what are the benefits of eating a placenta?

Oh, dear, I'm afraid you might get a LOT of rude answers from this question.

It is very rich in hormones that are beneficial to women who may have issues with post-partum depression, and it may also help with your initial milk supply. Some ladies who want the benefits but are not comfortable sitting down to a placenta snack may opt to have it dehydrated and ground into a powder which can be encapsulated, which they then take several pills per day until they run out.

Animals in nature routinely consume the placenta for it's nutritional value. Basically, humans can get the same benefit if they choose to consume it.

There are apparently lots of benefits, can't think of what they are atm though, try googling for it. But ewwww have you ever really seen a placenta - ICK I couldn't look at it with my 1st daughter and when I looked at my 2nd daughter's I was almost sick YUCK. No it's not purely a Scientology thing, it's very popular in different parts of the world, I mean seriously there are even recipe books on how to cook the placenta, Just YUCK ICK YUCK, (GAG) and how to dry it and put it into capsules. like ewww who ever thought hmmm wonder what that would taste like in gravy or whatever (omg nearly throwing just typing this lol)

Among many MANY health benefits, It helps prevent or minimize post pardum depression. Which sucks so bad if you've ever had it. You don't have to cook it up in lasagna (gag, but you can find recipes online lol) but find someone in your area who does placenta encapsulation. They dehydrate it, pulverize it, and put it in capsule form so it's just like taking a daily vitamin and has no flavor or anything somewhat resembling what used to be a part of your body.

The previous postings pretty much discussed it. Here's a link on encapsulating dehydrated placenta...that's the way most women normally ingest it:

http://placentabenefits.info/

Before anyone gets totally grossed out....most common medications in the past (and some currently) were made from animal organs....insulin used to be made from swine (pigs)...some versions of it still are.

its a custom to eat the placenta after the newborn's birth. Eating the placenta prevents postpartum depression and other pregnancy complications

Pretty much everyone has answered your question, but someone mentioned putting into capsules so I thought I'd give you an article that talks about it.

http://www.theonlybabystop.com/placentaencapsulati...

Here's another one about the benefits of ingesting the placenta

http://www.theonlybabystop.com/placentatheunderapp...

For the vitamins and Iron -

There's a place that you can send it too and they will make capsules out of it for you to take - supposedly it combats postpartum depression too

Tom cruise did that and put it in a soup.

it's completely full of vitamins and protein and iron etc

Never heard of it... weeiiirrddd!!!!