Tuesday, September 16, 2008

sucking on the placenta

Not me, the baby. Today I had this test (unnecessary but I didn't feel like fighting them) where they make sure you have enough amniotic fluid. So I had my second ultrasound. The baby was sucking on the placenta! I saw his little lips moving. The nurse said he was probably just bored. Also, because of the sucking reflex, if something comes near their mouth, they just suck on it. They suck on the cord too sometimes, I guess. It was funny watching him.

You have to admit placentas are pretty cool. For the baby's entire stay in the uterus, the placenta gives the baby nutrients and oxygen, and disposes of CO2 and his waste products. The placenta is the only organ with its own life cycle. (Hmm, maybe skin has its own too, now that I think of it...) You can do cool stuff with it, like plant it under a tree, make a placenta print with it (see above), give it to your Bradley class teacher so she can show it to her students, or even...eat it! Yum! My mom sent us recipes for Placenta Lasagne and Cold Placenta Blended With Tomato Juice (mom named that one the Bloody Mary). I think she was joking about the recipes... The site I got this picture from was in Russian (Cyrillic, anyway), so I'm not totally sure, but I think this is what I think it is...

Anybody want to come for dinner?

11 comments:

Amy said...

Bon appetit!

Actually my old roommate from highschool did ingest her placenta. I don't remember what recipe she used but I do believe it was more of a gradual process than the faire you have pictured. I think if I was pregnant right now I would toss the ol' cookies looking at that. Came pretty close as it was.

Congrats on nearly complete gestation!! :) Can't wait to hear!

alleykat said...

That is not a plecenta, I`mpretty sure it is a sheepshead like we had last month, check out my blog.

jay are said...

amazing as they are, that is MOST disgusting to even think about! And bored? I guess so. I mean, nothin' to read, nothin' to do...the same ole scenary. Sheez.

Blogball said...

This reminds me when I was in my early 20s I worked as a waiter at a restaurant called The Magic Pan and they had a dish call ham & cheese palacsinta. I remember one guy was ordering for his girlfriend and said “and she will have the ham & cheese placenta”. Then I said “would she like that with the after birth sauce on the side?” I really didn’t say that but the first part is true.

Happy Birthday! said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
3boys'mom said...

Ok...so I'm NOT the squeamish type....however, the thought of eating a placenta about made me gag! I'd never heard of such a thing! And just in case you'd like a recipe or two.... http://www.twilightheadquarters.com/placenta.html

Happy Birthday! said...

Really, Amy? Ha, was that Tiffany? I never thought of doing it little by little -- that really seems like prolonging the punishment. Aw, man alleykat! Really? I *thought* it looked too good to be placenta. It came up under when I googled placenta images, those cheaters. Jay Are, I never thought of him getting bored...I mean what does he have to compare it to? Ha, blogball, that is really funny. You should have said that. Reminds me of a guy in my old cycling club who told us that if his daughter didn't go into labor soon they were going to seduce her. That works sometimes too. ;) 3boys'mom, I know...it's pretty gross. Our dog used to do it, though!

Happy Birthday! said...

Oh, 3boysmom, I forgot to say thanks for the recipes. I have to say that I don't think I can do it. We keep joking about it though so obviously I have a morbid fascination with it.

Amy, I wonder if your friend dried it and ground it into powder? I read about that just now. That would make it less gross. Then you just add the powder to something. Oh, yeah, I found out one more thing: vegans love it because it's the only red meat you can eat without having to kill something. Eating a placenta is called "placentaphagy."

Gina said...

NASTY!!! Sorry I won't be coming to eat at your house if that is what you will be offering. Love ya though.

Amy said...

It was Richelle. Yes it was ground or something or other where she added it in. I believe it was kept in the freezer during the interim.
As you mentioned, its quite common in animals. However, I just waved happily good-bye to mine, thankful for their job well done, but not in a hungry sort of way. Prenatal vitamins are sufficient for me.

Happy Birthday! said...

Ha! Gina and Amy you know you want to try it. ;) OK just kidding, I think it is gross too but for some reason I am fascinated by the fact that people do it. I really DO want to make a placenta print though...I just wonder if I'll feel like it after the baby's born.