Saying Hello to the New Year and New Traditions
The Burial of the Placenta, Umbilical Cord and Grounding Ceremony
By: Rekeysha Belcher, BSN, RN, SANE, BFHI, IBLCE
What is the placenta?
The placenta also known as the afterbirth is an organ that develops and attaches to the walls of the uterus (womb) during pregnancy. It is the main source of oxygen and nutrients to the unborn fetus (baby).
What is the umbilical cord?
The fetus (baby) is attached to the placenta by way of the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord has 3 vessels. 1 vein which brings oxygen and nutrients to the fetus (baby) and 2 arteries that takes waste away from the baby (fetus). The arteries and veins are surrounded by a protective layer called Wharton’s jelly. At the time of birth the umbilical cord is clamped and cut detaching the baby from the oxygen and nutrient supply that was once provided by mom via the placenta.
Bringing it all together:
The placenta also referred to as the “Tree of Life” is the physical and emotional connection between mom and fetus (baby) by way of the umbilical cord. While in the womb the baby can not breathe or eat on its own and it is the placenta that provides everything the baby needs in order to survive.
Photo:Website: The Placenta: Our Least Understood Organ - Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 800-789-73266 (PENN) © 2023 The Trustees of of the University of Pennsylvania
Burying the placenta, what does it mean?
“Burying the placenta, a life organ - in the ground, is done so that it can become one with Mother Earth” ~ unknown.
Being of Native American descent but being raised in an African American household, I was never introduced to the Native American rituals, beliefs, and/or culture. It wasn’t until I began working as a Labor and Delivery Nurse in Chinle, Arizona where I learned how scared the burial of the placenta, umbilical cord and grounding ceremony is and the symbolic and spiritual meaning and power it holds with becoming one with Mother Earth as your child grow and learn to navigate through this thing called life. So for the birth of my 4th grandchild and a great nephew I decided to introduce a new ritual to my family to pay honor to our ancestors and to pray to Father God and Mother Earth for protection over these new tiny humans.
The Ceremony:
My husband dug 2 holes (approximately 2-3 feet deep) in the backyard one for the grandbaby and the other for the great nephew. While he was digging the holes I was unthawing both placentas. Did you just say unthawed 😯? Yes, I said unthawed. My great nephew was born in January, the middle of the winter so there was no way I was burying anything in the cold. We decided to wait until the grandbaby was born but we actually had the ceremony for my 46th birthday in July. So yes, the placenta can be frozen and preserved until the time is right for you to have your sacred placenta ceremony.
For the ceremony itself, we all gathered in a circle (4 generations) holding hands with me being in the center holding the placenta. I began to pray to Father God the Creator thanking him for the new life that he has blessed us with then for protection, confidence, grace and mercy to follow Zuri all the days of her life, and to Mother Earth to keep baby Zuri grounded and for her to respect and appreciate the gifts (food and air) that are given to her, to continue to be the tree of life starting with our daughter (Zuri’s mom) and if Zuri is to ever stray for Mother Earth to guide her back home to where love is always there waiting for her unconditionally. After placing the placenta into the ground my husband (Zuri’s PaPa) placed dirt on the placenta and prayed a prayer solidifying my prayer. And then we did it once again for my sister and her grandbaby Kareem.
This ceremony in the beginning was something I wanted to introduce to my family but then at the very moment that I began to pray it became more and I understood the significance of this and the power it holds for each tiny human that enters this earth by the grace of God. Surprisingly, everyone loved the ceremony and we have decided that we will have a placenta ceremony with each baby that is born and to carry this tradition for generations to come.
Why should you start a new tradition and have a placenta, umbilical cord and grounding ceremony?
Just think of this ceremony as a traditional Christening Ceremony where we take our baby before the Priest/Bishop/Pastor in front of the church, family and close friends to rededicate our baby back to God. This is the same thing except for we are rededicating and connecting this sacred moment with Mother Earth because it is on Earth that we live our lives and it is Mother Earth who supplies us with the oxygen and nutrients that we need in order to survive, the same as the placenta did when baby was growing inside of the womb so why not?
The Placenta “Tree of Life” Photo by: Fermont Fotografie birth photographer. Website: 9 Raw Placenta Photos That Highlight the Organ's Beauty (redbookmag.com)
An invitation to tell your story
If this story has inspired you to have a placenta, umbilical cord, or grounding ceremony, please feel free to share your experience and pictures of your sacred moment. We would love to hear from you.
References:
Photo:
Website: The Placenta: Our Least Understood Organ - Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 800-789-73266 (PENN) © 2023 The Trustees of of the University of Pennsylvania
Photo2 Website: Fermont Fotografie birth photographer. Website: 9 Raw Placenta Photos That Highlight the Organ's Beauty (redbookmag.com)
Indigenous Goddess Gang. website: Placenta & Umbilical Cord Ceremonies: Ancestral Knowledge in a Contemporary World — + + + + (indigenousgoddessgang.com)
