I feel I could be treading on a few toes when I touch again on the subject of eating the placenta. For the life of me I can't get the concept around it. Call me what you like but I don't know what to say in all honesty. I'm aware that the benefits afterward are rewarding in terms of the nourishment factor and the way in which it nurtures new mama's through postpartum depression and I've read and weighed up all the cons oh and the pros's too, but I can't convince myself that it is necessary.
Maybe it's just me in thinking that postpartum doesn't exist in the Maori world and I would be lying if I thought that. I know first hand that I was effected to a degree but what was it that saved me from the full throws of PPD? It was community. It was an age old way of life that we Maori lived in, and to a degree still live in. Where our babies are every one's babies and the concept of sharing our breast milk wasn't anything new. Our normality of the present concepts enriching many lives in today's society, was our way of life. Rongoa (medicines) were sought in our natural resources, within our bushes, along our coastlines, in roots, barks, water sources and through daily Karakia (prayers) Our head spaces were filled with positive feelings because of the community that we formed and the community that helped us to grow. The same community that guided us through our stages in life and the imprints we make on life. The downfall of the community ship that existed came at the hands of laws and legislation to oppress us from our natural habitation to a township way of life. By township, I'm talking yours and mine way of thinking. You owe me for the privilege of that resource, food, service, house and land. With this comes the monetary value of the resource, which we will tax you for and ultimately declare ownership of it's use. We don't want you practicing your hoo haa mambo jumbo superstition, spirituality stuff because that's blasphemy. Or speaking your language amongst yourselves because you could be plotting against us. We will break up your community living structure and educate you in the way of us. This is and was the coming of townmanship to Maori. The coming of age into modern day illness, worries, conformity's and a new way of living, behavior, mindset and value system. Each to their own reigned supreme.
How does this relate in any way to eating placenta? Well if the one of the reasons that a mama would eat it is for the purpose of PPD and to increase milk supply, the aforementioned preventions I suppose in a way backs my plight not to. But, I will by no means mock or knock a mothers decisions to do so, but I think it's a decision to be considered and informed fully about before doing the do. In Maori communities, it was the norm to see breastfeeding mothers, openly and outwardly giving what was given to them as a means to sustain our babies. Many indigenous communities still breastfeed in this manner, which in my thinking encourages the let down of milk. Have you ever heard another baby crying and felt your breast/s leak? This is what I mean by the sense in community breastfeeding. This encourages us to let down easily and increase the feel good factor in breastfeeding, which in turn encourages our Pepi (baby) to feed contently. Feeding which encourages more milk supply. It was not uncommon to allow a close relative to feed your baby if that situation ever arose. Does that make us bastards and weirdos for doing so? No, absolutely not. I had my own sister breastfeed my eldest son at one stage as I was poorly and ill due to the pregnancy of my second. When my breasts were so engorged with my now daughter, she found it hard to attach, so my partners cousin offered her breast in the interim. I love these woman for thinking of my children and offering such a frowned upon act. That is the spirit of the community I know and grew up in.
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