about me
hello! I'm Denika (she/her), the woman behind twin cities placenta. I'm a certified doula, placenta encapsulator, birth nurse, and aspiring midwife. I began my birthwork career as a birth & perinatal loss doula under the olive tree name, having supported and transitioned to placenta & herbal work as twin cities placenta in 2022. having worked primarily with clients with prior trauma, I believe in the ability of the placenta to support physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.
what is placentophagy?
placentophagy, or placenta consumption, is exactly what it sounds like: ingesting the placenta after birth. while this practice has gained popularity in recent decades, it is a practice rooted in the history of many cultures and species. in fact, humans are one of only a few mammals that don’t routinely eat their placentas! new parents consume their placentas with a number of goals and motivating factors in mind: ritual or tradition, adding to nutrition, supporting milk supply, preventing postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, restoring hormonal balance, and more. the evidence on each of these varies in scope and quality, but choosing to consume — or not consume — one’s placenta is a deeply personal choice, and all options are valid!
