"Do you want to keep the placenta?"

 I apologize from the jump if my ignorance in this story is somehow offensive in any way. This was just my personal experience. 

Excitedly, we walked through the automatic sliding doors of the birthing center knowing our first baby was about to be born in the next few hours. It was a fairly relaxed check-in because we had scheduled an appointment to get induced. Kalynn’s water hadn’t broke or anything and nothing else was really spiking the blood pressure up to that point. As we’re checking in and the nurses are going through a little check-list with us, they asked, “do you guys want to keep the placenta?” Full disclosure, up until just reading into it right now, I didn’t really fully know what the placenta even was. Just knew it was something up in the female business that has something to do with the baby process.

My response, with probably a fairly grossed out/perplexed look was, “for what? Do people put them in like jars and then put them on their trophy case or something?” Lol Honestly thinking only about those evil scientist cartoons/movies where they have different body parts or whatever in jars on shelves. Lol I literally had zero preparation for this question or any idea of what one would possibly want to do with a placenta and why they would want to keep it. I’m fairly sure all of this was being clearly expressed by my body language and responses.

The nurse, seemingly amused by my reaction and silly question, shrugged her shoulders and responded with, “sometimes people like to eat it. I’ve heard of people putting them in smoothies or eating it in other ways.” Wide eyed and a little shocked, having not had this option anywhere even near the realm of possibilities of why someone would keep the placenta, I asked, “Why..?!” Lol Of course, they then explained the health benefits of it and also that some people do it for more natural and/or spiritual types of reasons. It was finally starting to make a little sense.

Nevertheless, selfishly and completely locked into my own thoughts at this point, without even thinking of consulting Kalynn, I responded with a sharp, “Uhhhh, no I think we're good.” Lol It was at this moment that I somehow came to and remembered that I wasn’t the only person on the planet and looked over to Kalynn to see what she wanted to do(as if she’s more connected and important to this whole “birthing/placenta process” than I am…(-; ). 

Anyways, long story long, we ended up deciding not to keep the placenta. I look back at this experience though and can’t help but just chuckle a little bit. Just another probably very normal and understood life question/process(of keeping the placenta) completely taking me off guard. I guess the moral of the story is to never be too afraid to ask questions..? I mean, look how much knowledge I now have. Lol

Hope everyone is doing great. 

PEACEEEE