about our process and the safety measures we follow, give us a call!
We're proud to offer the safest placenta services in western North Carolina.
