Erin Martinez received her placenta this morning from Sunrise Hospital. We held a celebratory rally out front of the hospital in honor of the occasion, and presented the nursing staff with flowers, balloons and a Thank You card. The hospital had told her she would need a court order, but then reversed their decision once she filed the paperwork and learned of our plans to rally in protest of their policy on placenta release.
Not only did the hospital release her placenta to her, without making her go before the judge, but they are revising their guidelines as it pertains to placenta release! The hospital spokeswoman called me Friday morning to let me know that they will now be releasing healthy placentas to women upon request.
This is wonderful news for postpartum women in Las Vegas. Every mother should have the right to care for her baby’s placenta in whatever manner she sees fit. And now we have one less hospital standing in their way of doing so.
Placentas play such an important role in bringing new life into this world, that it really seems disgraceful that we let them be treated merely as medical waste to be disposed of. This brings us one step closer to bringing honor to this incredible connection to the circle of life.
Viva la placenta!