Calvin Harris has sparked conversation online after posting a photo of his wife’s placenta on social media following the birth of their son.
Earlier this week, Harris and his wife Vick Hope celebrated the arrival of their first child by sharing a series of images on social media.
Many followers were eager to send their congratulations to the couple on this new chapter in their lives, but some received more information than anticipated.
Among the pictures Harris posted, which included moments of him holding his newborn and his wife in the birthing pool, there was also an image of the placenta.
In the caption, he hinted at his plans for it.
In his post, the new father wrote: “20th of July our boy arrived. Micah is here! My wife is a superhero and I am in complete awe of her primal wisdom! Just so grateful. We love you so much Micah.”
Another image revealed that Harris had dried the placenta and processed it into pills.
Some individuals advocate for the health benefits of consuming the placenta, suggesting it might prevent postpartum depression and provide vitamins.
However, limited scientific evidence supports these claims, and the CDC has warned against using placenta pills.
Critics argue that the benefits might merely be a placebo effect.
The CDC advises against placenta pills, mentioning a case where a newborn contracted an unusual strain of bacteria, and doctors couldn’t dismiss the pills as a cause.
They clarify: “The placenta encapsulation process does not, per se, eradicate infectious pathogens.”
While some social media users questioned the wisdom of consuming these pills, others were more concerned with the lack of warning for the graphic placenta image.
One comment on Instagram read: “Congrats on the baby but the placenta pics are TMI. Whole, chopped up, or made into pill form. I could do without this info.”
Another noted: “Didn’t expect to see a full on placenta pic whilst eating my lunch today.”
Despite this, some individuals applauded the couple for addressing the stigma surrounding childbirth.
A fan wrote: “Congratulations! Thank you for normalizing home birth (and placentas!) with these beautiful pictures. What a dream.”
Another shared: “A big f**k yes to sharing about homebirth and placentas!!!! Congratulations!!”