To ensure safety, quality, and compliance with professional cold-holding standards, the following placenta pickup, storage, and eligibility policy applies to all clients.
Pickup Hours
• Placenta pickup hours are 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM only.
• Overnight pickups are not offered.
• Placentas delivered overnight must be safely stored (placed in cooler on ice within 4 hours of delivery) until morning pickup.
Required Supplies
Clients must bring the following to the hospital:
• Hard-sided cooler (required, will be returned, may be rented from The Mothership for $20)
• Four (4) gallon-size Ziploc bags
• Ice (ask hospital staff for ice)
Soft or fabric lunch-box coolers do not meet cold-holding requirements for overnight storage.
Communication Timeline
• Text us when labor begins at (646) 644-5294
• Text again once the placenta is ready for release
• For overnight births, contact us starting at 5am in the morning to coordinate pickup
Client Responsibilities (Required)
1. Hospital Storage & Release Policies
• It is the client’s responsibility to confirm their hospital’s placenta storage and release policy in advance.
• Hospital policies vary by hospital, by provider, and even by individual nurse on duty.
• The Mothership is not responsible for hospital refusal, delay, or inconsistency in placenta handling, storage, or release.
• Clients must advocate for the release of their placenta if questions or concerns arise.
2. Group B Strep (GBS) & Meconium — Important Clarification
• GBS (Group B Strep) is NOT a contraindication to placenta encapsulation or consumption.
• Meconium is NOT a contraindication to placenta encapsulation or consumption.
Additional context:
• During encapsulation, the placenta is heated to temperatures higher than those at which Group B Strep bacteria survive.
• Meconium is sterile and brief exposure does not pose a contamination risk when proper preparation protocols are followed.
If hospital staff question placenta release due to GBS status or meconium presence, it is the client’s responsibility to advocate for their placenta, as these conditions do not make the placenta ineligible for encapsulation under professional preparation standards.
Hospital Advocacy Scripts
If a nurse or provider questions placenta release due to GBS:
“I understand the concern. My placenta encapsulation specialist has confirmed that GBS is not a contraindication for consumption. The placenta is prepared using heat levels higher than the temperature that GBS survives (GBS can be killed by heating to temps of 140°C or higher). I would still like to take my placenta home.”
If questioned due to meconium:
“Meconium is sterile, and I’ve been informed this does not make the placenta unsafe for encapsulation. I’m requesting release of my placenta, please.”
Key reminder for clients:
You are legally entitled to your placenta. Policies vary, but you may respectfully advocate for release.
Placenta Storage Instructions
• Placenta will either be packaged by your nurse in a hospital container or it may be double-bagged using two sealed gallon-size Ziploc bags.
• Place the packaged placenta inside the hard-sided cooler.
• Fill the cooler completely with ice.
• Maintain storage at 40°F (4°C) or below.
• Follow guidance provided by your nurse regarding storage options available at your hospital. Some hospitals require the placenta to be out of the room within an hour. It is your responsibility to store the placenta safely until The Mothership is scheduled to pick up.
Once delivered, the placenta is considered perishable biological tissue and must remain within safe cold-holding temperatures (hard -sided cooler with refreshed ice or a refrigerator) to remain eligible for encapsulation.
Cooler Rental Policy
Clients are responsible for providing a hard-sided cooler for placenta storage. If a client does not have a compliant cooler, a rental may be arranged in advance.
• Hard-sided cooler rental fee: $20
• Rental includes:
• One (1) hard-sided cooler
• Four (4) gallon-size Ziploc bags
• The cooler will be dropped off prior to birth at a mutually agreed-upon time or location.
Important Notes
• Cooler rentals must be requested in advance and are subject to availability.
• Cooler rental does not change pickup hours (6:00 AM–9:00 PM) or storage requirements.
• Client remains responsible for ensuring the placenta is stored at 40°F (4°C) or below until pickup.
• Failure to maintain safe cold-holding temperatures may make the placenta ineligible for processing.
Overnight Births: Required Planning
If birth occurs overnight (outside pickup hours of 6am to 9pm), clients must make advance arrangements to store the placenta safely until morning pickup.
Acceptable options may include:
• Hospital-approved refrigerated storage (if available)
• A trusted partner, friend, or family member transporting the placenta to their home refrigerator
• Another safe cold-holding solution approved by hospital staff
Morning pickup will occur at the agreed-upon storage location - the hospital or trusted placenta guardian's location.
Failure to maintain proper cold-holding temperatures may result in the placenta being ineligible for processing.
Processing Timeline
• Please allow up to 7 business days for placenta processing.
• Processing time begins once the placenta is received in compliant condition.
Service Area, Pickup & Delivery
Manhattan (Primary Service Area)
• Free pickup and drop-off within Manhattan only
Outside Manhattan
Clients outside Manhattan may choose one of the following:
• Free shipping
• Client pickup at our Manhattan office
• Paid travel fee for pickup or drop-off outside the service area
Important Notes
• Temperature checks may be conducted at pickup.
• Placentas not meeting safety standards may be declined for processing.
• These policies follow food-safety, cold-chain, and professional placenta preparation guidelines.
Our priority is to provide safe, transparent, and respectful placenta services while maintaining professional preparation standards.
- The Mothership Team
Pickup Hours
• Placenta pickup hours are 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM only.
• Overnight pickups are not offered.
• Placentas delivered overnight must be safely stored (placed in cooler on ice within 4 hours of delivery) until morning pickup.
Required Supplies
Clients must bring the following to the hospital:
• Hard-sided cooler (required, will be returned, may be rented from The Mothership for $20)
• Four (4) gallon-size Ziploc bags
• Ice (ask hospital staff for ice)
Soft or fabric lunch-box coolers do not meet cold-holding requirements for overnight storage.
Communication Timeline
• Text us when labor begins at (646) 644-5294
• Text again once the placenta is ready for release
• For overnight births, contact us starting at 5am in the morning to coordinate pickup
Client Responsibilities (Required)
1. Hospital Storage & Release Policies
• It is the client’s responsibility to confirm their hospital’s placenta storage and release policy in advance.
• Hospital policies vary by hospital, by provider, and even by individual nurse on duty.
• The Mothership is not responsible for hospital refusal, delay, or inconsistency in placenta handling, storage, or release.
• Clients must advocate for the release of their placenta if questions or concerns arise.
2. Group B Strep (GBS) & Meconium — Important Clarification
• GBS (Group B Strep) is NOT a contraindication to placenta encapsulation or consumption.
• Meconium is NOT a contraindication to placenta encapsulation or consumption.
Additional context:
• During encapsulation, the placenta is heated to temperatures higher than those at which Group B Strep bacteria survive.
• Meconium is sterile and brief exposure does not pose a contamination risk when proper preparation protocols are followed.
If hospital staff question placenta release due to GBS status or meconium presence, it is the client’s responsibility to advocate for their placenta, as these conditions do not make the placenta ineligible for encapsulation under professional preparation standards.
Hospital Advocacy Scripts
If a nurse or provider questions placenta release due to GBS:
“I understand the concern. My placenta encapsulation specialist has confirmed that GBS is not a contraindication for consumption. The placenta is prepared using heat levels higher than the temperature that GBS survives (GBS can be killed by heating to temps of 140°C or higher). I would still like to take my placenta home.”
If questioned due to meconium:
“Meconium is sterile, and I’ve been informed this does not make the placenta unsafe for encapsulation. I’m requesting release of my placenta, please.”
Key reminder for clients:
You are legally entitled to your placenta. Policies vary, but you may respectfully advocate for release.
Placenta Storage Instructions
• Placenta will either be packaged by your nurse in a hospital container or it may be double-bagged using two sealed gallon-size Ziploc bags.
• Place the packaged placenta inside the hard-sided cooler.
• Fill the cooler completely with ice.
• Maintain storage at 40°F (4°C) or below.
• Follow guidance provided by your nurse regarding storage options available at your hospital. Some hospitals require the placenta to be out of the room within an hour. It is your responsibility to store the placenta safely until The Mothership is scheduled to pick up.
Once delivered, the placenta is considered perishable biological tissue and must remain within safe cold-holding temperatures (hard -sided cooler with refreshed ice or a refrigerator) to remain eligible for encapsulation.
Cooler Rental Policy
Clients are responsible for providing a hard-sided cooler for placenta storage. If a client does not have a compliant cooler, a rental may be arranged in advance.
• Hard-sided cooler rental fee: $20
• Rental includes:
• One (1) hard-sided cooler
• Four (4) gallon-size Ziploc bags
• The cooler will be dropped off prior to birth at a mutually agreed-upon time or location.
Important Notes
• Cooler rentals must be requested in advance and are subject to availability.
• Cooler rental does not change pickup hours (6:00 AM–9:00 PM) or storage requirements.
• Client remains responsible for ensuring the placenta is stored at 40°F (4°C) or below until pickup.
• Failure to maintain safe cold-holding temperatures may make the placenta ineligible for processing.
Overnight Births: Required Planning
If birth occurs overnight (outside pickup hours of 6am to 9pm), clients must make advance arrangements to store the placenta safely until morning pickup.
Acceptable options may include:
• Hospital-approved refrigerated storage (if available)
• A trusted partner, friend, or family member transporting the placenta to their home refrigerator
• Another safe cold-holding solution approved by hospital staff
Morning pickup will occur at the agreed-upon storage location - the hospital or trusted placenta guardian's location.
Failure to maintain proper cold-holding temperatures may result in the placenta being ineligible for processing.
Processing Timeline
• Please allow up to 7 business days for placenta processing.
• Processing time begins once the placenta is received in compliant condition.
Service Area, Pickup & Delivery
Manhattan (Primary Service Area)
• Free pickup and drop-off within Manhattan only
Outside Manhattan
Clients outside Manhattan may choose one of the following:
• Free shipping
• Client pickup at our Manhattan office
• Paid travel fee for pickup or drop-off outside the service area
Important Notes
• Temperature checks may be conducted at pickup.
• Placentas not meeting safety standards may be declined for processing.
• These policies follow food-safety, cold-chain, and professional placenta preparation guidelines.
Our priority is to provide safe, transparent, and respectful placenta services while maintaining professional preparation standards.
- The Mothership Team