Price for Mommy Made placenta encapsulation sits around $500 before tax, with add-ons like prints or keepsakes raising the total.
What You Actually Pay
Shopping for placenta capsules is confusing. Prices jump from city to city, websites hide fees, and policies read like fine print. This guide breaks down what Mommy Made charges today, what each line item covers, and how to avoid surprise costs. You’ll also see safety notes from medical authorities so you can weigh the choice with clear facts.
Mommy Made runs a mail-in model backed by a placenta collection kit. You purchase the kit, take it to birth, pack the organ as instructed, and ship it to the lab. Once processed, capsules ship back to you. The base figure is steady nationwide, which keeps budgeting simple.
Current pricing splits into two halves: a kit fee and a service fee. Both parts show up on your receipt. Local pickup appears in select regions, but the headline number stays the same whether you mail in or use a partner courier.
Mommy Made Encapsulation Cost With Add-Ons
Let’s translate the price into real totals. Sales tax varies by state. Most buyers land a little above the listed figure once tax and one or two keepsakes enter the cart. Use the table to ballpark your out-the-door cost before you order.
| Item | What You Get | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Placenta Encapsulation Service | Processing, capsules, shipping of kit/placenta/capsules | $500 + tax |
| Up-Front Kit Portion | Collection kit, packaging, prepaid overnight label | $250 + tax |
| Service Portion | Lab prep, dehydration, grinding, bottling | $250 + tax |
| Umbilical Cord Keepsake | Heart-shaped, gold-chrome dipped cord | $50 + tax |
| Placenta Print | Tree-of-life watercolor paper print | $65 + tax |
| Encapsulation Video (Std) | Short clips stitched to ~1 minute | $50 + tax |
| Encapsulation Video (Studio) | Single-take, 3–5 minute studio setup | $100 + tax |
| Kit Expedited Shipping | 2-day delivery for the collection kit | $50 + tax |
Extras can nudge the bill. A cord keepsake is a small bump. A placenta print costs a bit more. Video add-ons raise the bill further. None are required for capsules; they’re personal mementos.
Safety Notes From Medical Sources
A quick word on safety. Medical bodies do not endorse placenta intake. The CDC published a case where an infant got group B strep infections linked to a parent taking placenta pills; their notice advises against consumption even after encapsulation (CDC MMWR case report). A large review from leading clinicians echoes this caution, and Cleveland Clinic states that benefits haven’t been shown and infections are possible (Cleveland Clinic overview).
Vendors may use clean rooms and careful steps, yet heating and dehydration do not guarantee pathogen removal. If you had a uterine infection, fever in labor, or a positive GBS screen without full antibiotics, skip ingestion and ask your clinician about disposal.
How The Process Works
What happens in the lab? The company follows a Traditional Chinese Medicine style prep. The organ is rinsed, trimmed, steamed on request, dehydrated, ground, and capped. Labels track the order from intake to bottling. A typical yield is around 160 to 180 capsules. Dosing schedules vary across sites online; your care team may advise against any intake.
How The Price Compares Locally
How does this price stack up? Local doula-run services often quote between the mid-$200s and the mid-$400s, with home pick-up and drop-off in the fee. Mail-in national services cluster around the same total after shipping. Mommy Made sits at the high end of that band, but the total is straightforward and includes priority shipping tiers.
Budgeting And Planning Tips
Ways to keep the bill predictable: order early, read the add-on list, and ask about tax in your state. Set aside funds in a registry cash goal if friends plan to pitch in. If you live in an area with pickup, ask whether courier fees apply on nights or holidays.
Policy fine print can change. Scan the order form for refund windows, kit expiration rules, and shipping deadlines. Use the phone number on the site if your due date moves or a medical issue blocks placenta release at the hospital.
Quick decision guide:
- If your budget is firm, stick to capsules only and pass on keepsakes.
- If you want a print, add it now rather than later to avoid a second charge.
- If your birth facility bans release, call in advance and ask for written policy.
- If a lab can’t receive over a weekend, plan shipping for early week.
- If a provider flags infection risk, choose disposal—health comes first.
What The Base Fee Includes
What the base fee buys: the insulated kit with instructions, priority transport, lab processing, capsules, and return shipping. What it does not include: sales tax, optional keepsakes, rush upgrades beyond the standard plan, and any hospital paperwork fees for release.
Sample Scenarios And Totals
To see how totals move, the next table walks through common scenarios using the current list prices. Swap your state tax rate and the math will be close for your address.
| Scenario | What’s Included | Est. Total Before Tax |
|---|---|---|
| Capsules Only | Service + kit + standard shipping | $500 |
| Capsules + Cord Heart | Base package + cord keepsake | $550 |
| Capsules + Print | Base package + placenta print | $565 |
| Capsules + Studio Video | Base package + studio video | $600 |
| Capsules + Kit Expedited | Base package + 2-day kit shipping | $550 |
| Everything Listed | Base + keepsake + print + studio video + kit expedite | $665 |
Insurance, HSA, And Payment
Insurance seldom covers this service. Some buyers use FSA or HSA cards, though plan rules differ. Save your receipt either way. If you need a letter of medical necessity for a plan, ask your provider, but many plans still deny the claim.
Payment methods: the order phone call usually collects a card for the deposit and the balance. Ask about split payments if you want part of the charge on a registry card. If a plan rejects the charge, update the card fast to avoid shipment delays.
Ordering And Shipping Timeline
Ordering is simple. Start the online form, wait for the email link to the order page, take the kit to birth, and ship as instructed. Keep the prepaid label and the ice packs in the kit, and store the package in a fridge as the directions state until pickup.
Timeline from birth to bottle:
- Before delivery: order the kit and stash it with your go-bag.
- At the hospital: request placenta release per policy; staff place it on ice.
- Same day: pack the kit and hand it to the shipper pickup or a partner.
- In the lab: prep and drying run for many hours.
- Return: capsules ship back once bottling and labeling finish.
Shipping care: cold chain matters before the package leaves your hands. Keep the organ on ice, keep the lid shut, and hand the box to the carrier fast. Don’t leave it in a warm car. These simple steps cut risk during transit.
Pickup And Locations
A few regions list pickup partners. That can save a shipping step, though the price stays near the same. Check the locations page and match it with your hospital city. Start with the shipping details and the current price page.
Storage, Use, And Alerts
Storage and use: keep the bottle cool and dry. Do not share capsules. If nausea or GI upset starts, stop and talk to your clinician. If your newborn shows fever or poor feeding and you are taking capsules, share that detail with the pediatric team right away.
Questions To Ask
Questions to ask the vendor:
- What temp and duration do you use for dehydration?
- Are workspaces dedicated, and how are tools sanitized?
- What is the documented chain-of-custody?
- How do you handle weekends and holidays?
- What happens if my delivery turns into a C-section with antibiotics?
Alternatives If You Skip Capsules
Not everyone wants capsules. Other paths include planting, clinical disposal, or keepsakes without ingestion. If you pick a memorial route, ask about storage time limits so you don’t miss the window.
Final Checks Before You Buy
Before you pay, run a three-point check: safety clearance from your clinician, written release from your hospital, and a clear invoice that lists kit, service, tax, and any extras. With those boxes ticked, cost and logistics tend to stay smooth.
Line-item breakdown:
- Kit: the hard-sided shipper, bio bags, labels, ice packs, and a prepaid label.
- Service: steaming or raw-style prep per your selection, dehydration, grinding, and capping.
- Return shipping: packed capsules sent back to your door.
- Optional keepsakes: cord art or a print on watercolor paper.
What pushes totals up or down: state and local tax, distance to the lab, and whether you pick keepsakes. Some buyers also choose flavoring for capsules, which can add a small fee. Rush handling may cost more; standard timing usually fits most postpartum stays.
Yield and dosing: the company says a typical placenta makes around one hundred sixty to one hundred eighty capsules. Web pages list a stepped schedule across the first two weeks, then as needed. This is a commercial guide, not a medical order. Many clinicians advise skipping intake altogether.
Hospital release tips: call labor and delivery two weeks before your due date, ask for the release form, and pack two copies. A nurse may need to bag and label the organ, so a friendly heads-up keeps the line moving. If pathology needs to examine it, you may not be able to remove it; plan for that edge case.
Why some parents pick this service: a wish for energy, mood balance, or milk supply. Clinical trials have not shown clear benefits, and experts flag infection risk. Knowing that, some still choose capsules for ritual or keepsake reasons. This guide gives cost clarity either way.
Compare with local options: some doula teams pick up within two hours of birth and hand back capsules at home. Their quotes may look lower, but travel fees and late-night surcharges can close the gap. Pick the model that fits your schedule and stress level.
Ethical and personal angles: some families view the organ as medical waste, others treat it as a keepsake. Both views are valid. Cost planning helps either path, whether you choose a memorial print or a simple hospital disposal form.
Troubleshooting: if the kit arrives late in pregnancy, call support to confirm delivery windows. If labor starts early and the kit is not on hand, ask customer care about backup packing steps. If your address changes near your due date, update the return label to avoid a roaming package.
Final cost check before purchase: open the services page, match the kit price and the service price, and take a screenshot of the totals. Add your state tax rate. Add any keepsake you truly want and delete the rest. Scan shipping dates that fall near major holidays and plan a buffer. Ask your birth partner to handle the pickup call so you can rest. When the box returns, inspect the seal and the label name. If anything looks off, pause intake and call support for a replacement.
Keep the invoice in your baby folder for records.
