The placenta, or whenua, is very sacred in the Māori culture and it is custom for it to be buried at a place of cultural significance or on ancestral land, as the Māori people believe that humans came from the Earth mother Papatūānuku, so returning the whenua to the land is a sign of respect and thanks.
Traditionally, the whenua (placenta) and pito (umbilical cord) of newborn babies are buried in a significant place. The placenta is placed in a specially prepared receptacle and buried in a particular location. This practice reinforces the relationship between the newborn child and the land of their birth.
After the birth of a baby it is customary Māori practice to bury the whenua (afterbirth) in the land, most often in a place with ancestral connections.
After the birth, Maori parents take the placenta and umbilical cord (called “pito”) and bury it. Returning the placenta – the baby's life force for those precious nine months – to mother nature, establishing their life long bond.
“For many Indigenous cultures, the placenta is a living being.” Some other cultures believe in a sort of twinning of child and placenta. In Ancient Egypt, the placenta was considered by many to be a child's secret helper. Some Icelandic and Balinese cultures see the placenta as a child's guardian angel.
In Samoa the placenta must be totally burned or buried so it will not be found by evil spirits. Burying or burning it at home also ensures the child will remain close to home as it moves through life.
But placentophagy -- the practice of eating one's placenta after birth -- is relatively common in China, where it is thought to have anti-ageing properties, and dates back more than 2,000 years.
While some claim that placentophagy can prevent postpartum depression; reduce postpartum bleeding; improve mood, energy and milk supply; and provide important micronutrients, such as iron, there's no evidence that eating the placenta provides health benefits. Placentophagy can be harmful to you and your baby.
Preparing the placenta for consumption by mothers is considered traditional among Vietnamese and Chinese people. The Chinese believe a nursing mother should boil the placenta, make a broth, then drink it to improve her milk.
Having your hair unkempt or rapa mamae was also a sign of mourning and generally an indication for grief. Tikanga for not cutting your hair while hapu is thought that you shouldn't cut your hair to ensure your unborn child will be able to receive your energy and strength to aid in the growth of the baby.
Native Hawaiians traditionally plant the placenta with a tree, which can then grow alongside the child. Placentophagia has a long history. Experts in traditional Chinese medicine have documented the practice for more than 2500 years.
For Māori, the leading causes of death in 2020 were cancer, ischaemic heart diseases and chronic lower respiratory diseases (with 163.8, 72.2 and 37.9 deaths per 100,000 Māori population respectively).
A study of ancient menstrual rites, recorded in tribal songs and chants, reveal that menstrual blood was used for psychic and spiritual protection.
Do Hospitals Keep Placentas? Hospitals treat placentas as medical waste or biohazard material. The newborn placenta is placed in a biohazard bag for storage. Some hospitals keep the placenta for a period of time in case the need arises to send it to pathology for further analysis.
A placenta provides a perfect environment for germs to grow, which can be a threat to your health and the health of other people around you.
This ritual is said to give protective powers over the child. In both Japanese and Chinese culture, the placenta burial is believed to bestow blessings or protection for the child's future.
They're not the only ones who've openly sung the praises of placentophagy. Model Chrissy Teigen and actresses Katherine Heigl and Mayim Bialik have also opened up about eating their placenta, claiming that it improved their energy and mood and helped with their postnatal recovery.
Igbo tribe of Africa believe that burying the placenta connects the child to the spirits in the ground, and the placenta was given the name “Our Mother.” Native American tribes Chinook and Quinault call the placenta “Grandmother.” The Maori of New Zealand bury the placenta on tribal land to tie the child to the land.
Parents can also choose to donate their placenta after birth. The nutrient-dense tissue can help with reconstructive procedures, the healing of wounds and burns, ocular procedures, spinal surgeries, and other medical needs.
Eating the placenta is promoted by some modern New Age, holistic, and “natural-is-good” cultural beliefs. Some women eat it raw, but many women have a yuck-factor objection to eating raw bloody tissue. It can be cooked: recipes are available for preparing it in various ways.
In the early weeks of pregnancy, glands in the uterine lining secrete glucose, which it stores as glycogen. At first, this glycogen is the only source of nourishment for your baby. At about 8 to 12 weeks into pregnancy, the placenta takes over as a nutrient source for your baby.
Some people who have eaten placenta say that it's kind of chewy and tastes like liver or beef. Others say that it has an iron taste. If that sounds unpleasant, and you want to try placenta, you might want to consider combining it with other foods or cooking it.
Some Native American communities embraced menstrual huts, moon lodges, or secluded wigwams for menstruating women to escape to during their period. They would sleep away from their family and refrain from even touching them. They would also not prepare food or partake in ceremonies.