A mother who turned her placenta into pills to reap the health benefits is now helping others do the same.

Emma Legal, of Gravesend, has launched My Placenta Pills, where she offers to turn mums' afterbirth into consumable tablets.

It is believed by many that consuming your own placenta can have several health benefits as it contains iron and other vitamins, although there is some debate and little scientific evidence over this.

Some women eat it, others turn it into smoothies and some have it converted into capsules.

Two famous names to take such pills include Mad Men actress January Jones and author and TV personality Coleen Rooney.

Before pregnancy, Emma had not really given much thought to what she would do with her placenta, but had seen trends and stories of women who had taken the pills option.

She went into labour in April with her son Louis and, despite not having a plan, when asked by her midwife what she wanted to do she immediately responded "freeze it".

The placenta has to be frozen and kept below seven degrees after delivery to ensure no bacteria is able to develop.

It was from there that the 30-year-old decided to research the process and create her tablets. Soon after, she trained in the industry and launched her business.

But how does Emma encapsulate a placenta?

Firstly clients are sent a 'cooler pack' at 32 weeks into their pregnancy. The pack contains a plastic sleeve which is clip-closed once the placenta is placed in it immediately after delivery by a midwife or doula.

This is then put in a closed box, similar to a lunch box, and placed in a cool bag with four ice blocks to maintain its temperature.

Emma is then alerted to the labour and delivered the cooler pack, when she can begin processing it in her home kitchen workshop.

The placenta is rinsed to remove any clots, then steamed for half an hour with chilli, ginger and lemon before it is sliced and dehydrated for 12 hours so each piece is completely free of moisture and "snaps like a crisp".

The pieces are then blended into a fine powder which are then encapsulated and packaged before being sent out for next-day delivery, or hand delivered by car depending on the client's location.

Emma said: "The whole point is to get it to the mother before she hits the baby blues and you do not want to get there without them."

Emma claims it can help "contribute to getting mothers back on their feet".

She added: "I personally benefited from feeling a heightened bond with my baby, as well as just feeling so happy and full of energy.

"It can help with recovery if you use them. Do not be shy. Do not be afraid."

She recommends that the pills are taken two or three times a day for the first one or two months after birth and any left over can be used when in need of a boost.

A placenta can, depending on its size, create 90 to 200 pills.

Launching her business only two months ago, the Gravesend resident – who became redundant from her job in property development during the pandemic – has had a lot of interest as she works to "glam up the industry".

The entrepreneur is set to release a Delux and Glam range in 2022 featuring 24k gold.

She said: "I make sure it is not gruesome. People think of blood. It is none of that. It is more taking away the scare factor.

"Anything that is good for our babies and mothers will say 'yes I am giving that a go'."

Emma also offers artwork of the placenta using food safe colourings as she said she "wants to help mothers have a connection with their placentas" as they are their baby's only friend during development.

She adds: "It is personal to them. It is something they can have with them for life."

You can contact Emma via email at myplacentapills@gmail.com or visit her Instagram or use an online form via her website.

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