Trees of life - How to create a placenta print
On Sunday, we were planning to plant three new trees - a plum tree and two apple trees. On the agenda? Thawing both Gwen’s and Gil’s placentas in order to plant under them and nourish the new trees.
Brad pulled the frozen placentas out of the freezer on Saturday and as I watched the 4L ice cream container thaw, I got a bit nostalgic and, after seeing this onesie, started (re-)researching placenta prints. After a bit of coaxing from Brad to make up my mind already, I decided to go for it - if they didn’t work out, I had at least tried and if they did, I would have some beautiful art. I decided to do the prints on canvas with acrylic paint.
Following is a tutorial (sadly, without pictures other than the finished products!)!
Placenta Prints
What you need:
- placenta
- paint
- canvass
- foam brush
- sheet of waxy paper (we used that brown stuff that comes in a roll)
- a non-squeamish friend or, preferably, your mate
(I suppose to people in AUS/UK, friend and mate are interchangeable. I mean spouse!)
Instructions:
- Thaw placenta.
- Rinse thoroughly with a gentle stream of warm water, pressing out the blood.
- Leave to dry out for a little bit - if it’s too wet, the paint won’t stick. If you’re in a hurry (like us), use some rags to pat dry.
- Mix paint to desired colour.
- Brush paint onto sheet of paper in appropriate tree-like shape.
- We did a maternal print - place placenta maternal-side down on the paint (the fetal side is the smooth side, the maternal side is the bumpy one), being careful not to press too firmly or slide it around. I had Brad help by holding up the cord and placing it into the “trunk” paint.
- Gently pat placenta.
- Pick up placenta - this bit is hard! Again, Brad picked up the cord and I very gently picked up the placenta, while trying not to move it around.
- Centre placenta paint-side down over canvas and place, gently patting it. Take cord from your helper and place where you want it.
- Allow your art to dry and choose a place to display it. Enjoy this beautiful reminder of your pregnancy and birth!
- Rinse off placenta and plant under a tree!
Voila! It was surprisingly easy and was a fun artistic project. Some variations:
- Use ink
- Use paper and frame it
- Make a print of the fetal side of the placenta
- Use the blood still in the placenta (if you do this, you’ll definitely want to use paper and have it framed)
- Use a few different colours
Here are my two - I mixed grey and purple together to create a colour that will go well with the colour scheme in our house. On the left is Gwen’s placenta print - you can see the succenturiate lobe off to the left. Gil’s nice round one is on the left. I’m thinking of white-washing the curly-up bits at the bottom so they look more like trees, which I think I would prefer. I also plan to undo the framing and make the canvasses long and thin (too much white space for my preferences!). We haven’t decided where these will hang when they’re finished. Since I’m a birth nut, I’d love to display them proudly on my main floor. We’ll see how Brad feels about that! Wherever they end up, I’m so glad we did this and I think they’re beautiful!
Judging by the comments on some other blogs and articles about this, I should be prepared for some nasty blog traffic. Commenters beware: I will remove any mean-spirited comments. I don’t mind if you think this is icky (in fact, not long ago I would have thought the same!), but please by respectful when commenting. After all, this is my space 
Kristina said,
April 30, 2010 @ 1:55 am
I think those are beautiful! And I think you SHOULD hang them on the main floor… most people probably wouldn’t know what that is right off, and if they ask… well, they’re asking for it
So if it’s icky to them, just say “Well, YOU asked!” I will definitely keep this in mind when my time comes 
Jessica @ Life as I See It said,
April 30, 2010 @ 2:22 am
I think it’s weird :-p
But I think I would totally do it too had I saved both their placentas.
I think it’ll be awesome when people say “Wow, what neat art!” to watch their expression when you tell them what it is
I also think it’s the coolest thing ever that they look like trees given the fact that you planted the placentas under trees! Very special.
kim said,
April 30, 2010 @ 8:49 am
Kristina - that’s the thing… unless you know what they are, they just look like funky trees! I think they’d be fabulous in my living room
Jessica, to be honest, I totally think it’s a bit weird too!
Brandy said,
April 30, 2010 @ 9:15 am
I vote weird but almost making me think about asking for Benj’s to take home if they will let me.
Nicole D said,
April 30, 2010 @ 8:34 pm
Hey there. I love LOVE the placenta print that one of my prior clients sent me. It is beautiful and simple and *sigh*. The cool thing is that hardly anyone knows what it is!
Her’s was pink placenta and green ’stem’. 
jenny the big sis said,
May 1, 2010 @ 7:51 am
After seeing how great yours turned out we are going to give it a shot next summer when we plant a tree in the backyard. Such a great idea! Makes me wish I had Liam’s placenta to do the same with…
Kathryn said,
May 1, 2010 @ 8:17 am
Eh, it’s a bit too odd for me. Rhys’ is fertilizing some part of the garden, somewhere. Not sure where, don’t really care. I suppose it’s doing it’s job. Guess that’s why our potatoes did so well last year. Heh heh.
Megan said,
May 2, 2010 @ 1:02 am
They are beautiful!
I came by from Hathor/Heather’s comic blog, btw…
Mrs Addams said,
May 2, 2010 @ 11:51 pm
I like it! I followed you here from Hathor’s.
Tammy said,
May 5, 2010 @ 4:21 am
A bit too crunch for me
But I think it’s so great that you did it for you!
jess said,
May 7, 2010 @ 11:41 pm
wow those are very pretty, I would have never thought of that! I’d hang them in the main area too! I made belly casts of my pregnancies and painted them, and hung them in my living room!
Lisa C said,
May 10, 2010 @ 6:23 am
Those are beautiful! I kind of wish we had asked for our son’s placenta, just so I could do this!