Meet Your Placenta Encapsulation Team!

Meredith lives in Denton & is a mom to her three boys! She is a homeschool mom and loves helping moms have a happy postpartum!

Rebekah is from the Denton area and returned after college to settle and make it Home. She is married and they are a “Girl Family” with 3 daughters ranging in age from 7 down to 2! Rebekah has worked in the birth world since 2015 in many capacities: as a doula, Midwife Assistant, Student Midwife and is slated to become a licensed midwife in Summer 2021! Along the way she added Placenta Encapsulation to her services after she saw what a helpful option it was for her clients during their postpartum transition. Through the years, Rebekah has served around 300+ families in their births! Helping clients have a happy postpartum is how North Texas Placenta Services was born!

“North Texas Placenta Services is a business I’m passionate and proud of! My team works together to make your encapsulation services seamless and as easy as possible! We don’t want your placenta to be something to worry or stress over in your postpartum! Enjoy your new baby snuggles and we will take care of the rest! ”

— Rebekah Lewis

Placenta Encapsulation Services in Wichita Falls, Texas

NEW UPDATE SEPTEMBER 6, 2023 - I have a new currier that can usually make it to Wichita Falls and we always offer drop off services for a discounted price! There are drop off locations in Gainesville, TX and Denton, TX. Book early for best availability!

UPDATE JUNE 11, 2021 - I am not currently offering encapsulation services in Wichita Falls. I am working with a doula in the area to get her trained and ready to take on her own placenta clients. Thank you for the years of support from this area! I simply cannot continue to do a 4 hour commute for placenta services and maintain affordable pricing. I will share her contact information as soon as she is ready for clients!

Over the years I have gotten many inquiries for encapsulation services in the Wichita Falls area (North Texas Placenta Services is based in north DFW). Through connections with the Wichita Falls Birth Center I am easily able to offer encapsulation services to clients at the birth center because I have Currier arrangements with one of their midwives and birth assistants. I also hear from moms birthing at the hospital looking for this service and they find, as have I, that there aren’t really other options in the area for placenta encapsulation. After turning down several inquiries I had a very sweet, persistent client convince me that we could work something out for me to work with her because she couldn’t find anyone else to process her placenta. My heart is to serve any woman who wants this service if at all possible. So, this is what it looks like to encapsulate if you’re planning a Hospital Birth in Wichita Falls :
1. Encapsulation has to be booked ahead of time! If baby is here, call me and I’ll see if I can do it, otherwise, plan on freezing your placenta at home (double gallon zip lock bags) and give me a call and I’ll arrange pick up!

2. PLEASE tell me when you’re in labor!! Either I or a Currier (which many times is a family member) is going to need to make the almost 2 hour (one way) drive. We need to start making plans to clear our schedule. You will get my phone number when you book, a call or text is great!

3. Because birth work is so unpredictable I want you to be prepared that there is a possibility that you may need to hold on to your placenta for up to 24 hours. This would always be my last resort, but if I am at a birth, my kiddos are with my curriers and my husband is at work - I cannot guarantee that pick up can happen that same business day. Don’t fret, your placenta will keep just fine in your refrigerator at home or if you can keep it VERY well iced.

I know that this isn’t the most ideal situation, but for the time being, it’s the best working solution I have. I hope to have more curriers in the Wichita Falls area soon making this easier for you!

Covid-19 and Placenta Encapsulation

With Covid-19 here the world has seen many updates to the way even the simplist things work. This includes placenta Encapsulation. Studies out of China and Germany are showing that there is NOT vertical transmission from mother to baby before birth. The CDC agrees that it is not passing through the placenta for mothers who have contracted Covid-19.
What does all of this mean for moms in the north DFW area that want placenta Encapsulation? You can still get your placenta encapsulated! We have placed a few new protocols in place to keep everyone safe!

• We still pick up placentas, but we will not be entering hospitals to do so. If you are birthing at a hospital, you can still encapsulate! I will just arrange pick up from your partner in the hospital parking lot (which many families opted for pre Covid-19!). Many hospitals are restricting who can enter the hospital, this is for our protection and to meet the new Coronavirus protocols of local labor and delivery units. It is so important that we stay Coronavirus free so we can continue serving other pregnant and postpartum moms.

• Instead of transferring your placenta from your cooler to mine, we now ask that you provide a disposable styrofoam cooler. These will be single-use and disposed of (and not returned to you).This applies to both hospital and birth center placenta pickups.

• We already used all of the OSHA recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for encapsulation and used the safest processes. However, we will now use it outside of the specific encapsulation process, and use gloves and masks any time we are touching the bottles or boxes you are receiving your finished products in. You can rest assured know everything you are receiving is safe and clean!

As far as the very remote possibility that your placenta has Covid-19 on it from you or someone else at your birth. Covid-19 is susceptible to heat. There are recommended methods for cleaning N-95 masks for reuse for healthcare providers in our current shortages. These studies show killing the virus at 149 degrees F. I am already processing placentas at 160 degrees F as a safety precaution for killing any potential Group Beta Strep colonization on the placenta. So in short, you’re covered!

I hope that in this time of unease, this has put at least these concerns to rest! I look forward to serving you for a happy and healthy postpartum!

Placenta Encapsulation Testimonials

“Rebekah made the process so simple! ”

— Sarah, a Happy Mom in Corinth, Texas

“It made such a difference! I won’t have a baby again without doing encapsulation. It made such a difference between my first and second postpartum.”

— Elizabeth, a happy postpartum mom in Denton, Texas

“My recovery has been great and I think it’s definitely due in part to the placenta pills!”

— Kate, a happy client in McKinney, Texas

Placenta Encapsulation FAQ

Why North Texas Placenta Services?

North Texas Placenta Services holds professional certification for placenta encapsulation and preparation. We hold a current Texas Food Handlers Safety Card and maintain Blood Borne Pathogen training certifications with OSHA. We maintain the highest level of professional standards for our work and only process one placenta at a time.

Will they let me keep my placenta?

It is now Texas law that all women have the right to take their placenta home from their place of birth! Just let your care provider know that you want to keep your placenta and bring the necessary supplies to keep it. (2 - gallon zip lock bags and a cooler)

Do you offer services besides placenta encapsulation? 

Rebekah is a licensed midwife in the state of Texas! She offers home and birth center births in North DFW.

What supplies do I need to take with me to the Hospital/Birth Center to be prepared for Placenta Encapsulation?

You will need two 1 gallon ziplock bags to put the placenta in (double bagged) and a cooler to keep the placenta on ice until it is picked up. We will actually transport the placenta in our own cooler, yours is only used to keep the placenta cold at the place of birth.
(I do not return coolers after encapsulation) 

How soon after birth do I need to get the placenta on ice?

As quickly as possible. The first hour or so after birth is usually very busy with adoring the newborn but the placenta needs to be on ice within the first 3 hours postpartum. This is a great job for your doula! 

I'm Group B Strep (GBS) positive, can I still encapsulate?

Yes! Because we dehydrate the placentas at a safe temperature according to Texas Food Handling regulations it is safe to encapsulate. GBS is a colonization not an infection therefore it is still safe to encapsulate. If this makes you uneasy, send us a message! We are happy to discuss the details and options in more detail.

What if I develop an infection in labor?

If anything happens in labor that makes it potentially unsafe to encapsulate your placenta, we will refund your fee! This includes an infection during labor (chorioamniotisis or "Chorio") or if baby develops an infection in the first 24 hours after birth. 

I'm birthing at Home, Do I need to put it in an ice chest?

That is up to you! You can use an ice chest and ice to keep your placenta cold after birth or you can put the double bagged placenta in your refrigerator to wait for pick up. 

What if I am having a cesarean section birth, can I still encapsulate? 

Yes! You absolutely can! Just make sure that your birth team knows that you would like to keep your placenta! 

I'm at the hospital and I forgot a cooler, what do I do?

Double bag your placenta in ziplock bags and put it on ice in one of the basins in your room for bathing baby.

What if my placenta has to be sent to pathology?

Rarely placentas need to be further examined after birth. If your provider would like to send your placenta to pathology remind them that you would like to take it home. The placenta can be examined in your room and if further analysis is required a piece of the placenta can be sent to pathology for study. If your whole placenta is removed from your room to go to pathology it is no longer safe for encapsulation as we do not know if it was cross contaminated. 

How/When will I receive my finished Placenta Capsules?

Finished capsules are mailed to you about 72 hours after placenta pick up. Sometimes encapsulation is a lengthy process, it all depends on how large the placenta is and humidity levels etc. Our goal is for you to receive your completed products between day 3-5 after birth, but on occasion it has taken up to a week due to shipping/weekends etc.

How soon after I let you know I had baby do you pick up?

We will pick up your placenta as soon as possible. It depends on the location of your birth, if it is the middle of the night we will pick it up in business hours the following day. Unfortunately some local hospitals require that the placenta is picked up immediately and for those birth locations I or an employee will come pick it up within 2 hours of your call as long as it was already booked. We usually cannot accommodate last minute bookings that need immediate pick up (but feel free to ask!).

How long can my placenta be in the refrigerator? 

Placentas can be well iced or in the refrigerator for 72 hours from birth. If it is not possible to encapsulate within that 72 hour window of time the placenta must be frozen. Frozen placentas (Double bagged to prevent freezer burn) can be processed up to six months after being frozen. A frozen placenta must be completely thawed to begin the encapsulation process which may take a couple of days. Placentas for consumption must never be frozen, thawed and re-frozen. 

What areas do you offer Placenta Encapsulation for?

I offer placenta encapsulation to the North DFW region including North Fort Worth, Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Decatur, Carrollton, Grapevine, Gainesville, and surrounding areas. 

Hormones in a Placenta

Placenta Encapsulation can help you with hormonal balance following birth. These are the known hormones in placentas that help with postpartum healing.

Cortisone - fights off stress and is energy boosting

Gammaglobulin - immune boosting hormone

Gonadotrophin - this is the precursor to estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

Hemoglobin - how your body replenishes iron, prevents anemia

Interferon - Stimulates the Immune system. This can help with preventing infection postpartum.

Oxytocin - the love hormone, facilitates bonding between mother and the new baby. This hormone also helps with reduced perception of pain.

Prolactin - promotes lactation 

Prostaglandins - anti inflammatory

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TRH) - boosts energy and helps recover from stress

Urokinase inhibiting factor and Factor XIII - stops bleeding and promotes wound healing. 

These hormones work together to help with:

• balanced mood

• lactation support

• hormonal balance

• increased energy

• better sleep

• immune system booster

• faster healing

• replace hormones and nutrients lost during birth

Have a Baby in Flower Mound!

The spacious family waiting room for Labor and Delivery decorated for the holidays!

Texas Health Presbyterian of Flower Mound or Flower Mound Presby as it is often called is one of my favorite hospitals to work at as a birth doula!  This hospital is where over half of my doula clients that are planning a hospital birth choose to have their baby. Presbyterian Flower Mound is very doula friendly and I love working there! I have a great working relationship with many of the nurses and love walking past the nurses station when the nurses chime in with "Hi Rebekah!" when they see I'm your doula! I'm excited to share what I know about the hospital with you today!

Parking - There is free parking at this hospital and I've never had any trouble finding a parking spot whether it's 3 in the morning or during a busy afternoon. 

Food - The hospital food is pretty good! Dads are brought a tray while your are in the hospital. Depending on your care provider you may also be brought a tray of "clear fluids" in labor that include chicken broth (or a vegetarian option as some of my doula clients have requested), Popsicles, and those lemon chill things like you get at the ball park! One of my favorite things about this hospital and their patient care is that when you discharge to go home, they send you with a meal! 

Rooms - The labor and postpartum rooms are some of the most spacious and nice of any hospital I have been at as a doula in the Dallas, Fort Worth metroplex! The rooms have plenty of space for the birth team and any family you would like to be present. Each room has a private bathroom attached. The postpartum rooms are separate from the labor, delivery and recovery rooms 

NICU - There is a NICU (level 2) at this hospital.

Breastfeeding Support - This hospital has some awesome lactation consultants. They are only in the hospital during the week. If you give birth over the weekend and will be leaving before the lactation consultants are on shift again, the nurses are great and very helpful! 

Hydrotherapy - At this time there are not tubs available to labor in at this hospital but if your provider approves it, you have access to the spacious showers to labor in. 

Well Baby Nursery - Yes. They encourage rooming in but if you prefer the baby can go to the nursery. 

Monitoring - This all depends on your care provider. The hospital has the standard wired monitors beside the bed. Intermittent monitoring is an option if you prefer and are a candidate. There is not a telemetry or wireless option at this point. 

Saline Lock - Again, this all comes back to what you and your care provider discuss but I have seen the majority of my doula clients are able to have a saline lock instead of a continuous IV. 

Family Centered Cesareans - The cesareans I have seen at this hospital have not been family centered. That does not mean that a family centered cesarean can't happen, but it will come down to the care provider. 

Placenta Release - If you are planning to encapsulate your placenta this is a great hospital! They have always been compliant with the Texas Laws for placenta release and they don't raise a fuss at all! 

Special information - Unfortunately this hospital does not offer hospital tours of the Labor and Delivery floor. If you come in after 10 pm you will need to enter through the Emergency Room and someone will escort you up to labor and delivery. You will need to page the nurses station on the box just to the right of the door.

Rebekah Lewis is a professional certified Birth Doula, postpartum belly binding specialist and placenta encapsulation specialist serving families in North Texas including Denton, Flower Mound, Gainesville, McKinney, Prosper, Keller, North Fort Worth and surrounding areas. 

Hands On Birth Classes in Denton, Texas

Update March 2022 - Callie is no longer teaching Childbirth Education (But if you need a referral for a great therapist, I’m happy to pass along her information!). If you’re looking for comprehensive childbirth education in Denton TX or Little Elm, Rebecca Grochowski is an excellent option!

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Are you and your partner ready for your upcoming birth? Maybe you have taken a class at one of the local hospitals, Texas Health Presbyterian Flower Mound or Denton Presbyterian hospital. You've learned lots of great information about what will happen on the day your family grows by two more feet. You know what interventions the hospital has for pain and what their policies and procedures are for things but do you Know how to help your partner in labor? 

Do you know what you can do to physically bring her comfort? 

Have you read ideas of labor positions or different things you can do in labor but you aren't sure how to actually do them? 

This class is for you! If you are having a baby this spring or summer in the Denton area I will be joining Callie Corless, an excellent Birth Boot Camp Instructor to teach the Comfort Measures for Labor Workshop. Come and learn hands on techniques you can implement on your upcoming Labor Day!

Come learn from two birth professionals who have supported families in all settings for birth and leave with practical knowledge that you can put to use to have an Amazing Birth!

The class cost is $95 is 3-4 hours long you you receive 2 booklets with the information we cover in class to use as a reference for labor. 

Rebekah Lewis is a birth doula and offers postpartum belly binding and placenta encapsulation. She serves families in the Denton County area including Denton, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Carrollton, Sanger, Krum, Keller and surrounding areas.  

Christian Doula in North Texas

Hi, My name is Rebekah and I wear many hats. I'm a wife of 10 years to my husband John. I'm a mother to my three daughters Cora and Ada & Evie. I'm a daughter and a sister, my family is mostly local and we're close. I'm a friend, I am the friend that will drop a whole days plans to be there when you need me. Among the many things that make me "me", I am also a Christian!

I have served many families who do not hold the same faith as I do, and that's okay! I am honored to walk with all faiths and beliefs. I am committed to giving each and every family that I serve the very best of my service and care!

It would be dishonest of me to not acknowledge that I believe that my compassion and heart for service for laboring women is my gift from God.

For those that I serve that are of the same faith and believe in the power of prayer - prayer is a part of me and by extension my doula service that is available at any time that you wish! I consider it a great honor to pray over the families I have the privilege to serve. Please feel free to let me know if you would like prayer during your pregnancy or birth.

Rebekah is a birth doula, placenta encapsulation specialist, and postpartum belly binding specialist serving families in Dallas, Fort Worth. She makes her home outside of Denton, Texas and serves clients and their families in Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Keller, Fort Worth, Argyle, Krum, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, Frisco and the surrounding areas.

When to Hire a Doula?

I'm often asked when is the best time to hire a doula. The truth is, it's never too late - I have been hired as late as 39 weeks to support a family birthing in Keller! Some doulas have gotten phone calls from women in labor that are looking for support right then! I have also been hired as early as "hey! I'm pregnant! I'd love you to be my doula!".

The earlier you hire me as your birth doula the more you get out of my services. I'm available to you for longer as a resource for providers and evidence based research.

Why would I hire early?

I just recently got a call from a past client letting me know they're expecting again! After I let them know how excited I am for them and they told me they needed me on their birth team again (Yay! It's always such a great honor to be asked back for future births!) we started chatting about their birth plans. They had a great birth in Flower Mound for their first child but they are looking for a different experience this time. We chatted about birth centers in Denton, Argyle, Keller, Allen and Plano. They haven't decided where they want to birth, or if maybe home birth is what's best for them but because they hired me early and I'm available to them I can provide more resources! I have compiled a list for them of all the best midwives and doctors in their area so they can have all the information to find the best birth team for their dream birth!

The longer I know you, the better I know you! I generally chat with clients over the phone or in texts at least as often as they are seeing their care provider, often more than that! I love getting to know my clients well and the stronger our relationship is the better support I am able to offer to you when you're in labor! We call this Relational Support in doula-world and I think it is one of the most important parts of our job!

Limited Availability

Each month I only take on one or two clients. My calendar usually fills up quickly! If I am unavailable to be your birth doula I'm always happy to pass along the names of other amazing doulas I personally know and recommend in the Dallas, Fort Worth area that have availability for your due date. Booking early can help you to get your birth team settled and start building that relationship with your doula that makes the experience so positive.

I know personally I ran into this with one of my births before I was a doula. I was on the hunt for a doula and I quickly learned that there are so many great options out there. I talked to my husband and we figured out what we were looking for and what our budget was. From there I contacted at least 8 doulas before I found one that had availability for my due date! That's great that so many families in the DFW Metroplex are using doulas for their births but as a consumer it sure was an extra challenge.

When are you normally hired? What's that process like?

Obviously not everyone hires me right after they learn they're pregnant and I'm rarely hired in the final month. The average time that I meet expecting mothers for a consultation is around the 20 week mark. When an expecting mother reaches out and says that she'd like to talk to me about doula services I do my best to meet with her that week! We can do either a phone consultation or an in person interview! Some people like to chat on the phone first then set up a meeting in person and that's just fine too!
I generally meet about half way between you and me for our initial conversation. Sometimes I need that meeting to be in Denton if that's all that my schedule allows or if I have a client I anticipate going into labor soon in the area. Other times I'm meeting clients or providers in your area so I can come to your town, it all depends! I have met families for doula consultations in McKinney, Allen, Keller, Frisco, Denton, Sanger, Decatur and Fort Worth. I'm sure there are other cities that I'm forgetting, but chances are we can find a place to meet!

Where do you meet for Consultations/Interviews?

Starbucks is undoubtedly my favorite meeting location, it's easy and they're everywhere! I'm also a little addicted to coffee! I also meet families that are bringing older children along to the consultation at Chick Fil A's or other kid friendly places so they're more comfortable. I'm very flexible and open to suggestions. Since Denton is my stomping grounds I love to meet in local coffee shops or cafe's, as I learn new cities and their unique local businesses I try to use those places too!

Consultations are always free and last about 45 minutes to an hour! You can reach out to me here to set one up! I would love to meet you and chat about how I can be a doula for your upcoming birth and help it to be an empowering experience!

Rebekah Lewis is a birth doula, placenta encapsulation specialist and postpartum belly binding specialist serving families in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex. She makes her home outside of Denton, Texas with her husband and two daughters. She serves the greater North Central Texas area including all of Denton County, North Tarrant County, Gainesville, Decatur, McKinney, Allen, Frisco, Plano and surrounding areas.